The time of opposition can occur as much as 8.5 days away from the closest approach. The distance at close approach varies between about 54 and about 103 million km due to the planets' elliptical orbits, which causes comparable variation in angular size.
Cosmos often simply means universe. But the word is generally used to suggest an orderly or harmonious universe, as it was originally used by Pythagoras in the 6th century B.C. Thus, a religious mystic may help put us in touch with the cosmos, and so may a physicist.
cosmo-. a combining form meaning âworld,â âuniverseâ (cosmography); in contemporary usage, sometimes representing Russian kosmo-, it may mean âouter space,â âspace travel,â or âcosmic rayâ (cosmonaut).