Nectarine trees produce varietals of fruit that commonly have smooth skin, firm flesh and a stone that either removes easily from the flesh or clings to it, giving them further classification as clingstone or freestone.
The ecliptic is an imaginary line that marks the path of the sun. The signs of the Zodiac come from the constellations that lie along this line. As Earth orbits the sun, the sun appears to drift across the background stars. The ecliptic marks out the path of this motion on the sky.
The intersection of the ecliptic and the celestial equator where the Sun crosses. the equator from north to south. Also used to refer to the date on which the Sun. passes through this intersection.