\So"lar\, n. [OE. soler, AS. solere, L. solarium, from sol
the sun. See {Solar}, a.]
A loft or upper chamber; a garret room. [Obs.] [Written also
{soler}, {solere}, {sollar}.] --Oxf. Gloss.

\So"lar\, a. [L. solaris, fr. sol the sun; akin to As.
s[=o]l, Icel. s[=o]l, Goth. sauil, Lith. saule, W. haul,.
sul, Skr. svar, perhaps to E. sun:F. solaire. Cf. {Parasol}.
{Sun}.]
1. Of or pertaining to the sun; proceeding from the sun; as,
   the solar system; solar light; solar rays; solar
   influence. See {Solar system}, below.
2. (Astrol.) Born under the predominant influence of the sun.
   [Obs.]
         And proud beside, as solar people are. --Dryden.
3. Measured by the progress or revolution of the sun in the
   ecliptic; as, the solar year.
4. Produced by the action of the sun, or peculiarly affected
   by its influence.
         They denominate some herbs solar, and some lunar.
                                               --Bacon.
{Solar cycle}. See under {Cycle}.
{Solar day}. See {Day}, 2.
{Solar engine}, an engine in which the energy of solar heat
   is used to produce motion, as in evaporating water for a
   steam engine, or expanding air for an air engine.
{Solar flowers} (Bot.), flowers which open and shut daily at
   certain hours.
{Solar lamp}, an argand lamp.
{Solar microscope}, a microscope consisting essentially,
   first, of a mirror for reflecting a beam of sunlight
   through the tube, which sometimes is fixed in a window
   shutter; secondly, of a condenser, or large lens, for
   converging the beam upon the object; and, thirdly, of a
   small lens, or magnifier, for throwing an enlarged image
   of the object at its focus upon a screen in a dark room or
   in a darkened box.
{Solar month}. See under {Month}.
{Solar oil}, a paraffin oil used an illuminant and lubricant.
{Solar phosphori} (Physics), certain substances, as the
   diamond, siulphide of barium (Bolognese or Bologna
   phosphorus), calcium sulphide, etc., which become
   phosphorescent, and shine in the dark, after exposure to
   sunlight or other intense light.
{Solar plexus} (Anat.), a nervous plexus situated in the
   dorsal and anterior part of the abdomen, consisting of
   several sympathetic ganglia with connecting and radiating
   nerve fibers; -- so called in allusion to the radiating
   nerve fibers.
{Solar spots}. See {Sun spots}, under {Sun}.
{Solar system} (Astron.), the sun, with the group of
   celestial bodies which, held by its attraction, revolve
   round it. The system comprises the major planets, with
   their satellites; the minor planets, or asteroids, and the
   comets; also, the meteorids, the matter that furnishes the
   zodiacal light, and the rings of Saturn. The satellites
   that revolve about the major planets are twenty-two in
   number, of which the Earth has one (see {Moon}.), Mars
   two, Jupiter five, Saturn nine, Uranus four, and Neptune
   one. The asteroids, between Mars and Jupiter, thus far
   discovered (1900), number about five hundred, the first
   four of which were found near the beginning of the
   century, and are called Ceres, Pallas, Juno, and Vesta.
Note: The principal elements of the major planets, and of the
      comets seen at more than one perihelion passage, are
      exhibited in the following tables: -- I. -- Major
      Planets. Symbol.Name.Mean distance -- that of the Earth
      being unity.Period in days.Eccentricity.Inclination of
      orbit.Diameter in miles ????????????????????? II. --
      Periodic Comets. Name.Greatest distance from sun.Least
      distance from sun.Inclination of orbit.Perihelion
      passage. [deg] [min] 54 Encke's3.314.100.34212 541885.2
      ?????????????????????
{Solar telegraph}, telegraph for signaling by flashes of
   reflected sunlight.
{Solar time}. See {Apparent time}, under {Time}.