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Imagine the Universe! Dictionary |
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(Note - Greek letters are written out by name - alpha, beta etc.)
jets
Beams of particles, usually coming from an active galactic
nucleus or a pulsar. Unlike a jet airplane, when
the stream of gas is in one direction, astrophysical jets come in pairs with
each jet aiming in opposite directions.
kelvin (after Lord Kelvin, 1824 - 1907)
The fundamental SI unit of thermodynamic temperature defined as 1/273.16 of
the thermodynamic temperature of the triple point of water. More
practically speaking, the
Kelvin temperature scale measures an object's temperature above
absolute zero, the theoretical coldest possible temperature. On the
Kelvin scale the freezing point of water is 273 ( = 0o C =
32o F) [ K = 273 + C = 273 + 5/9 * (F-32)]. The
Kelvin temperature scale is often used in sciences such as astronomy.
Kepler, Johannes (1571 - 1630)
German astronomer and mathematician. Considered a founder of modern
astronomy, he formulated the famous three laws of planetary motion. They
comprise a quantitative formulation of Copernicus's theory that the
planets revolve around the Sun.
Show me a picture of Johannes
Kepler !
Kepler's laws (J. Kepler)
Kepler's first law
A planet orbits the Sun in an ellipse with the Sun at one focus.
Kepler's second law
A line directed from the Sun to a planet sweeps out equal areas in
equal times as the planet orbits the Sun.
Kepler's third law
The square of the period of a planet's orbit is proportional
to the cube of that planet's semimajor axis; the constant of proportionality
is the same for all planets.
kilogram (kg)
The fundamental SI unit of mass. The kilogram is
the only SI unit still maintained by a physical artifact (a
platinum-iridium bar) kept in the International Bureau of Weights and
Measures at Sevres, France. One kilogram is equivalent to 1,000 grams
or about 2.2 pounds; the mass of a liter of water.
kinematics
Refers to the calculation or description of the underlying mechanics of
motion of an astronomical object. For example, in radioastronomy,
spectral line graphs are used to determine the kinematics or relative
motions of material at the center of a galaxy or surrounding a star
as it is born.
Kirchhoff's law of radiation (G.R. Kirchhoff)
The emissivity of a body is equal to its absorbance at the same temperature.
Kirchhoff's laws (G.R. Kirchhoff)
Kirchhoff's first law
An incandescent solid or gas under high pressure will produce a continuous
spectrum.
Kirchhoff's second law
A low-density gas will radiate an emission-line spectrum with an underlying
emission continuum.
Kirchhoff's third law
Continuous radiation viewed through a low-density gas will produce an
absorption-line spectrum.
L0
A representation of the luminosity of an
object in terms of Solar luminosity. The average luminosity of the
Sun is about 4x1033 erg/sec. Astronomers often express
units for other objects in terms of solar units, which makes the
resulting numbers smaller and easier to deal with.
Lagrange, Joseph (1736 - 1813)
A French mathematician of the eighteenth century. His work Mecanique
Analytique (Analytical Mechanics; 1788) was a mathematical masterpiece. It
contained clear, symmetrical notation and covered almost every area of pure
mathematics. Lagrange developed the calculus of variations, established the
theory of differential equations, and provided many new solutions and theorems
in number theory. His classic Theorie des fonctions analytiques laid
some of the foundations of group theory. Lagrange also invented the method of
solving differential equations known as variation of parameters.
Show me a picture of Joseph
Lagrange !
Lagrange points
Points in the vicinity of two massive bodies (such as the Earth and the
Moon) where each others' respective gravities balance. There are five,
labeled L1 through L5. L1, L2, and L3 lie along the centerline between
the centers of mass between the two masses; L1 is on the inward side of
the secondary, L2 is on the outward side of the secondary; and L3 is on
the outward side of the primary. L4 and L5, the so-called Trojan points,
lie along the orbit of the secondary around the primary, sixty degrees
ahead and behind of the secondary.
L1 through L3 are points of unstable equilibrium; any disturbance
will move a test particle there out of the Lagrange point. L4 and L5
are points of stable equilibrium, provided that the mass of the
secondary is less than about 1/24.96 the mass of the primary. These
points are stable because centrifugal pseudo-forces work against
gravity to cancel it out.
laser
Laser is an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. It's a device that produces a coherent
beam of optical radiation by stimulating electronic, ionic, or molecular
transitions to higher levels so that when they return to lower energy
levels they emit energy.
LHEA
Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics, located at NASA's Goddard
Space Flight Center. The scientists, programmers and technicians
working here study the astrophysics of objects which emit cosmic ray,
x-ray and gamma-ray radiation.
light
The common term for electromagnetic radiation, usually
referring to that portion visible to the human eye. However, other
bands of the e-m spectrum are also often referred to as different
forms of light.
light curve
A graph showing how the radiation from an object varies over time.
light year
A unit of length used in astronomy which equals the distance light travels
in a year. At the rate of 300,000 kilometers per second (671 million miles per
hour), 1 light-year is equivalent to 9.46053 x 1012 km,
5,880,000,000,000 miles or 63,240 AU (see
scientific notation).
limb
The outer edge of the apparent disk of a celestial body.
LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna)
A NASA mission which will detect gravitational waves. LISA will consist of three satellites that use laser interferometry to monitor their positions relative to each other. Gravitational waves passing by the satellites cause small changes in the distances between the satellites.
luminosity
The rate at which a star or other object emits energy, usually in the
form of electromagnetic radiation.
M0
A representation of the mass of an object in terms of Solar mass.
The average mass of the Sun is about 2x1033 grams.
Astronomers often express units for other objects in terms of solar
units, since it makes the resulting numbers smaller and easier to deal with.
magnetic field
A description of the strength of the magnetic force exerted by an object. Bar magnets have "di-polar" fields,
as the force is exerted from the two ends of the bar. In simple
terms, the earth, the sun, stars, pulsars all have dipolar magnetic
fields.
magnetic pole
Either of two limited regions in a magnet at which the magnet's field is most
intense. The two regions have opposing polarities, which we label
"north" and "south", after the two poles on the Earth.
magnetosphere
The region of space in which the magnetic field of an object (e.g., a
star or planet) dominates the radiation pressure of the stellar wind to which
it is exposed.
magnetotail
The portion of a planetary magnetosphere which is pushed in the direction
of the solar wind.
magnitude
The degree of brightness of a celestial body designated on a numerical
scale, on which the brightest star has magnitude -1.4 and the faintest
star visible without a telescope has magnitude 6. A decrease of
one magnitude represents an increase in apparent brightness by a factor of
2.512; also called apparent magnitude.
mass
A measure of the total amount of material in a body, defined either
by the inertial properties of the body or by its gravitational influence on
other bodies.
matter
A word used for any kind of stuff which contains mass.
mega-ton
A unit of energy used to describe nuclear warheads. The same amount energy as
1 million tons of TNT.
1 mega-ton = 4 x 1022 ergs = 4 x 1015 joules.
Messier, Charles (1730 - 1817)
The 18th century French astronomer who compiled a list of
approximately 100 fuzzy, diffuse looking objects which appeared at
fixed positions in the sky. Being a comet-hunter, Messier compiled
this list of objects which he knew were not comets. His list is now
well known to professional and amateur astronomers as containing
the brightest and most striking nebulae, star clusters, and galaxies
in the sky.
meter; m
The fundamental SI unit of length, defined as the length of the path
traveled by light in vacuum during a period of 1/299 792 458 s. A unit of
length equal to about 39 inches. A kilometer is equal to 1000
meters.
metric system
See SI.
microquasar
Microquasars are stellar mass black holes, that
display characteristics of the supermassive black holes
found at the centers of some galaxies. For instance,
they have radio jets - something not every black hole has.
microwave
Electromagnetic radiation which has a longer wavelength (between 1 mm
and 30 cm) than visible light. Microwaves can be used to study the
Universe, communicate with satellites in Earth orbit, and cook
popcorn.
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, founded in 1958
as the successor to the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics.
nebula (pl. nebulae)
A diffuse mass of interstellar dust and gas. A reflection
nebula shines by light reflected from nearby stars. An
emission nebula shines by emitting light as electrons
recombine with protons to form hydrogen. The electrons were made
free by the ultraviolet light of a nearby star shining on a cloud
of hydrogen gas. A
planetary nebula results from the explosion of a solar-like
type star.
neutrino
A fundamental particle produced in massive numbers by the nuclear reactions in
stars; they are very hard to detect because the vast majority of them pass
completely through the Earth without interacting.
neutron
A particle with approximately the mass
of a proton, but zero charge, commonly found in the nucleus of atoms .
neutron star
The imploded core of a massive star produced by a
supernova explosion. (typical mass of 1.4 times the
mass of the Sun, radius of about 5 miles, density of a
neutron.) According to astronomer and author Frank
Shu, "A sugar cube of neutron-star stuff on Earth would weigh as much as
all of humanity!" Neutron stars can be observed as
pulsars.
Newton, Isaac 1642 - 1727
English cleric and scientist; discovered the classical laws of motion and
gravity; the bit with the apple is probably apocryphal.
Show me a picture of Isaac Newton !
Newton's law of universal gravitation (Sir I. Newton)
Two bodies attract each other with equal and opposite forces; the magnitude
of this force is proportional to the product of the two masses and is also
proportional to the inverse square of the distance between the centers of mass
of the two bodies.
Newton's laws of motion (Sir I. Newton)
Newton's first law of motion
A body continues in its state of constant velocity (which may be zero)
unless it is acted upon by an external force.
Newton's second law of motion
For an unbalanced force acting on a body, the acceleration produced is
proportional to the force impressed; the constant of proportionality is the
inertial mass of the body.
Newton's third law of motion
In a system where no external forces are present, every action force is
always opposed by an equal and opposite reaction
noise
The random fluctuations that are always associated with a measurement that is
repeated many times over. Noise appears in astronomical images as fluctuations
in the image background. These fluctuations do not represent any real sources
of light in the sky, but rather are caused by the imperfections of the
telescope. If the noise is too high, it may obscure the dimmest objects within
the field of view.
nova (plural: novae)
A star that experiences a sudden outburst of radiant energy, temporarily
increasing its luminosity by hundreds to thousands of times before fading back
to its original luminosity.
nuclear fusion
A nuclear process whereby several small nuclei are combined to make a
larger one whose mass is slightly smaller than the sum of the small ones. The
difference in mass is converted to energy by Einstein's famous equivalence
"Energy = Mass times the
Speed of Light squared". This is the source of the Sun's energy.
OAO 3
Orbiting Astronomical Observatory 3 - NASA ultraviolet/X-ray mission, also known as Copernicus.
occultation
The blockage of light by the intervention of another object; a planet can
occult (block) the light from a distant star.
opacity
A property of matter that prevents light from passing through it. The opacity or opaqueness of something depends on the
frequency of the light. For instance, the atmosphere of Venus is transparent to
ultraviolet light, but is opaque to visible light.
orbit
The path of an object that is moving around a second object or point.
OSO 3
Orbiting Solar Observatory 3
OSO 8
Orbiting Solar Observatory 8
pair production
The physical process whereby a gamma-ray photon, usually through an interaction
with the electromagnetic field of a nucleus, produces an electron and an
anti-electron (positron). The original photon no longer
exists, its energy having gone to the two resulting particles. The inverse
process, pair annihilation, creates two gamma-ray photons from the mutual
destruction of an electron/positron pair.
parallax
The apparent motion of a relatively close object compared to a more
distant background as the location of the observer changes.
Astronomically, it is half the angle which a a star appears to move as
the earth moves from one side of the sun to the other.
parsec
The distance to an object which has a parallax
of one arc second. It is equal to 3.26 light years, or 3.1 x
1018 cm (see scientific
notation). A kiloparsec (kpc) is equal to 1000 parsecs. A
megaparsec (Mpc) is equal to a million (106) parsecs.
periapsis
The point in an orbit when two objects are closest together. Special
names are given to this point for commonly used systems: see periastron,
perihelion, and
perigee. The
opposite of apoapsis.
periastron
The point of closest approach of two stars, as in a binary star orbit.
Opposite of apastron.
perigee
The point in its orbit where an Earth satellite is closest to the
Earth. Opposite of apogee.
perihelion
The point in its orbit where a planet is closest to the Sun. Opposite
of aphelion.
photon
The smallest (quantum) unit of light/electromagnetic energy. Photons are generally regarded as particles with zero mass and no electric charge.
photoelectric effect
An effect explained by A. Einstein which demonstrates that light seems to be
made up of particles, or photons. Light can excite electrons (called
photoelectrons in this context) to be ejected from a metal. Light with a
frequency below a certain threshold, at any intensity, will not cause any
photoelectrons to be emitted from the metal. Above that frequency,
photoelectrons are emitted in proportion to the intensity of incident
light.
The reason is that a photon has energy in proportion to its
wavelength, and the constant of proportionality is the Planck
constant. Below a certain frequency -- and thus below a certain
energy -- the incident photons do not have enough energy to knock the
photoelectrons out of the metal. Above that threshold energy, called
the work function, photons will knock the photoelectrons out of the
metal, in proportion to the number of photons (the intensity of the
light). At higher frequencies and energies, the photoelectrons ejected
obtain a kinetic energy corresponding to the difference between the
photon's energy and the work function.
pi
The constant equal to the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its
diameter, which is approximately 3.141593.
Planck constant; h
The fundamental constant equal to the ratio of the energy of a quantum of
energy to its frequency. It is the quantum of action. It has the value
6.626196 x 10-34 J s (see
scientific notation).
Planck equation
The quantum mechanical equation relating the energy of a photon E to its
frequency nu:
E = h x nu
planetary nebula
A shell of gas ejected from stars like our Sun at the end of their lifetime. This gas continues to expand out from the remaining white dwarf.
plasma
A low-density gas in which the individual atoms are ionized (and therefore
charged), even though the total number of positive and negative charges is
equal, maintaining an overall electrical neutrality.
pointing
The direction in the sky to which the telescope is pointed. Pointing also
describes how accurately a telescope can be pointed toward a particular
direction in the sky.
polarization
A special property of light; light has three properties, brightness, color
and polarization. Polarization is a condition in which the planes of
vibration of the various rays in a light beam are at least partially
aligned.
positron
The antiparticle to the electron. The positron has
most of the same characteristics as an electron except it is positively
charged.
proton
A particle with a positive charge commonly found in the nucleus of atoms.
protostar
Very dense regions (or cores) of molecular clouds where stars are in the
process of forming.
Ptolemy (ca. 100-ca. 170)
A.k.a. Claudius Ptolemaeus. Ptolemy believed the planets and Sun to orbit the
Earth in the order Mercury, Venus, Sun, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn. This
system became known as the Ptolemaic system and predicted the
positions of the planets accurately enough for naked-eye observations
(although it made some ridiculous predictions, such as that the
distance to the moon should vary by a factor of two over its
orbit). He authored a book called Mathematical Syntaxis (widely known
as the Almagest). The Almagest included a star catalog containing 48
constellations, using the names we still use today. Show me a picture of Ptolemy !
pulsar
A rotating neutron star which generates regular
pulses of radiation. Pulsars were discovered by observations at radio
wavelengths but have since been observed at optical, X-ray, and gamma-ray
energies.
PVO
Pioneer Venus Orbiter
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