Nadir

The nadir (from Arabic: نظير‎ / ALA-LC: naẓīr, meaning "opposite") is the direction pointing directly below a particular location; that is, it is one of two vertical directions at a specified location, orthogonal to a horizontal flat surface there. Since the concept of being below is itself somewhat vague, scientists define the nadir in more rigorous terms. Specifically, in astronomy, geophysics and related sciences (e.g., meteorology), the nadir at a given point is the local vertical direction pointing in the direction of the force of gravity at that location. The direction opposite of the nadir is the zenith.

Nadir also refers to the downward-facing viewing geometry of an orbiting satellite, such as is employed during remote sensing of the atmosphere, as well as when an astronaut faces the Earth while performing a spacewalk.

The word is also used figuratively to mean the lowest point of a person's spirits, or the quality of an activity or profession.

The term nadir can also be used to represent the lowest point reached by a celestial body during its apparent orbit around a given point of observation. This can be used to describe the location of the Sun, but it is only technically accurate for one latitude at a time and only possible at the low latitudes. The sun is said to be at the nadir at a location when it is at the zenith at the location's antipode.

Nadir (disambiguation)

The nadir is a low or downward point of reference.

Nadir may also refer to:

See also

Nadir (web portal)

Nadir.org is a German web portal, based in Hamburg. It sees itself as "an information system to leftist politics and social movements in the internet". It is one of the oldest German organisations of left groups and for initiatives-based websites. Since 2006, new entries were largely adjusted and a manifesto against retention was published in October 2008. Gradually, it was replaced by the open information platform indymedia. Topics included were anti-fascism, anti-racism and work against sexism.

In particular, the magazines Radikale Zeiten, the "Rote Hilfe Zeitung", Gegendruck, Zeck and Interim were collected electronically.

The term "nadir" means "a point to which a central perspective in an infinitely long distance converges", in the Arabic language "a vanishing point at infinity".

Assessment of the constitutional protection of North Rhine-Westphalia

The Hamburg-based news portal was used, according to the Annual Report of the State Office for the Protection of North Rhine-Westphalia 2004, by left-wing extremists and is referred to as "the oldest left-wing extremist portal".

Nadir (name)

Nadir is both a surname and a given name. Notable people with the name include:

Persons

Given name

Middle name

Surname

See also

Nadir (topography)

In topography, a nadir is a point on a surface that is lower in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. Mathematically, a nadir is a local minimum of elevation. A nadir may be the lowest point of a dry basin or depression, or the deepest point of a body of water or ice. The nadir of a body of water is often called a "deep", as in the Challenger Deep, the nadir of the Earth's oceans.

See also

Nadir (horse)

Nadir (foaled March 15, 1955) was a Thoroughbred racehorse who was one of two colts voted the American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt of 1957. He was bred and raced by Bull Hancock's Claiborne Farm.

World's richest race & Championship year

Racing under trainer Moody Jolley, Nadir made eight starts at age two and won five times including an October 26, 1957 victory in the world's richest horse race, the Garden State Stakes at Garden State Park for which he earned a purse of $155,047. A few days later, Claiborne Farm owner Bull Hancock turned down an offer of $1 million for the colt from Travis Kerr.

Nadir was voted American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt by the Daily Racing Form. The rival Thoroughbred Racing Association and Turf & Sports Digest polls were topped by Jewel's Reward.

Racing at ages 3 & 4

Nadir went into 1958 as one of the early favorites for the Kentucky Derby. Based at Florida's Hialeah Park Race Track, he had a win at seven furlongs early in the year, but in the mile and an eighth Flamingo Stakes he ran fourth to Tim Tam, finishing more than seven lengths behind the winner. In April, he ran second in the Blue Grass Heights Purse at Keeneland won by Tim Tam in track record time. In his next start, the Derby Trial at Churchill Downs, Nadir was again beaten by winner Tim Tam, this time finishing fourth. Withdrawn from the Kentucky Derby and the remainder of the Triple Crown races, for a short time Nadir competed at shorter distances. On June 14, the colt won his first stakes race of 1958, taking the six-furlong Select Handicap at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, New Jersey by a nose. In August, he captured the mile and one-eighth American Derby at Chicago's Arlington Park, a win that was the last major victory of his career. Nadir ended 1958 with five wins in all and purse money totaling $204,312. As a four-year-old in 1959, he made eight starts, winning once. His best result in top-level races was a second in the prestigious Widener Handicap.