Zenith refers to an imaginary point directly "above" a particular location, on the imaginary celestial sphere. "Above" means in the vertical direction opposite to the apparent gravitational force at that location. The opposite direction, i.e. the direction in which gravity pulls, is toward the nadir. The zenith is the "highest" point on the celestial sphere (meaning it is the farthest up from the gravitational force). Zenith is sometimes used as a given name, most commonly for males. Its meaning, "highest point," evokes success and power.
The word "zenith" derives from an inaccurate reading of the Arabic expression سمت الرأس (samt ar-ra's), meaning "direction of the head" or "path above the head", by Medieval Latin scribes in the Middle Ages (during the 14th century), possibly through Old Spanish. It was reduced to 'samt' ("direction") and miswritten as 'senit'/'cenit', as the "m" was misread as an "ni". Through the Old French 'cenith', 'zenith' first appeared in the 17th century.
Decipher is the second album by Dutch symphonic metal band After Forever, released in 2001. In this album, the band make use of live classical instruments and a complete choir to back up the soprano voice of lead singer Floor Jansen. Thrown in the mix are also a duet of soprano and tenor voices in "Imperfect Tenses" and the recording of the late Israeli PM Yizhak Rabin voice during the Peace treaty signing ceremony on October 26, 1994 on "Forlorn Hope". This is the last After Forever album with guitarist and founder Mark Jansen, who left the band soon after its release.
The album has been re-released by Transmission Records in 2003 in a limited edition of 5,000 copies worldwide. The limited edition in digipack had an extended booklet, a sticker with new artwork and two bonus live tracks.
The album was re-released in 2012 as a 2-disc set by the re-financed Transmission Records.
MV Zenith is a cruise ship owned by the Spain-based shipping company Pullmantur Cruises. She was built in 1992 by Meyer Werft, Papenburg, Germany for Celebrity Cruises.
The Zenith was built as a sister ship to Celebrity Cruises' first newbuild MV Horizon. Her interiors were designed by Michael Katsourakis and British designer John McNeece. The Zenith was delivered in February 1992 and set under Liberian flag. She was used for cruises from Florida to the Caribbean and Bermuda islands. In 2002 she was reflagged in the Bahamas. In 2007 she was transferred to Pullmantur Cruises and used for cruises around the Mediterranean.
A 7-Night Cruise from 11 to 18 March 1995 aboard the Zenith is the subject of David Foster Wallace's 1995 essay "A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again" (collected in a collection of the same name and originally published in Harper's as "Shipping Out"). Wallace refers to the Zenith as the Nadir throughout (although he insists "the rechristening's nothing particular against the ship itself").
The sky shall fall on me from high above
The earth shall swallow me from down below
The fire will follow me until I'm ash
The seas encircle me until I'm with the flow
Recoil in searing pain
Release all hope and fear
Reject the myth and lies
Rejoice - immortal sin
The hails will batter me until I'm gone
The storms will chase me throughout my path
The typhoid strikes me when I'm on my knees
The swarms engulf me until I am out of breath
Can you be the same
Will you take the blame
Can you bow in shame
Will you call his name