superflare

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-superflare.wav

A program to predict such flares has been initiated, and it is planned to time short trips (such as round trips to the moon) so that they won't coincide with the superflares.

1962, Popular Science, Popular Science, Wernher von Braun articles 1962-1976, Macmillan and Company, Limited, page 58:

At press conference, the NRL scientists said that astronauts on lunar flight would be under no more radiation danger during maximum period of solar cycle than during minimum period. Friedman explained : "All available evidence indicates that solar minimum is as bad as solar maximum for superflare eruption."

1963, United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration Scientific and Technical Information Office, United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration Scientific and Technical Information Branch, Astronautics and Aeronautics, United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration Scientific and Technical Information Office, United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration Scientific and Technical Information Branch, page 45:

At press conference, the nrl scientists said that astronauts on lunar flight would be under no more radiation danger during maximum period of solar cycle than during minimum period. Friedman explained : "All available evidence indicates that solar minimum is as bad as solar maximum for superflare eruption." To date, superflares occur at random and cannot be predicted.

1964, United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Scientific and Technical Information Office, Scientific and Technical Information Branch, Astronautics and Aeronautics, Scientific and Technical Information Branch, National Aeronautics and Space Administration: Superintendent of Documents, United States Government Publishing Office, page 45:

Despite its technical shortcomings, the Continuous Solar Movie provides a unique view of the sun’s activity during a particularly exciting period. World Data Center records indicate 29 major flares during the period, six of importance 3. Speeded up 960 times, the Lockheed scene of the great cosmic ray superflare on July 16 is a magnificent spectacle. Smaller flares and subflares are less conspicuous, but very numerous.

1966, Llou Williams Page, Thornton Page, Astronomy and Astrophysics 1975-04: Volume 40, Issues 1-2, page 75:

Similar problems with the multiple bursts and the microstructure of several peaks of 60 ms duration are encountered by the model of Colgate (1974) in which the gamma ray burst is produced by the initial shockwave of a type II supernova breaking through a surface layer which is expanding with relativistic velocities. This model also predicts a correlation of gamma ray bursts with supernova events (not observed so far). The stellar superflares suggested by Stecker and Frost (1973) would, if one just scaled up typical solar flares, require about 10¹⁰ times the energy of solar flares. The accompanying optical, microwave, and UV phenomena should be observable, but have not been seen.

1975, Astronomy and Astrophysics 1975-04: Volume 40, Issue 1-2, page 123:

Enormous superflares begin to blast out from the heart of the nebula, the central region that is on its way to becoming a star, our Sun. These titanic flares release huge amounts of energy inside the nebula, which serves to ionize more of the gas, make it more of a plasma, increase the electrical conductivity of the nebula, and convert rotational energy into radiation, charged particles, and heat.

1977, Ben Bova, Trudy E. Bell, Close: New Worlds, St. Martin's Press, →ISBN, page 207:

(astronomy) A very large-scale magnetic eruption in the atmosphere of a star, possibly qualitatively different from more common, lesser solar flares.


cosmochronometer

(physics, astronomy) Any process (such as forms of radioactive decay) that may be used to determine the age of an astronomical object.


footpoint

(astronomy) The region at which tubes of magnetic field lines reach the surface of the photosphere to form coronal loops.


photocenter

(astronomy) The centre of light production of a dispersed source


protocluster

(astronomy) A group of galaxies that are beginning to form a cluster


microvariability

(astronomy) Very small variability (in the brightness of stars)


Kerberos

(astronomy) The 4th moon of Pluto, discovered in 2011.


starspot

(astronomy) The equivalent of a sunspot on another star.


superwind

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-superwind.wav

Using the VLA at 6 and 2—cm the authors searched for radio continuum emission in a list of OH/IR stars with such an asymmetric OH maser emission. No detections were made, and the authors conclude that these stars are still in the superwind phase and that the OH asymmetry is caused by envelope asymmetries and not by the presence of an ionized core.

1986, S. Bohme, The Astronomy and Astrophysics Abstracts: Volume 41, Literature 1986, Part 1, Springer-Verlag Berlin and Heidelberg GmbH & Co., page 546:

New data is presented that indicate that strong far infrared galaxies commonly have largescale emission line nebulae whose properties are suggestive of mass outflows (superwinds), presumably driven by the high supernova rate associated with the central starburst.

1987, Energy Research Abstracts, Superintendent of Government Documents, page 6763:

Recently supercomputer simulations have suggested that stellar winds aren’t even necessary; the random swirling of the gas can give rise to galactic chimneys by chance. One way to address the problem is to look closely at a chimney’s interior walls. If they are smooth, they’re more likely to have formed by gentle, fairly random processes. But if the walls have fine structures, ripples, or intrusions, they probably reflect an interaction of hot, sparse gas with dense, cold gas—what you'd expect if a superwind were at work. McClure-Griffiths and her collaborators made images of the galactic chimney designated GSH 277+00 +36; some images show structures more than 3,000 light-years long, others zoom in on details less than thirty light-years long.

2003, Jim Marrs, Natural History, American Museum of Natural History, page 79:

(astronomy) An outflow of highly energetic radiation and material from a starburst galaxy.


gravastar

(astronomy, physics) A proposed alternative to black holes that is more consistent with quantum mechanics.


photoevaporation

(astronomy) The removal of the atmosphere of a planet or removal of a protoplanetary disk by high-energy photons from its sun or a nearby hot star


cophasing

(astronomy) The active control of each segment of a segmented telescope in order to improve resolution


hypertelescope

(astronomy) Any of several proposed very large arrays of linked telescopes


antisolar

(astronomy) opposite to the sun (from the Earth)


photoheating

(physics, astronomy) heating by the action of light


archaeoastronomer

(astronomy) An astronomer whose speciality is archaeoastronomy.


protobinary

(astronomy) Describing a system that is evolving into a binary star.


ringhole

(physics, astronomy) A relatively short, toroidal wormhole


antapex

(astronomy) The point opposite the solar apex


solar apex

en-noun

solar apex (plural solar apexes or solar apices)

solar apexes (plural)
solar apices (plural)

(astronomy) The point to which the Sun appears to be moving with respect to the local stars


apocynthion

/æpəʊˈsɪnθɪən/

(astronomy) The point in an orbit around the Moon that is most distant from that body.


appulse

LL-Q1860 (eng)-I learned some phrases-appulse.wav

(astronomy) A close approach of two heavenly bodies; a conjunction or occultation.


areographic

(astronomy) Of or pertaining to areography


megaparsec

(astronomy) An astronomical unit of distance equal to 1 million parsecs.


protosolar

(astronomy) Describing the conditions prior to the formation of the solar system, or describing the protostar that became the sun


anticenter

(astronomy) The point in the sky opposite to that of the centre of the galaxy (when viewed from Earth)

antycentrum

the point in the sky opposite to the centre of a galaxy


astropause

(astronomy) The stellar equivalent of the heliopause


astrosheath

(astronomy) The stellar equivalent of the heliosheath


astrotail

(astronomy) The stellar equivalent of the heliotail


heliotail

(astronomy) The part of the heliosphere opposite to the bow shock


superoutburst

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-superoutburst.wav

(astronomy) A very large outburst (from a nova etc)


flux unit

electromagnetic radiation
electromagnetic radiation

(astronomy) The (otherwise unnamed) unit of density of electromagnetic radiation from a radio star, equal to 10⁻²⁶ watts per square meter per hertz


overcontact

(astronomy) Describing a pair of binary stars having a common convective envelope


supercycle

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-supercycle.wav

(astronomy) A regular cycle of superoutbursts.


superhump

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-superhump.wav

(astronomy) A visible brightening observed during a superoutburst


subluminous

en-adj

subluminous (comparative more subluminous, superlative most subluminous)

more subluminous (comparative)
most subluminous (superlative)

(astronomy) Describing a star that is fainter than main-sequence stars of the same colour


terrestrial telescope

en-noun

terrestrial telescope (plural terrestrial telescopes)

Though its light-collecting mirror is modest by terrestrial telescope standards . . . its precision focus and perch above Earth's distorting atmosphere make Hubble's observations the benchmark by which all other observatories are measured.

2009 May 10, Irene Klotz, “Space shuttle ready to fix Hubble for grand finale”, in Reuters, UK, retrieved 2010-02-06:

(astronomy) An astronomical telescope which is physically located on the surface of the Earth, as distinct from a telescope located in outer space.


pseudobulge

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-pseudobulge.wav

(astronomy) A morphological feature of some spiral galaxies that appears similar to a conventional galaxy bulge, but with internal dynamics that are dominated by rotation rather than random motions.


dichotomize

en-verb

dichotomize (third-person singular simple present dichotomizes, present participle dichotomizing, simple past and past participle dichotomized)

dichotomizes (present singular third-person)
dichotomizing (participle present)
dichotomized (participle past)
dichotomized (past)

/dʌɪˈkɒtəmʌɪz/

From Ancient Greek διχότομος (dikhótomos) + -ize.

If the moon was a perfectly smooth sphere […] the place when she was dichotomized, […] would depend upon the sun's distance from the earth.

1837, Rev. William Whewell, History of the Inductive Sciences from the Earliest to the Present Time, volume 1, pages 155–156:


interwind

(astronomy) The equivalent of solar wind from a pulsar.


selfgravitating

(physics, astronomy) Describing any system influenced by its own gravitational field


Mimantean

en-adj

Mimantean (comparative more Mimantean, superlative most Mimantean)

more Mimantean (comparative)
most Mimantean (superlative)

From Ancient Greek Μῑμάντος (Mīmántos), genitive case of Μίμᾱς (Mímās), from earlier Μίμανς (Mímans).

This is puzzling because Mimas is closer to Saturn than Enceladus, and the Mimantean orbit is much more eccentric (out of round) than the Enceladean orbit.

2008, Samantha Harvey (NASA/JPL), Solar System Exploration, page Saturn: Moons: Mimas:

a global thermal event early in Mimantian history erased all record of ancient impacts

2011, Paul M. Schenk, “Geology of Mimas?”, in 42nd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference:

(astronomy) Of or relating to the Saturnian moon named for Mimas


ANT

en-noun

ANT (countable and uncountable, plural ANTs)

ambiguous nuclear transient
ambiguous nuclear transient#English

(astronomy) Acronym of ambiguous nuclear transient.


BLR

broad-line region
broad-line region#English

(astronomy) Initialism of broad-line region.


line of nodes

(astronomy) The intersection of an orbiting object's orbital plane with the plane of reference.


cuspiness

(astronomy) A measure of the chaos on the surface of a star


filtergram

(astronomy) A photograph of the sun at a particular frequency range (by means of a variable filter).


hyperluminous

(astronomy) Extremely luminous, more luminous than that classified as ultraluminous.


overluminous

en-adj

overluminous (comparative more overluminous, superlative most overluminous)

more overluminous (comparative)
most overluminous (superlative)

(astronomy) More luminous than an equivalent star of the main sequence


Sheliak

(astronomy) Beta Lyrae, a binary star system approximately 882 light-years away in the constellation Lyra.


Epsilon Pegasi

Bayer designation
Bayer designation#English

(astronomy) Latinized form of the Bayer designation ε Pegasi, named Enif.


undermassive

undermassive (comparative more undermassive, superlative most undermassive)

more undermassive (comparative)
most undermassive (superlative)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-undermassive.wav

(astronomy) Of a star: having a smaller mass than is typical for its type.


microflare

(astronomy) A relatively small solar flare.


preflare

(astronomy) Prior to the eruption of a solar flare


minihalo

en-noun

minihalo (plural minihalos or minihaloes)

(astronomy) A relatively small, relatively cool halo


superWIMP

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-superwimp.wav

super weakly interacting massive particle#English

(astronomy, physics) Abbreviation of super weakly interacting massive particle.

GIMP

the form of superWIMP that only interacts gravitationally


supercloud

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-supercloud.wav

(astronomy) A very large cloud of stellar material


apoastron

apoastron (plural apoastrons or apoastra)

/æpəʊˈæstɹən/

[…]apoastra (i) and the circle of the periastra (2).

1988 January 19, D. V. Gal’tsov, É. Masar, “Motion of bodies in Schwarzschild spacetime with conical singularities”, in Theoretical and Mathematical Physics, volume 80, published August 1989:

The initial Δv applied to them causes a large spread in the apoastra and in the orbital periods.

1995 June 13, H. Beust, A-M. Lagrange, F. Plazy, D. Mouillet, “The β Pictoris circumstellar disk. XXII. Investigating the model of multiple cometary infalls”, in Astronomy and Astrophysics: A European Journal, volume 310, number 1, Springer, published June 1996, section 6, page 194, column 1:

The rest of the plot shows the temporal evolution of the periastra and apoastra of the three planets using the nominal parameters on the left as initial conditions.

1999 April 22, Jack J. Lissauer, “Three planets for Upsilon Andromedae”, in Nature, volume 398, Macmillan Magazines Ltd, figure 1, page 659, column 2:

The planets’ masses are given in units of M_⊕ and the periastra, semimajor axes and apoastra are shown below.

2010, Imke de Pater, Jack J. Lissauer, “Exoplanet Formation Models”, in Planetary Sciences, 2nd edition, Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, figure 13.28, page 547, column 2:

(astronomy) Alternative form of apastron


rotochemical

(physics, astronomy) Describing the heating produced by various affects of the reduction in angular momentum of a rotating neutron star (especially a pulsar)


colure

From Latin colurus, ultimately from Ancient Greek κόλουρος (kólouros, “truncated, dock-tailed”).

der

(astronomy) Either of two great circles (meridians) that intersect at the poles and either the equinoxes or solstices.


circumgalactic

en-adj

circumgalactic (comparative more circumgalactic, superlative most circumgalactic)

more circumgalactic (comparative)
most circumgalactic (superlative)


photodisk

(astronomy) The circular area of an astronomical object that emits light


star-forming

(astronomy) Describing a region of space in which new stars are being formed


equant

(historical, astronomy) The center of uniform motion of a planetary deferent.


total eclipse

Once upon a time I was falling in love / Now I'm only falling apart / There's nothing I can do / A total eclipse of the heart

1983, Jim Steinman (lyrics and music), “Total Eclipse of the Heart”, performed by Bonnie Tyler:

(astronomy) An eclipse in which the eclipsed body is completely obscured to the viewer.


canicular

canicular (comparative more canicular, superlative most canicular)

more canicular (comparative)
most canicular (superlative)

From Latin canīculāris (“of or related to a puppy; Sothic”), from Canīcula (“puppy; Sirius”) + -aris (“forming adjectives”).

der

(historical astronomy, dated) Synonym of Sothic: of or related to the star Sirius.


degravitating

en-adj

degravitating (comparative more degravitating, superlative most degravitating)

more degravitating (comparative)
most degravitating (superlative)

(physics, astronomy) That causes degravitation


degravitation

(physics, cosmology) The removal of the effects of gravity from a system, or mathematical construct.


apojove

/ˈæpəˌd͡ʒəuv/


sungrazing

(astronomy) Whose path or orbit passes very close to the sun


planetocentric

a planetocentric coordinate system

a planetocentric orbit

(astronomy) Having a planet at the center.


blackfold

(cosmology) Any of several proposed submanifolds of a black brane.


millimagnitude

(astronomy) One thousandth of a magnitude


ultrafaint

ultrafaint (comparative more ultrafaint, superlative most ultrafaint)

more ultrafaint (comparative)
most ultrafaint (superlative)


clustercore

(astronomy) The central part of a star cluster, where stars are most densely packed.


supercollapsar

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-supercollapsar.wav


radio nebula

en-noun

radio nebula (plural radio nebulas or radio nebulae)

radio nebulas (plural)
radio nebulae (plural)

(astronomy) Any nebula that emits radio waves


starshade

(astronomy) A form of coronagraph disk designed to prevent starlight from interfering with the observation of exoplanets


spinar

(astronomy) A rapidly-rotating supermassive star, once hypothesized as the identity of quasars


coelostat

Related to Latin coelestis (“sky”), corrupted form of caelestis, + -stat.

(astronomy) A device that rotates a telescope so as to keep its orientation constant with relation to the stars.


quasistar

(astronomy, cosmology) A theoretical early universe object, with the outer layers of a star and a black hole for a stellar core. Theorized to be born of an ultramassive pre-stellar nebula collapse to an ultramassive protostar, and later birthing an intermediate mass black hole when the star's life ends.


electrosphere

(astronomy) the region around a star containing many free electrons


hot corino

Coined in 2004 (see quote below) from hot core, to differentiate the core of low-mass from high-mass protostars. Compare Italian -ino (“diminutive”).

The definition of “hot core” used for massive protostars implies the presence of a relatively large amount of warm and dense gas[…] In order to make clear that hot cores of low- and high-mass protostars are, however, substantially different in the amount of material involved, we use hereafter the term “hot corino” to identify the warm inner regions of the envelope surrounding the low-mass protostars.

2004, S[andrine]. Bottinelli, C[ecilia]. Ceccarelli, B. Lefloch, J.P. Williams, A. Castets, E. Caux, S. Cazaux, S. Maret, B. Parise, A.G.G.M. Tielens, “Complex molecules in the hot core of the low-mass protostar NGC 1333 IRAS 4A”, in The Astrophysical Journal, →DOI, page 354:

Discussion
 Rawlings: Concerning the so-called “hot corinos”: these objects are barely resolvable, so what evidence is there that they are the low-mass analogues of hot cores, rather than – say – outflow interfaces?

2006, Cecilia Ceccarelli, quoting Jonathan Rawlings, “Observations of low-mass protostars: Cold envelopes and hot corinos”, in Dariusz C. Lis, Geoffrey A. Blake, Eric Herbst, editors, Astrochemistry: Recent successes and current challenges, page 14:

[…]it is necessary to perform interferometric observations which allow us to resolve the hot corino, that is the warm, dense inner region of the envelope of a Class 0 object, where the complex organic molecules are located.

2008, Sandrine Bottinelli, Cecilia Ceccarelli, Roberto Neri, Jonathan P. Williams, “High-resolution observations of CH₃CN in the hot corino of NGC1333-IRAS4A”, in Sun Kwok, Scott Sandford, editors, Proceedings of the 251ˢᵗ Symposium of the International Astronomical Union, page 117:

(astronomy) The warm, dense inner region of the envelope of young stellar objects where complex organic molecules are located.


balnicity

(astronomy) A measure of how much a quasar resembles a standard "broad absorption line" quasar


overluminosity

overluminosity (countable and uncountable, plural overluminosities)

(astronomy) The condition of being overluminous


gravothermal

gravitational collapse
gravitational collapse

(physics, astronomy) describing the heating effect of the gravitational collapse of a star


Merope

(astronomy) The least bright star in the cluster in Taurus known as the Pleiades.


gastrophysics

(physics, cosmology) The physics involved in the formation of galaxies.


multimessenger

(astronomy) Describing the use of multiple types of wave to study distant objects


hypercompact

supermassive black hole
supermassive black hole

(astronomy) Describing a dense cluster of stars around a supermassive black hole


deblending

(astronomy) A technique to isolate signals from those of nearby sources


circumburst

In order to probe the nature of the long-duration GRB progenitor, it is critical to understand the nature of the circumburst medium in which the progenitor is immersed.

2014, Robert Allan Mesler III, Searching for the Long-Duration Gamma-Ray Burst Progenitor:

(physics, astronomy) Surrounding a burst


ultramagnetic

(physics, astronomy) Extremely magnetic (used especially to describe magnetars)


skymap

(astronomy) Any of several charts or maps, similar to a star chart, that show the distribution of some particular, measurable parameter (such as microwave radiation, temperature etc).


galcon

(physics, astronomy) A hydrodynamic model of galaxy formation.


astroinformatics

(astronomy, computing) The processing of large amounts of astronomical data


astrostatistics

(astronomy, computing) The application of statistics to the study and analysis of astronomical data.


first contact

first contact (usually uncountable, plural first contacts)

(astronomy) The moment, during an eclipse or transit, when the apparent positions of the two bodies first touch.


circumprimary

(astronomy) That surrounds the primary star of a binary star system


circumsecondary

(astronomy) That surrounds the secondary star of a binary star system


fuzzball

fuzzball (countable and uncountable, plural fuzzballs)

(countable, astronomy) A quantum description of a black hole in superstring theory.


flocculent spiral galaxy

flocculent spiral galaxy (plural flocculent spiral galaxies)

(astronomy) a spiral galaxy with discontinuous spiral arms


spiral arm

Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the western spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun.

1979, Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy:

Primary mass relays can propel ships thousands of light years, often from one spiral arm of the galaxy to another.

2008, BioWare, Mass Effect, Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Mass Relays Codex entry:

(astronomy) A section of a spiral galaxy that coils out from the centre.


GWB

gravitational wave background
gravitational wave background#English

(uncountable, astronomy, cosmology, astrophysics) Abbreviation of gravitational wave background.


microhalo

microhalo (plural microhalos or microhaloes)

microhalos (plural)
microhaloes (plural)


needlet

(physics, astronomy) A wavelet having the form of a needle.


nongalactic

(astronomy, astrophysics) Far from galaxies; not interacting with galaxies.


microlensed

gravitational lensing
gravitational lensing

(astronomy) Affected by, or detected using gravitational lensing


intranight

(astronomy, medicine) Within a single night.


H II region

From a being region of space having H_(II) emission lines in its spectrum.

(astronomy) A large nebula of gas and plasma of glowing low density in which star formation has recently taken place.


kilonova

kilonova (plural kilonovas or kilonovae)

From kilo- + nova. From kilo- (“thousands”). From being much more luminous than a nova, but less so than a typical supernova.

(astronomy) A type of supernova that is underluminous, caused by the merger of two neutron stars


Aegina

(astronomy) 91 Aegina, a main belt asteroid.


Namaka

From Hawaiian Nāmaka, a goddess of Hawaiian mythology.


dodecatemory

From Ancient Greek δωδεκατημόριον (dōdekatēmórion), from δωδέκατος (dōdékatos, “twelfth”) + μόριον (mórion, “piece”).

uder

δωδεκατημόριον

Is it from topic stars, apertio portarum, in the dodecatemories or constellations, the moon's mansions, such aspects of planets, such winds, or dissolving air, or thick air, which causeth this and the like differences of heat and cold?

(obsolete, astronomy) A twelfth, specifically each of the twelve divisions of the Zodiac.


Arche

From Ancient Greek ἀρχή (arkhḗ, literally “beginning, origin”).

bor

(astronomy) One of the moons of Jupiter.


deblend

en-verb

deblend (third-person singular simple present deblends, present participle deblending, simple past and past participle deblended)

deblends (present singular third-person)
deblending (participle present)
deblended (participle past)
deblended (past)

(physics, astronomy) To separate signals that overlap


exotrojan

(astronomy) Describing a trojan satellite of an exoplanet


clustercentric

en-adj

clustercentric (comparative more clustercentric, superlative most clustercentric)

more clustercentric (comparative)
most clustercentric (superlative)

(astronomy) Relating to the centre of a galactic cluster


neutrinosphere

(astronomy) The region of a star or supernova rich in neutrinos.


supervoid

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-supervoid.wav

Although the terms are sometimes interesting and useful, they have the effect of turning life into a kind of chartless supervoid. Perhaps the real problem is that too many sociologists and other thinkers have grown post-articulate.

These "supervoids" typically has length to width rations of up to ten.

1976, Radiation Effects and Tritium Technology for Fusion Reactors: Proceedings of the International Conference Held at Gatlinburg, Tennessee, October 1-3, 1975, Volume 1, National Technical Information Service, page 147:

The largest mass objects in the universe are superclusters of galaxies, which have a foam-like topology with "great walls" closing "supervoids".

1997, Dark Matter In Astro- And Particle Physics, Dark '96, World Scientific Publishing Company, →ISBN, page 412:

(astronomy) A very large void, especially one devoid of superclusters.


astrointerferometer

(astronomy) A combination of astronomical telescopes used as an interferometer


astrocladistics

(cosmology) The phylogenetic analysis of galaxy evolution.


accreter

(astronomy) That which accretes, but especially any massive star etc.


Le Verrier

Named after French astronomer Urbain Le Verrier
* (Planet Neptune): Named for the person who predicted Neptune's existence.

named-after

(astronomy, obsolete) Former name of Neptune (“planet”).. A planet in Solar System


Chiron

(astronomy, astrology) A centaur (minor planet) and comet-like/asteroid-like object, orbiting between Saturn and Uranus.


Saturn V

From Saturn + V (“five”, Roman numeral), being the fifth major moon going outward from the planet, after Mimas, Enceladus, Tethys, and Dione.


baryosynthesis

Cosmological theories that account for the baryon-antibaryon asymmetry and relate the neutron electric-dipole moment to the entropy of the universe generated since baryosyntheses are generally consistent with a value smaller than 10⁻²⁶e cm.

2006, Marcello Giorgi, CP Violation: From Quarks to Leptons, page 477:

(cosmology) The creation of baryonic matter.


LAE

Lyman-alpha emitter
Lyman-alpha emitter#English

(astronomy) Initialism of Lyman-alpha emitter.


milliparsec

(astronomy) A unit of distance equal to one thousandth of a parsec


superhumping

(astronomy) the production of superhumps


first light

(astronomy) The first use of a telescope or other instrument to capture an astronomical image.


Cordelia

/kɔːˈdiːlɪə/

Shakespeare's spelling of a historical British name appearing as Cordeilla, etc., possibly derived from the Latin saint's name Cordula.


Cyllenean

(astronomy) Of or relating to the irregular Jovian moon named for Cyllene.


Iridian

(astronomy) Of or relating to the asteroid (7) Iris.


Junonian

(astronomy) Of or relating to the asteroid (3) Juno.


Themistian

(astronomy) Of or relating to the asteroid (24) Themis.


Dionean

en-adj

Dionean (comparative more Dionean, superlative most Dionean)

more Dionean (comparative)
most Dionean (superlative)

(astronomy) Of or relating to the Saturnian moon named for Dione.


Ganymedean

/ˌɡænəmɪˈdiː.ən/

(astronomy) Of or relating to the Jovian moon named for Ganymede, the largest in the Solar system.


Enceladan

(Greek mythology, astronomy) Of or relating to Enceladus.


Enceladean

This is puzzling because Mimas is closer to Saturn than Enceladus, and the Mimantean orbit is much more eccentric (out of round) than the Enceladean orbit.

(astronomy) Of or relating to the Saturnian moon named for Enceladus.


Iapetian

/aɪəˈpiːʃən/

(astronomy) Of or relating to the Saturnian moon Iapetus, named for the Titan god.


Janian

(astronomy) Of or relating to the Saturnian moon named for Janus.


Tethyan

(astronomy) Of or relating to the Saturnian moon named for Tethys.


Protean

(astronomy) Of or relating to the irregular Neptunian moon named for Proteus.


Arielian

(astronomy) Of or relating to the Neptunian moon named for Ariel.


Mirandan

(astronomy) Of or relating to the Neptunian moon named for Miranda.


Oberonian

(astronomy) Of or relating to the Neptunian moon named for Oberon.


Umbrielian

(astronomy) Of or relating to the Neptunian moon named for Umbriel.


Phoebean

(astronomy) Of or relating to the Saturnian moon named for Phoebe.


Cupidinian

(astronomy) Of or relating to the Uranian moon named for Cupid.


Hyperionian

(astronomy) Of or relating to the Saturnian moon named for Hyperion.


Metidian

Metidian (comparative more Metidian, superlative most Metidian)

more Metidian (comparative)
most Metidian (superlative)

(astronomy) Of or relating to the Jovian moon named for Metis.

(astronomy) Of or relating to the asteroid (9) Metis.


ortho

en-noun

ortho (countable and uncountable, plural orthos)

Orthos are excellent eyepieces, still preferred by some backyard astronomers for medium- and high-power applications, especially planetary observing.

1998, Terence Dickinson, NightWatch: A Practical Guide to Viewing the Universe, page 76:

(countable, astronomy) A certain type of flat eyepiece.


interferometrist

(physics, astronomy) A person who operates an interferometer, or interprets its findings


spatiokinematic

(astronomy) Describing the relative movement of different parts of an astronomical body


exozodiacal

From exo- + zodiacal (exo- + Zodiac + -al).

(astronomy) Pertaining to the extrasolar ecliptic plane of star systems beyond the Solar System


autocollimation

(physics, astronomy) The collimation of a telescope by means of a plane mirror


mounture

mounture (countable and uncountable, plural mountures)

From Middle English mounture, from Old French mounteure; equivalent to mount + -ure.

On the Ecliptick is added the'.Mounture of the Moon's Orb, which turns on the Ecliptick at ae in the Centre at N.

1735, William Ross, The New Astronomer, page 65:

He concludes with an account of several experiments he had lately made in the art of gunnery; upon which, in return to Flamstead's remark of his errors in the eclipse, he takes notice of a mistake made by that Astronomer, in a table of horizontal ranges, wherein a mounture of 42 degrees was put for the utmost random, which he conceived to be demonstrably 45 degrees.

(obsolete, astronomy) The angle of ascension.


nebulium

(astronomy, physics, obsolete) A supposed chemical element proposed as a result of spectral analysis of light from a nebula; the emission lines concerned are now known to be due to doubly-ionized oxygen.


Samh

(astronomy) Upsilon Andromedae c, an extrasolar planet orbiting the Sun-like star Upsilon Andromedae A.


EKO

Coordinate term: TNO

Edgeworth-Kuiper object
Edgeworth-Kuiper object#English

(astronomy) Initialism of Edgeworth-Kuiper object.


southing

(astronomy) The time when the moon souths.


Alpha Centauri

From α (“brightest”) + Centauri (“of the constellation Centaurus”).

af

(astronomy) The brightest star in the southern constellation of Centaurus. It is actually a binary star with Proxima Centauri as a third component.


interarm

(astronomy) Between arms of a spiral galaxy.


Hungaria

Borrowed from Latin Hungaria. Doublet of Hungary.

(astronomy) A relatively small asteroid orbiting in the inner asteroid belt.


cryovolcanic

/ˈkɹʌɪəʊvɒlˈkanɪk/

(geology, planetology) of or pertaining to a cryovolcano

kryovulkanisch

changed or affected by the heat of a volcano


ephemeris time

(astronomy) A former standard astronomical time scale intended to overcome the drawbacks of irregularly fluctuating mean solar time, superseded in the 1970s.

(astronomy) A modern relativistic-coordinate time scale.


spectromagnetograph

(physics, astronomy) An instrument that measures the vectors and velocities of the magnetic fields on the surface of the sun.


mesogranular

(astronomy) Of, pertaining to, or composed of mesogranules


mesogranule

(astronomy) A medium-sized structure in solar granulation


circummultiple

(astronomy) That surrounds a multiple star


Planck epoch

(physics, cosmology) The period immediately after the Big Bang, typically viewed at around one Planck time, whereby all forces were unified.


stellarity

en-noun

stellarity (countable and uncountable, plural stellarities)

(astronomy) A parameter (between 0.0 and 1.0), generated by a neural network, that seeks to characterize how stellar an observed astronomical object is.


subpulse

(astronomy) The lesser of the two regular pulses emitted by a pulsar


siderostat

(astronomy) A heliostat that may be used with stars as well as the sun.


magnetogranulation

(astronomy, physics) The formation of magnetic granules (sunspots) in the sun's atmosphere


spectroastrometric

(physics, astronomy) Of or pertaining to spectroastrometry


spectroastrometry

(physics, astronomy) A combination of spectroscopy and astrometry


descension

descension (countable and uncountable, plural descensions)

From Middle English descencioun, from Old French descension, from Latin dēscēnsiō, dēscēnsiōnem.

For in regard of time (as we elsewhere declare) the stars do vary their longitudes, and consequently the times of their ascension and descension.

1646, Sir Thomas Browne, Pseudodoxia Epidemica, VI.3:

(astronomy, obsolete) The descent below the horizon of a celestial body.


superorbital

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-superorbital.wav

(astronomy) Describing a period greater than an orbital period


subplanetary

(astronomy) Describing bodies smaller than a planet

(astronomy) Describing the point on the surface of a star directly underneath a close planet


flocculus

Borrowed from Latin flocculus, from floccus.

(astronomy) A marking on the surface of the sun associated with a solar prominence.


collapsogram

(astronomy) A spectrum obtained by taking the average of a number of observations


hyperaccreting

(astronomy) accreting very rapidly, or to a very great extent


saros

From Ancient Greek σάρος (sáros), from Akkadian 𒊹 (šar₂ /šār/, “3600, total, many, a great quantity or measure”).
The modern astronomical usage is attributed to Edmond Halley, who based it on the word σάρος, defined in the Suda as "a measure and a number among Chaldeans. For 120 saroi make 2222 years according to the Chaldeans' reckoning, if indeed the saros makes 222 lunar months, which are 18 years and 6 months."

der

Suidas’ system (the lunar system) is as follows: reckoning a round 30 days per lunar month, 1 saros ... = 222 lunar months ... rather than 3600 years, as in the solar system, the neros ... being one sixth of that ... instead of 600 years, as in the solar system, and the sossos ... one tenth of a neros ... instead of 60 years

The Six Days of Creation, Appendix 3: The Sumerian King List — post-diluvian Section (§589)

(astronomy) A period of 223 synodic months (approximately 18 years 11 days 8 hours), after which the relative positions of the earth, sun and moon recur, used to predict eclipses.


pseudophotosphere

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-pseudophotosphere.wav

(astronomy) The equivalent of a photosphere in radiation other than visible light (especially in infrared)


nodical

(astronomy) Of or pertaining to the nodes of an orbiting body (such as the moon)


symbiotic star

(astronomy) A subtype of double star system in which a cool star is within the nebula of a hot star.


quark star

(astronomy) A hypothetical exotic star composed of quark-gluon plasma.


Lesath

Ras Alhague is […] nearly due north of Lesath, in the tail of the Scorpion, at the distance of 51 degrees: […]

1821, Thomas Kerigan, The young navigator's guide to the sidereal and planetary parts of nautical astronomy, page 73:

(astronomy) Upsilon Scorpii, a star in the constellation Scorpius.


emersion

en-noun

emersion (countable and uncountable, plural emersions)

(astronomy) The reappearance of a heavenly body after being eclipsed by another or by the sun's brightness.


supershell

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-supershell.wav

interstellar medium
interstellar medium#English

(astronomy) A large region carved out of the interstellar medium by the combination of several supernova shells, leading to a lower density of gas and plasma within than without, larger than any single supernova could create.


Puck

From puck (“mischievous spirit”), from Middle English pouke, from Old English pūca (“goblin, demon”), from Proto-Germanic *pūkô (“a goblin, spook”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)pāug(')- (“brilliance, spectre”). Cognate with Icelandic púki, dialectal Swedish puke (“devil”), Middle Low German spūk (“apparition, ghost”), German Spuk (“a haunting”). More at spook.

cog

(astronomy) One of the satellites of the planet Uranus.


hydrogravitational

(physics, astronomy) Describing the interaction of gravity and the movement of fluids (such as astronomical plasmas)


kilomaser

(astronomy) An extragalactic water maser that is weaker than a megamaser


derotator

(astronomy) Any optical, electronic or digital device that corrects for the rotation of an image or field of view as a telescope tracks


Hygiea

From Latin Hygēa, Hygīa, from Ancient Greek Ὑγίεια (Hugíeia), Ὑγεία (Hugeía).

(astronomy) the tenth asteroid discovered, and fourth largest, (10) Hygiea.


astroseismology

The study of the sounds within stars is known as astroseismology, and a separate report in Science details the findings of more than 500 stars whose deep rumblings Kepler has measured.
As convection processes within stars move masses of material up from the core, great pressure waves - in essence, sound waves of very low frequency - are created.

2011 April 8, “Kepler star trio find is mystery to astroseismologists”, in bbc.co.uk, retrieved 2013-01-08:

(astronomy) Alternative form of asteroseismology


lunar cataclysm

(astronomy) A period of time, approximately 4 billion years ago, during which a large number of impact craters formed on Earth's Moon.


coronal mass ejection

en-noun

coronal mass ejection (plural coronal mass ejections)

(astronomy) A massive burst of solar wind, other light isotope plasma, and magnetic fields rising above the solar corona or being released into space.


Atalanta

From Ancient Greek Ἀταλάντη (Atalántē, “balanced”), from ἀ- (a-, “used to express unity”) + τάλαντον (tálanton, “balanced”).

der

36 Atalante
Atalanta
Guido Reni
Hippomenes

(astronomy) The main belt asteroid 36 Atalante.


mysterium

/mɪˈstɪəɹɪəm/

Borrowed from Latin mystērium. Doublet of mystery.

(astronomy, now historical) The hypothetical source of a galactic radio emission at 1665 megahertz (later identified as due to hydroxyl radicals in interstellar space).


radioheliograph

(physics, astronomy) A heliograph that employs radio waves


light second

(astronomy, physics) A unit of length equal to the distance light travels in one second: about 300 megameters


SEB

South Equatorial Band
South Equatorial Band#English

(astronomy) Abbreviation of South Equatorial Band.


NEB

North Equatorial Band
North Equatorial Band#English

(astronomy) Initialism of North Equatorial Band.


Kyusakamoto

From the object 6980 Kyusakamoto; named after Kyu Sakamoto (1941–1985), a Japanese singer.

(astronomy) An asteroid discovered in 1993 by Japanese astronomers Kin Endate and Kazuro Watanabe.


LMWD

(astronomy) Initialism of low-mass white dwarf.


Liszt

en-proper noun

Liszt (countable and uncountable, plural Liszts)

(astronomy) An asteroid in Asteroid Belt, Solar System, discovered in 1988 and named for the composer. Official name: 3910 Liszt. Provisional name: 1988 SF.


clustrocentric

(astronomy) Pertaining to (the distance from) the centre of a galactic cluster


geometrothermodynamics

(physics, astronomy) The study of geometric aspects of large-scale thermodynamic systems (such as stars)


magnetocentrifugal

(physics, astronomy) Describing the rotating magnetic flux jets associated with supernovae etc.


astrometrized

(astronomy) measured or calibrated by reference to neighbouring stars


exosystem

(astronomy) A system of exoplanets and associated star.


coronograph

(astronomy) A telescope, fitted with an attachment that blocks out direct rays from the sun, used to study and photograph the corona of the sun.

(astronomy) The attachment used in such a telescope.


very low mass star

en-noun

very low mass star (plural very low mass stars)

(astronomy) a protium-fusing star with minimal mass, which is fully convective, able to process its entire hydrogen supply


superkick

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-superkick.wav

(physics, astronomy) An ultrarelativistic interaction between two spinning black holes.


heliotomography

(astronomy, physics) The three-dimensional analysis of the structure of the sun, especially of convection currents


preplanetesimal

(astronomy) A conglomeration of material that will form a planetesimal


superluminous

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-superluminous.wav

(astronomy) Having a very high luminosity

Of high luminosity
Having a very high luminosity


OTA

OTA (countable and uncountable, plural OTAs)

optical tube assembly
optical tube assembly#English

(astronomy) Initialism of optical tube assembly (of a telescope).


BL Lac object

active galactic nucleus
active galactic nucleus

(astronomy) a type of active galaxy with an active galactic nucleus (AGN), named after its prototype, BL Lacertae


exozodi

(astronomy) exozodiacal cloud (of dust etc)


Callistan

(astronomy) Of, or pertaining to Callisto, the second largest moon of Jupiter.


ice giant

The fifth planet was an unknown, an ice giant in a drunken skewed orbit that took it from just inside the Jovian's orbit almost out to the sixth planet's.

1976, Larry Niven, “The House Divided”, in A World Out of Time, Holt Rinehart Winston, →ISBN, archived from the original on 2021-12-03, page 38:

(astronomy) A giant planet composed mostly of astronomical ices (condensed forms of volatile compounds) including water, methane, oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur, and smaller than a gas giant. (e.g. Neptune and Uranus)


giant planet

(astronomy, planets) A planet larger than a terrestrial planet, composed mostly of gases and astronomical ices.


Milky Way Galaxy

(astronomy) The galaxy in which Earth and the rest of the Solar System is located.


Great Sky River

Translation of the name of the night sky phenomenon in several Native American cultures.

(mythology, astronomy) The Milky Way, the night sky visual phenomenon caused by dense regions of the Milky Way Galaxy appearing nebulous. (Used especially in Native American contexts.)


Silvery River

(mythology, astronomy) the Milky Way, the night sky visual phenomenon caused by dense regions of the Milky Way Galaxy appearing nebulous (generally found when referring to East Asians in a historical context, situated in East Asia)


Andromeda Galaxy

After a 600-year voyage, the good news is we're exactly where we're supposed to be: We have arrived in the Heleus Cluster, Andromeda Galaxy, year 2819.

2017, BioWare, Mass Effect: Andromeda (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →OCLC, PC, scene: Message from Captain Dunn:

(astronomy) A spiral galaxy in the Local Group and closest to the Milky Way, visible to the naked eye in the constellation of Andromeda, the brightest of the Messier objects and often referred to by its designation M31.


Great Nebula in Andromeda

Andromeda Galaxy
Andromeda Galaxy#English

(astronomy, obsolete) The Andromeda Galaxy, a term that was used before it was known to be a spiral galaxy.


white nebula

(astronomy, obsolete) a nebula that appears white in colouration through a high-powered telescope (nebulae often appear to have some hint of colour through a powerful telescope, but white when not using a powerful instrument); these nebulae were generally to be determined to be galaxies in the 20th century


spiral nebula

spiral nebula (plural spiral nebulas or spiral nebulae)

spiral nebulas (plural)
spiral nebulae (plural)

(astronomy, obsolete) a spiral-shaped white nebula; these were generally determined to be spiral galaxies in the 20th century


Dobsonian telescope

Dobsonian telescope (plural Dobsonian telescopes)

From Dobson + -ian + telescope
From John Dobson, its inventor.

reflecting telescope
reflecting telescope

(astronomy) An alt-azimuth mounted Newtonian telescope; a type of reflecting telescope.


Galilean telescope

Galilean telescope (plural Galilean telescopes)

From Galileo + -an + telescope.
From Galileo, who was the first to use this type of telescope for astronomy.

refracting telescope
refracting telescope

(astronomy) a type of refracting telescope (refractor) similar to the one used by Galileo Galilei.


interbinary

(astronomy) Between the components of a binary star.


Solarium

From Latin Solarium Augusti (“Solarium of Augustus”).

(astronomy, historical) A former constellation located between the constellations of Horologium, Dorado, and Hydrus


Local Supercluster

Coined by Gerard de Vaucouleurs in 1958.

本超星系團 /本超星系团

Supercluster that includes the Milky Way

Virgo Supercluster
Virgo Supercluster#English

Laniakea Supercluster
Laniakea Supercluster#English

(astronomy) The supercluster that includes the Milky Way galaxy.

Synonym of Virgo Supercluster, a lobe of the Laniakea Supercluster; a supercluster representing all the nearby galaxies which have clumped together

Virgo Supercluster

Synonym of Laniakea, a supercluster representing all the galaxies drawn towards the local gravitational center


Virgo Supercluster

Virgo + supercluster; from where the supercluster is centered, on the Virgo Cluster in the Virgo Constellation

おとめ座超銀河団

おとめざちょうぎんがだん


VirSC

(astronomy) Abbreviation of Virgo Supercluster.


Copernican system

From Copernicus (“a surname”) + -an + system. After Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus, who formulated and proposed the theory.

(astronomy) A heliocentric model of the solar system, proposed in the 16th century by the eponymous astronomer.


DIB

diffuse interstellar band
diffuse interstellar band#English

(astronomy, spectroscopy) Abbreviation of diffuse interstellar band.


first point of Aries

(astronomy) A point on the celestial sphere where the sun crosses the celestial equator on March equinox.


red shift

(astronomy) Light spectra shifted towards red, as by elongation of light waves from a source moving away from the detector.


Schwarzschild radius

Schwarzschild radius (plural Schwarzschild radii)

Named after German physicist and astronomer Karl Schwarzschild (1873–1916).

named-after

(astronomy) The radius of an object such that, if all its mass were compressed within that radius, the escape velocity would equal the speed of light.


steady state theory

(cosmology) A cosmological model of the universe in which matter is continuously created as the universe expands.


heliolatitude

(astronomy) A latitude described in terms of solar coordinates.


SFR

(astronomy) Initialism of star formation rate.

(astronomy) Initialism of star-forming region.


ECM

en-noun

ECM (countable and uncountable, plural ECMs)

extra-cluster medium
extra-cluster medium#English

(astronomy) Abbreviation of extra-cluster medium.


supermoon

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-supermoon.wav

From super- + moon. Coined by astrologer Richard Nolle in 1979.

coin

And should the moon happen to hit its ever-shifting orbital perigee at the same time that it lies athwart from the sun, we are treated to a so-called supermoon, a full moon that can seem close enough to embrace – as much as 12 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than the average full moon. […] Some astronomers dislike the whole supermoon hoopla. They point out that the term originated with astrology, not astronomy; that perigee full moons are not all that rare, coming an average of every 13 months; and that their apparently swollen dimensions are often as much a matter of optical illusion and wishful blinking as of relative lunar nearness.

2014 September 7, Natalie Angier, “The Moon comes around again [print version: Revisiting a moon that still has secrets to reveal: Supermoon revives interest in its violent origins and hidden face, International New York Times, 10 September 2014, p. 8]”, in The New York Times:

(astrology, astronomy) A full moon or new moon, when the Earth–Moon distance is in the lowest tenth of its range.

superlluna

a full moon or new moon, when the Earth–Moon distance is in the lowest tenth of its range


Supermoon

(astrology, astronomy) Alternative form of supermoon


picoradian

(astronomy) A unit of solid angle equal to 10⁻¹² radians


Arecibo message

(astronomy) An interstellar radio message broadcast on 16 November 1974 into the globular cluster Messier 13 in the hope that extraterrestrial intelligence might receive and decipher it.


inner Solar System

(astronomy) The area of the Solar System that comprises certain objects that are relatively close to the Sun, including Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars, while not including the other planets.


outer Solar System

(astronomy) The area of the Solar System that comprises certain objects that are relatively far from the Sun, including Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, while not including the other planets.


scattered disc

There are presently about 200 known objects in the scattered disc, but some of their orbits are rather uncertain. Obviously, most of these objects are observed at perihelion passage, because their semimajor axes might be as large as hundreds of AU (where they would not be observable); if observational biases are taken into account, the scattered-disc population is probably as large as [that of] the classical [Kuiper] belt.

2003, B. Bertotti, Paolo Farinella, David Vokrouhlický, Physics of the Solar System, Springer (Kluwer Academic), page 409:

The combined mass of the Kuiper belt and scattered disc is only of the order of 0.1M_🜨,^([0.1 Earth mass]) surprisingly low, but this has been a crucial clue in fathoming the evolution of the early solar system.

2014, Alan Longstaff, Astrobiology: An Introduction, Taylor & Francis (CRC Press), page 66:

2021, Ahmed Sayeed, Dawn of Life, Authors Tree Publishing, page 16,
The scattered disc which overlaps the Kuiper belt but extends out to about 200 AU, is thought to be the source of short-period comets. Scattered-disc objects are thought to have been ejected into erratic orbits by the gravitational influence of Neptune's early outward migration.

small Solar System bodies
small Solar System body

(astronomy) A trans-Neptunian region of the Solar System that overlaps the outer edge of the Kuiper belt, but also extends far beyond it, and is populated sparsely by small Solar System bodies.


nubecula

From Latin nūbēcula, diminutive of nūbēs (“cloud”).

(astronomy) A nebula; specifically, the Magellanic Clouds.


Dipper

A translation of the Mandarin Chinese 斗宿 (Dǒuxiù).

(astronomy) A Chinese constellation located near Sagittarius, one of the 28 lunar mansions and part of the larger Black Turtle.


Huya

(astronomy) a mid-sized Kuiper belt object and plutino


WHIM

warm-hot intergalactic medium
warm-hot intergalactic medium#English

(astronomy) Initialism of warm-hot intergalactic medium.


warm-hot intergalactic medium

en-noun

warm–hot intergalactic medium (uncountable)

warm–hot intergalactic medium (canonical)

(astronomy) A sparse, warm-to-hot (105 to 107 K) plasma that cosmologists believe to exist in the spaces between galaxies and to contain 40–50% of the baryons in the universe at the current epoch.


LAB

Lyman-alpha blob
Lyman-alpha blob#English

(astronomy) Initialism of Lyman-alpha blob;


Lα

(chemistry, physics, astronomy) Lyman alpha or Lyman-alpha


Ly-α

(chemistry, physics, astronomy) Alternative form of Lα (Lyman-alpha, Lyman alpha)


massive astrophysical compact halo object (plural massive astrophysical compact halo objects)

A back-formation from MACHO, which is used as an acronym for massive compact halo object. Words used to fill in the apparently missing "A" word include astrophysical and astronomical.

massive compact halo object
massive compact halo object#English

(astronomy, physics) Alternative form of massive compact halo object


peryton

Coined by the translator Norman Thomas di Giovanni translating Jorge Luis Borges' Book of Imaginary Beings, from Borges' invented Spanish peritio. Astrophysical use began with a paper by S. Burke-Spolaor et al. (see quotations).

Despite a trend mimicking that expected from dispersion, such deviations decisively distinguish the pulses’ frequency-dependence from a delay induced by interstellar propagation. Hereafter we distinguish these detections with the name “Perytons,” representing the non-dispersive, highly swept, terrestrial signals exhibited by the pulses. (The name is chosen from mythology to be unassociated with an exact physical phenomenon, due to the ambiguous origin of the detections; Perytons are winged elk that cast the shadow of a man.)

2011 January 20, S. Burke-Spolaor et al., “Radio Bursts with Extragalactic Spectral Characteristics Show Terrestrial Origins”, in The Astrophysical Journal, volume 727, number 1:

Three of these FRBs are factors of >3 narrower than any documented peryton.

2013 July 5, D. Thornton et al., “A Population of Fast Radio Bursts at Cosmological Distances”, in Science, volume 341, number 6141, pages 53–56:

In this model, the Lorimer burst, which was detected in three adjacent beams of the multibeam receiver, occupies a place between traditional FRB events and traditional peryton events and is believed to have occurred at some distance from the detector close to the Fresnel scale for Parkes, 20 km.

2014 June 10, E. Petrov et al., “An Absence of Fast Radio Bursts at Intermediate Galactic Latitudes”, in Astrophysics Journal Letters, volume 789, number 2:

(astronomy) A radio signal which appears to come from outside the galaxy but is actually produced by terrestrial sources.


massive compact halo object

massive compact halo object (plural massive compact halo objects)

Perhaps coined with the acronym, MACHO, in mind. See also WIMP, which represents a competing hypothesis.

(astronomy, physics) Any kind of astronomical body comprising normal baryonic matter that in sufficient numbers might explain the apparent presence of dark matter in galaxy halos.

massive astronomical compact halo object

dark matter

non-luminous matter needed to balance the orbital speeds observed in stars in galaxies with the observed luminous mass of the galaxy in question

robust associations of massive baryonic objects


refigure

en-verb

refigure (third-person singular simple present refigures, present participle refiguring, simple past and past participle refigured)

refigures (present singular third-person)
refiguring (participle present)
refigured (participle past)
refigured (past)

(transitive, astronomy) To restore the parabolic figure of, as of a parabolic mirror.


Leda

(astronomy) 38 Leda, a main belt asteroid; not to be confused with the Jovian moon.


giant radio galaxy

en-noun

giant radio galaxy (plural giant radio galaxies)

(astronomy) a very large radio galaxy; a double radio source having an overall projected linear length exceeding 2 megaparsecs (or more specifically, 2×h₅₀⁻¹ Mpc)


psc

(astronomy, obsolete) Abbreviation of parsec.


giant quasar

(astronomy) a quasar embedded in a double-lobed radio source, similar to a radio galaxy, whereby the quasar replaces a non-quasar galaxy, where the radio source extends over 1Mpc.


Great Year

(astronomy, historical) One complete precession of the equinox, approximately 25,765 years.

(astronomy, historical) Any real or imagined cycle with astronomical or astrological significance.


Saturnicentric

(astronomy) Appearing as if seen from the centre of the planet Saturn; relating or referring to Saturn as a centre.


stellar nursery

stellar nursery (plural stellar nurseries)

Karl Henize, a Northwestern astronomer, reported finding a cluster of 33 stars in a stellar nursery. The stars recently condensed from surrounding clouds of dust.

1964 January 1, Ronald Kotulak, “City's science role boosted during year”, in Chicago Tribune, page C18:

NASA's Cosmic Background Explorer satellite photographed dusty regions of the Milky Way, which are our galaxy's stellar nurseries.

1993 January 8, Paul Leavitt, “Satellite gives boost to 'Big Bang' theory”, in USA Today, page O3A:

Since its launch in 1990 the Hubble space telescope has captured beautiful images of the universe, such as the birth of stars in stellar nurseries.

2006 November 2, “Space policy: Mercy mission”, in Economist, retrieved 2011-07-22:

(astronomy) An area of outer space within a dense nebula in which gas and dust are contracting, resulting in the formation of new stars.


MCA

MCA (countable and uncountable, plural MCAs)

Mars-crossing asteroid
Mars-crossing asteroid#English

(astronomy) Initialism of Mars-crossing asteroid.


planetophysics

(astronomy, physics) The branch of astrophysics dealing with planets and planetary systems; planetology


APOD

Astronomy Picture of the Day
w:Astronomy Picture of the Day

(astronomy) Abbreviation of Astronomy Picture of the Day.


Niobe

(astronomy) 71 Niobe, a main belt asteroid.


Proserpina

From Latin Prōserpina from Ancient Greek Περσεφόνη (Persephónē) by metathesis perhaps first in Magna Graecia via a Sicilian Doric Greek Προσερπίνα (Proserpína) or Ionic Greek Προσερπίνη (Proserpínē), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *pers-o- (“sheaf of corn, grain, seed”) and *gʷʰn̥-t- (“to strike”), meaning 'corn-thresher'.

der

(astronomy) 26 Proserpina, the asteroid.


active galactic nucleus

en-noun

active galactic nucleus (plural active galactic nuclei)

electromagnetic spectrum
electromagnetic spectrum

(astronomy) A compact region at the center of a galaxy that has a much higher than normal luminosity over at least some portion of the (measurable) electromagnetic spectrum.


lunistice

From Latin luna (“moon”) and sistere (“to cause to stand”). Compare solstice.

(astronomy) The farthest point of the moon's northing and southing, in its monthly revolution.


photoprocessing

(astronomy) The effect of stellar light on the evolution of small molecules in a protoplanetary disc.


ultrazodiacal

(astronomy) Outside the zodiac; being in that part of the heavens that is more than eight degrees from the ecliptic.


uranometry

uranometry (countable and uncountable, plural uranometries)

(astronomy, uncountable) The measurement of the constellations.

(archaic, astronomy, countable) A star chart.


oversolar

en-adj

oversolar (comparative more oversolar, superlative most oversolar)

more oversolar (comparative)
most oversolar (superlative)

(astronomy) Describing a concentration or abundance of a chemical element or isotope greater than that found in the Sun.


hyperaccretion

(astronomy) Much greater than normal accretion, typically around a stellar black hole.


subconstellation

the Pleiades, or subconstellation upon the back of Taurus

1650, Thomas Browne, Pseudodoxia Epidemica: […], 2nd edition, London: […] A[braham] Miller, for Edw[ard] Dod and Nath[aniel] Ekins, […], →OCLC:

(astronomy) A subordinate constellation.


intramercurial

a hypothetical intramercurial planet

(astronomy) Between the planet Mercury and the sun.


selenocentric

a selenocentric coordinate system

a selenocentric orbit

(astronomy) Having the moon at the center.


ascensional

The ascensional difference is the difference in degrees between the right ascension and either the oblique ascension, or oblique descension; and with respect to the sun, the ascensional difference is the time that he rises before six o'clock in summer, or sets before six in winter.

1820, John Bradley, A Concise Introduction to Astronomy, the Use of the Globes and Chronology, Etc., page 93:

Calculating by spherical trigonometry, and assuming the same obliquity, I obtain 3 dundas and 40 pulas for the ascensional arc, giving a difference in time of 3 pulas, or about one of our minutes; an error so small, that even were the Indian astronomer aware of its existence he would disregard it, satisfied that the practical purposes which his labours subserve, are, notwithstanding, carried out with sufficient accuracy.

1839 October, J.J. Middleton, “Description of an Astronomical Instrument presented by Raja Ram Sing, of Khota, to the Government of India”, in Journal of the Asiatic Society, volume 8, number 94, page 837:

The former is the ascensional equivalent of the first sign; subtracting it from the latter gives that of the second sign, which is 1795', and subtracting 3465' from a quadrant, 5400', gives the equivalent of the third sign which is 1935'—all as stated in the text.

1860, Ebenezer Burgess, Translation of the Sûrya-Siddhânta: A Text-Book of Hindu Astronomy, page 120:

The ascensional difference, γ, of a point R is the difference between its right ascension and its oblique ascension (EG = VG – VE, in Figure 4), and can be computed by means of the modern formula sin γ = tan δ· tan φ, where δ is the declination of point R.

2012, José Chabás, Bernard R. Goldstein, A Survey of European Astronomical Tables in the Late Middle Ages, page 30:

(astronomy) Pertaining to right ascension and/or oblique ascension.


antitruncation

en-noun

antitruncation (countable and uncountable, plural antitruncations)

(astronomy, of the disk of a spiral galaxy) The presence of an outer radial surface brightness profile that is distinctly shallower in scope than the main disk profile.


Medicean

en-adj

Medicean (comparative more Medicean, superlative most Medicean)

more Medicean (comparative)
most Medicean (superlative)

From post-classical Latin Mediceus (16th century; from the family name Medici) + -an.

Four Medicean stars dance about Jupiter, two Austrian about Saturn, etc., and all (belike) to the music of the spheres.

1621, Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy, III.2.2.iv:

Evelyn recorded a suggestion that the Society might take as its coat of arms a representation of a pair of crossed telescopes surmounted by the Medicean planets.

2015, David Wootton, The Invention of Science, Penguin, published 2016, page 296:

(astronomy, now historical) Designating the four largest moons of Jupiter (Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto), as named by Galileo in honour of his future patron Cosimo II de' Medici.


leucosphere

(astronomy, obsolete, rare) The inner corona.


Vulcanian

Directly from Latin Vulcāniānus or from Latin Vulcānius + -an within English, from Vulcānus + -iānus (“-ian”) or -ius (“-y: forming adjectives”). In reference to a type or stage of volcanic activity, via Italian Vulcaniano, with specific reference to Giuseppe Mercalli's observations of the 1888–90 eruptions of the Aeolian island Vulcano. Equivalent to Vulcan + -ian. Doublet of volcanian. Compare slightly earlier Middle French vulcanien.

(astronomy) Of or related to the proposed planet Vulcan or a cluster of asteroids at the same location in the Solar System.


dipleidoscope

(astronomy) An instrument for determining the time of apparent noon. It consists of two mirrors and a plane glass in the form of a prism, so that, by the reflections of the sun's rays from their surfaces, two images are presented to the eye, moving in opposite directions, and coinciding at the instant the sun's centre is on the meridian.


telespectroscope

one face rests upon the slit-plate of the telespectroscope, and has its acute edge perpendicular to the slit at its middle point

1873-1874, Norman Lockyer, Contributions to Solar Physics:

(astronomy) A spectroscope designed to be attached to a telescope for observation of distant objects, such as stars.


Astraea

Translingual: Astraea

Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek Ἀστραῖα (Astraîa, literally “star maiden”)


Parthenope

From Latin Parthenopē, from Ancient Greek Παρθενόπη (Parthenópē, from παρθένος (parthénos, “virgin, virginal”) + ὄψ (óps, “voice”)).

der

(astronomy) 11 Parthenope, a main belt asteroid.


Egeria

(astronomy) 13 Egeria, a main belt asteroid.


Eunomia

From Ancient Greek Εὐνομία (Eunomía, “Order of Law, Good Order”).

(astronomy) 15 Eunomia, a main belt asteroid.


Fortuna

(astronomy) 19 Fortuna, a main belt asteroid.


Bellona

(astronomy) 28 Bellona, a main belt asteroid.


Amphitrite

From Ancient Greek Ἀμφιτρίτη (Amphitrítē).

(astronomy) 29 Amphitrite, a main belt asteroid.


Leukothea

From Ancient Greek Λευκοθέα; "white goddess".

(astronomy) 35 Leukothea, a main belt asteroid.


Fides

(astronomy) 37 Fides, a main belt asteroid.


meteoroidal

/miːtɪəˈɹɔɪdl̩/

(astronomy) Of or pertaining to meteoroids.


sister planet

(astronomy) a planet that shares similar physical characteristics, such as size, density and mass, with another planet


Perseid

(astronomy) Any of the meteors in a meteor shower that appears to come from the constellation Perseus.

英仙座流星雨

meteor of the meteor shower that appears to come from the constellation Perseus


meteoroscope

(astronomy, obsolete) An astrolabe; a planisphere.

(astronomy, obsolete) An instrument for measuring the position, length, and direction of the apparent path of a shooting star.


pinule

(astronomy, obsolete) One of the sights of an astrolabe.


circumjovial

(astronomy, obsolete) In orbit around the planet Jupiter; circumjovian.


circumjovial

Accordingly the declination of each Circumjovial, assigned by the diligent and sagacious Caſſini

1713, W[illiam] Derham, Physico-Theology: Or, A Demonstration of the Being and Attributes of God, from His Works of Creation. […], London: […] W[illiam] Innys, […], →OCLC:

(astronomy, obsolete) Any of the moons or satellites of the planet Jupiter.


blue jet

Mysterious bluejets can be seen with the naked eye from the ground, but they are rare and difficult to spot.

1999, Patricia Barnes-Svarney, Thomas E. Svarney, Skies of fury: weather weirdness around the world, Simon and Schuster, page 100:

(astronomy, meteorology) An upper atmospheric optical phenomenon associated with thunderstorms, a rapidly expanding disk-shaped region of luminosity, lasting less than a thousandth of a second, which occurs high above energetic cloud-to-ground lightning of positive or negative polarity.


transient luminous event

en-noun

transient luminous event (plural transient luminous events)

Transient luminous events can be another source of ionization in the upper atmosphere.

2010, Rafael Escribano Torres, Isabel Tanarro Onrubiay, Spectroscopy of the atmospheres, CSIC, page 34:

During World War II (and probably before), high flying pilots were reported to have observed unexplained aerial phenomena (UAP), often now called transient luminous events (TLE’s), particularly in the vicinity of thunderstorms.

2012, Don Lipman, “Red sprites, blue jets, and elves What are these mysterious, elusive phenomena?”, in The Washington Post:

Known as Transient Luminous Events (TLEs), these unusual features were first spotted by accident in 1989.

2018, Mary Halton, “Hunting mystery giant lightning from space”, in BBC News:

(astronomy, meteorology, aviation) Any of a variety of upper atmospheric optical phenomena associated with thunderstorms.


sprite halo

sprite halo (plural sprite halos or sprite haloes)

sprite halos (plural)
sprite haloes (plural)

In lhe: early days of LLTV monitoring it was common to observe an apparent elve followed by a sprite, sometimes called a "sprelve." While elves do indeed precede some sprites, the "sprelve" in most cases, was found to represent a "sprite halo."

2006, Martin Füllekrug, Eugene A. Mareev, Michael J. Rycroft, Sprites, elves and intense lightning discharges, page 37:

(astronomy, meteorology) An upper-atmospheric optical phenomenon associated with thunderstorms, a diffuse disk-shaped glow that precedes a sprite and propagates downward.


sprelve

In the early days of LLTV monitoring it was common to observe an apparent elve followed by a sprite, sometimes called a "sprelve." While elves do indeed precede some sprites, the "sprelve" in most cases, was found to represent a "sprite halo."

(astronomy, meteorology) An upper atmospheric optical phenomena associated with thunderstorms, in which an elve is immediately followed by a sprite.


upward lightning

upward lightning (countable and uncountable, plural upward lightnings)

(astronomy, meteorology) An upper-atmospheric optical phenomenon associated with thunderstorms, in which the lightning bolt projects straight into the upper atmosphere.


red sprite

Red sprites flash high above thunderstorm clouds.

1999, Patricia Barnes-Svarney, Thomas E. Svarney, Skies of fury: weather weirdness around the world, Simon and Schuster, page 99:

(astronomy, meteorology) An upper atmospheric optical phenomena associated with thunderstorms, a large but weak luminous flash that appears directly above an active thunderstorm system and is coincident with a powerful positive cloud-to-ground lightning strike.


gigantic jet

Gigantic jets appear to provide an electrical connection between cloud tops and the ionosphere.

2009, Michael C. Kelley, The earth's ionosphere: plasma physics and electrodynamics, Academic Press, page 364:

(astronomy, meteorology) An upper atmospheric optical phenomena associated with thunderstorms, a carrot-shaped red sprite that propagates upward from the core of an oceanic thunderstorm.


planetary object

planetary object (plural planetary objects)

hydrostatic equilibrium
hydrostatic equilibrium

(astronomy) Any secondary body in the Solar system that is geologically differentiated or in hydrostatic equilibrium and thus has a planet-like geology: a planet, dwarf planet, or the larger moons and asteroids.

(astronomy) Any substantial body in orbit around the Sun or other star: a planet, minor planet, or comet.

(astronomy) Any substantial body associated with the development of planets: a protoplanet, planetesimal.


hydrostatic equilibrium

hydrostatic equilibrium (countable and uncountable, plural hydrostatic equilibria)

(astronomy) The state in which a sufficiently massive or warm solid body has relaxed under its own gravity into the plastic shape that it would have if it were liquid, apart possibly from rigid features in the crust.


CETI

(astronomy) Acronym of communication with extraterrestrial intelligence.


periastral

comets in periastral passage

1872, R. A. Proctor, Essays on Astronomy:

(archaic, astronomy) Moving among or around the stars.


lucule

Diminutive from Latin lux, lucis (“light”).

(astronomy, obsolete) facula (bright spot on the sun)


blue dwarf

(astronomy) A hypothetical class of star developing from a red dwarf.


facular

facular granules

facular atmosphere

facular brightening

While we were still far from the place of explosion, and intent on the study of the great facular waves which were passing swiftly beneath us, we suddenly heard a series of explosions so tremendous that we imagined a new eruption was commencing close by.

1873, Richard A. Proctor, The Borderland of Science: A Series of Familiar Dissertations on Stars, Planets, and Meteors:

(astronomy) Of or pertaining to the faculae.


satellite planet

satellite planet (plural satellite planets)

The Motions of the ſix Primary Planets round the Sun is So adjuſted, that the Square of the Times of their peroidical [sic] Revolutions are as the Cubes of their Diſtances from the Sun : And the ſame thing is found by all Aſtronomers to be true, with Regard to the Motions of the Secondary Planets or Satellites round their primary ones. [...] But if the Orbit of the Satellite Planet, inſtead of being a Circle be an Ellipſis, in whoſe Focus the Primary Planet is ſuppoſed to be placed, then will the greater Axis of this Elliptical Orbit, twice advance forward, viz. in the 2 Quadratures, and twice recede backward, viz. in the 2 Syzygies, of every Revolution of the Satellite round the Planet.

1723, John Harris, “Planets”, in Lexicon Technicum: Or, An Universal English Dictionary Of Arts And Sciences:

(archaic, astronomy) A moon of a planet besides Earth; a secondary planet; a natural planetary satellite.

It is possible that supernovae occur in conjunction with either a satellite planet or binary star.

1970 January 17, Stirling Colgate, “Ejection of Companion Objects by Supernovae”, in Nature, volume 225, Letters, pages 247–248:

(astronomy) A planet viewed as a satellite of another object, such as another star; an exoplanet.

it's only been in recent years that astronomers and planetary scientists have been willing to think of planets, like they've long thought of stars and galaxies, as capable of orbiting one another. And of course those objects are the satellite planets.

ca. 2009, Challenger Center, “Satellite Planets with Dr. Alan Stern”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name):

(astronomy) A moon of planetary mass; a natural satellite which would be considered a planet or dwarf planet if it were in direct orbit of the Sun.


SEP

solar energetic particles
solar energetic particles#English

(astronomy) Initialism of solar energetic particles.


Orcus

From Latin Orcus. Doublet of ogre and orc.

(astronomy) A dwarf planet and plutino, sometimes referred to as the “anti-Pluto”.

Ceres

most likely dwarf planets of the Solar System


perigean

The perigean tides are the spring tides that occur soon after the Moon passes its perigee.

perigean high water

perigean low water


Alioth

Borrowed from Arabic أَلْيَة (ʔalya), a name referring to the fat tail of a sheep.

(astronomy) Epsilon Ursae Majoris, the brightest star in Ursa Major.


uranometria

(astronomy) Obsolete form of uranometry (“star chart”).


radius vector

radius vector (plural radii vectores or radius vectors)

radii vectores (plural)
radius vectors (plural)

(astronomy) An ideal straight line joining the center of an attracting body with that of a body describing an orbit around it, as a line joining the sun and a planet or comet, or a planet and its satellite.

tuganong lihit

a straight line (or the length of such line) connecting any point


cometarium

we have their [comets'] path marked in cometariums formed on the imaginary law of attraction

1791, Thomas Vivian, Cosmology. An Enquiry Into the Cause of what is Called Gravitation, Etc.:

(astronomy) An instrument intended to represent the revolution of a comet around the Sun.


sphaera recta

/ˈsfiːɹə ˈɹɛktə/

First attested in 1932; Latin: sphaera (“sphere”, “globe of the heavens”) + rēcta (feminine nominative singular of rēctus, “right”, “upright”) = “upright sphere”.

There is a certain region lying to the south of us which is said to be under the equator, where the poles fall on the horizon, and the sphere of the universe stands straight up, as it were (sphaera recta).

1932, Sir Thomas Little Heath, Greek Astronomy, page 135:

celestial sphere
celestial sphere#English

celestial equator
celestial equator#English

(astronomy) An idealised conception of the celestial sphere in which the celestial equator is perpendicular to the local horizon and the Sun reaches the zenith at its highest point.


Kármán line

Named after Hungarian-American engineer Theodore von Kármán (1881–1963), who calculated this limit.

named-after

As well as being important for aircraft and spacecraft, the Kármán line is useful for lawyers—the laws that govern space are not the same as the laws that govern Earth's atmosphere!

2020, Stephen Hawking, Lucy Hawking, Unlocking the Universe, Penguin UK, →ISBN:

The boundary between Earth’s atmosphere and outer space, known as the Kármán line, has been a source of controversy for years.

2021 July 11, Sarah Betancourt, “Virgin Galactic to launch space plane with Richard Branson onboard”, in The Guardian:

(aeronautics, astronomy) The altitude at which the atmosphere becomes too thin to support aerodynamic flight.


Prutenic

en-adj

Prutenic (comparative more Prutenic, superlative most Prutenic)

more Prutenic (comparative)
most Prutenic (superlative)

And I trust anon by the help of an infallible guide, to perfect such Prutenic tables, as shall mend the astronomy of our wide expositors.

1644, J[ohn] M[ilton], The Doctrine or Discipline of Divorce: […], 2nd edition, London: [s.n.], →OCLC, book:

(astronomy) Prussian; applied to certain astronomical tables published in the sixteenth century, founded on the principles of Copernicus, a Prussian.


ZHR

Zenithal Hourly Rate
Zenithal Hourly Rate#English

(astronomy) Initialism of Zenithal Hourly Rate.


Zenithal Hourly Rate

en-noun

Zenithal Hourly Rate (plural Zenithal Hourly Rates)

(astronomy) The number of meteors a single observer would see in one hour under a clear, dark sky (i.e. up to the limiting apparent magnitude of 6.5).


apogalactic

(astronomy) Of or pertaining to an apogalacticon


Ausonia

(astronomy) 63 Ausonia, a main belt asteroid.


Lutetia

(astronomy) 21 Lutetia, a main belt asteroid.


SKA

Square Kilometer Array
w:Square Kilometer Array

(astronomy) Initialism of Square Kilometer Array.


TTS

TTS (countable and uncountable, plural TTSs)


absorption nebula

absorption nebula (plural absorption nebulas or absorption nebulae)

absorption nebulas (plural)
absorption nebulae (plural)

(astronomy) A dark nebula; a diffuse mass of interstellar gas and dust that absorbs all incident radiation without reemission.


zodi

[…] an exozodiacal dust disk with 3 zodis of material has been added. […] Measuring exozodiacal dust to levels of 1 to 10 zodi in the habitable zones of nearby stars is critical […]

2011, National Research Council, Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences, Space Studies Board, Board on Physics and Astronomy, Committee for a Decadal Survey of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Program Prioritization Panels, Science Frontiers Panels, Panel Reportsâ¬"New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics, National Academies Press, page 294

"... reaching levels below 1 zodi for stars within 10 pc."

2012, Issues in Astronomy and Astrophysics: 2011 Edition, ScholarlyEditions, →ISBN:

[…] for a wide range in exozodiacal background levels (epsilon = 1-100 times the local zodi brightness) and overall prevalence […]

2013, Issues in Astronomy and Astrophysics: 2013 Edition, ScholarlyEditions, →ISBN, page 95:

(astronomy) A unit of zodiacal dust, equal to the amount of interplanetary dust in the inner solar system, which absorbs light and re-radiates it with a luminosity about 10⁻⁷ that of the sun.


NuSTAR

Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array
w:Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array

(astronomy) Acronym of Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array.


FDM

fuzzy dark matter
fuzzy dark matter#English

(particle physics, quantum mechanics, astrophysics, cosmology) Abbreviation of fuzzy dark matter.


HDM

(physics, astronomy, cosmology) Initialism of hot dark matter.


LPI

Lunar and Planetary Institute
w:Lunar and Planetary Institute

(astronomy, US) Initialism of Lunar and Planetary Institute.


MPPG

Mars Program Planning Group
w:Mars Program Planning Group

(astronomy, US) Initialism of Mars Program Planning Group.


DLE

(planetology, areology) Initialism of double-layer ejecta.


kuiperoid

/ˈkaɪpəɹɔɪd/

Blend of Kuiper belt + asteroid, a name suggested by Clyde Tombaugh, discoverer of Pluto.

I'm fascinated by the relatively small "ice balls" in the very outer part of the solar system. I have often wondered what bodies lay out there fainter than 17th magnitude, the limit of the plates I took at Lowell Observatory. May I suggest we call this new class of objects "Kuiperoids"?

1994 December, Clyde Tombaugh, “The Last Word”, Letters to the Editor, in Sky & Telescope, page 8:

As of mid-1995, more than 20 objects, dubbed Kuiperoids, had been discovered within the Kuiper belt. The first one (other than Pluto) was spotted in 1992.

1995, Terence Dickinson, Other worlds: a beginner's guide to planets and moons:

Complementary mechanisms of dust release from kuiperoids and Centaurs between Jupiter and Neptune can include impacts of large grains and the solar wind. Without discussing here the dust production by the above mechanisms ... we simply refer to observational data that indicate, for a number of kuiperoids and Centaurs, a steady cometary activity lasting for years

2000 June 29, Gorkavyi, Ozernoy, Taidakova, Mather, “Distribution of dust from Kuiper belt objects”, in arXiv.org, arXiv:astro-ph/0006435v1:

We would not begin to guess how many more objects like Pluto (and Charon) could exist in the outskirts of our Solar System until the discovery of the first kuiperoid (1992 QB1) by David Jewitt and Jane Luu

2012, Robert Tuttle, The Fourth Source, page 178:

(astronomy) A Kuiper belt object, such as Pluto


kuiperoidal

The simulated kuiperoidal dust, in addition to asteroidal and cometary dust, might represent a third possible source of the zodiacal light in the Solar system.

(astronomy) Pertaining to Kuiper belt objects


RSG

(astronomy) Abbreviation of red supergiant.


astroarchaeology

Perhaps the first truly scientific essay in astro-archaeology was by the remarkable William Chapple of Exeter[.]

1989, John Michell, A Little History of Astro-Archaeology, page 13:


ethnoastronomy

ethnoastronomy (usually uncountable, plural ethnoastronomies)

(astronomy) The anthropological study of skywatching in contemporary societies.


exoplanetology

(astronomy) The search for, and study of, exoplanets


pretelescopic

(astronomy) prior to the invention and use of the telescope


AAVSO

(astronomy) Initialism of American Association of Variable Star Observers.


asymptotic giant branch

Hertzsprung-Russell diagram
Hertzsprung-Russell diagram

(astronomy) The region of the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram populated by evolving low to medium-mass stars.


PHA

Coordinate term: PHC

potentially hazardous asteroid
potentially hazardous asteroid#English

(astronomy, ecology, geology) Initialism of potentially hazardous asteroid.


potentially hazardous object

potentially hazardous object (plural potentially hazardous objects)

(astronomy) A near-Earth asteroid or comet with an orbit such that it has the potential to make close approaches to the Earth and is of a size large enough to cause significant regional damage in the event of impact.


MOID

(astronomy) Initialism of Minimum Orbit Intersection Distance.


H-R diagram

Hertzsprung-Russell diagram
Hertzsprung-Russell diagram#English

(astronomy) Abbreviation of Hertzsprung-Russell diagram.


sidereal day

(astronomy) One day of sidereal time; the time in which Earth rotates once around its axis, relative to the point of the vernal equinox (about 23 hours, 56 minutes, 4 seconds).

(astronomy) The rotational period of Earth; the time in which Earth rotates around its axis 360 degrees.


stellar day

(astronomy) The rotational period of Earth; the time in which Earth rotates exactly 360 degrees around its axis, measured relative to the stars.

sterrendag

period of one rotation of Earth, measured relative to the stars


TRGB

TRGB (countable and uncountable, plural TRGBs)

red giant branch
red giant branch#English

(astronomy) Initialism of Tip of the Red Giant Branch.; A classification of stars on the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram for all stellar populations or of a given sample set, the end of the plot for stars existing on the red giant branch as it branches off from the main sequence.

Tip of the Red Giant Branch

(astronomy) Ellipsis of TRGB star.: A star in this classification


planetic

en-adj

planetic (comparative more planetic, superlative most planetic)

more planetic (comparative)
most planetic (superlative)

Borrowed from Latin planeticus, from Ancient Greek πλανητικός (planētikós), from πλανητός (planētós, “wandering; planetary”), from πλανήτης (planḗtēs, “wanderer, planet”), from πλανάω (planáō, “to wander”) + -της (-tēs, masculine agent noun suffix).

af

(astronomy, rare) Of or relating to planets; planetary.


light day

(astronomy, physics) A unit of length equal to the distance light travels in one day; about 170 astronomical units


Sothis

(astronomy, historical) A star given great significance by the Ancient Egyptians, believed to be Sirius by modern scholars.


outer core

(planetology) The hot liquid material found near the centre of some planets, distinct from the solid inner core.

(geology) The part of the Earth between the mantle and inner core, responsible for generating the planet's magnetic field.


Cronian

Ancient Greek Κρόνος (Krónos, “Saturn”) + English -ean.

(astronomy) Related to the planet Saturn.


pegasid

Named for one of the earliest-discovered exoplanets, 51 Pegasi b, which was discovered in the constellation Pegasus in 1995.


Ursid

(astronomy) Any meteor from a radiant in the constellation Ursa Minor.


galaxy cluster

(astronomy, galaxies) A cluster of hundreds of galaxies.


galaxy group

(astronomy) A group of galaxies that hold together gravitationally.


super cluster

(astronomy) Alternative form of supercluster


spindown

(computing, astronomy) A reduction in spin speed (of a hard disk, pulsar etc)


Platonic year

(astronomy) Great Year; one complete precession of the equinoxes, approximately 25,765 years.


annual aberration

en-noun

annual aberration (plural annual aberrations)

(astronomy) A deviation due to the Earth's orbital motion.


diurnal aberration

diurnal aberration (plural diurnal aberrations)

(astronomy) A deviation due to the earth's axial rotation.


planetary aberration

planetary aberration (plural planetary aberrations)

(astronomy) A deviation of where a planet appears to be, due to the motion of the planet during the time that the light reaches the Earth.


Ptolemaic system

After Greek-Roman astronomer Claudius Ptolemy (c. 90 - c. 168 AD), who explained the theory in an influential work.

The theories in your books are almost as obsolete as the Ptolemaic System.

1882, Thomas Hardy, chapter VII, in Two on a Tower. A Romance. [...] In Three Volumes, volume I, London: Sampson Low, Marston, Searle, & Rivington, […], →OCLC, page 128:

[T]o Hipparchus we owe that theory of the heavens, commonly called the Ptolemaic system, which, starting from the assumption that the earth was the centre of the universe, attempted to explain the motions of the heavenly bodies by a complex system of supposed eccentrics and epicycles.

1902, Charles Kingsley, “Lecture I. The Ptolemaic Era.”, in Alexandria and Her Schools:

Singh … criticizes the Ptolemaic system for its "inordinately complex" heaps of epicycles on epicycles, but declares that in some respects it was more accurate than the Copernican system.

2005 February 20, Owen Gingerich, "‘Big Bang’: The Real Creation Science" (review of Big Bang: The Origin of the Universe by Simon Singh), The New York Times (retrieved 7 Nov 2012)

(astronomy) A geocentric model of the solar system, described by the eponymous astronomer.


observable universe

observable universe (plural observable universes)

cosmological horizon
cosmological horizon

(astronomy) The extent of a universe within the cosmological horizon of an observer.


sporades

From Ancient Greek ἀστέρες σποράδες (astéres sporádes "scattered stars").

(astronomy) Stars not included in any constellation.


axial tilt

(physics, astronomy) The angle between the rotational axis and the orbital axis of an orbiting celestial object.

obliquity

angle between rotational and orbital axes


mean planet

(astronomy, celestial mechanics) An imaginary celestial body (corresponding to another, real, orbiting one) which orbits with constant speed along an auxiliary circle (a circle which shares a diameter with the major axis of the elliptical orbit of the corresponding real celestial body), such that its position coincides with the position of the corresponding, real celestial body when that body passes through periapsis.


eccentric anomaly

eccentric anomaly (countable and uncountable, plural eccentric anomalies)

(astronomy, celestial mechanics) The angle PCR formed by P = the periapsis of a celestial body's elliptical orbit, C = the center of that elliptical orbit, and R = the corresponding point to that celestial body (the projection of the celestial body along a direction parallel to the minor axis of its orbit onto the auxiliary circle (a circle which shares a diameter with the major axis of the celestial body's orbit)).


mean motion

(astronomy, celestial mechanics) An angle of τ (radians) divided by the orbital period (of a celestial body in an elliptic orbit).


mean anomaly

mean anomaly (countable and uncountable, plural mean anomalies)

(astronomy, celestial mechanics) An orbital parameter of a celestial body (in an elliptic orbit); the mean motion multiplied by the time since the last passage through periapsis; the angle PCM (measured in radians) defined by P = the periapsis, C = the center of the elliptical orbit, and M = the mean planet.


synodic period

(astronomy) The apparent orbital period of a planet as seen from Earth; the period between two consecutive conjunctions (or oppositions) of a given planet with Earth.


sidereal orbital period

sidereal orbital period (plural sidereal orbital periods)

(astronomy) The sidereal year of a planet. (I.e., in the definition for "sidereal year", replace "Earth" by the given planet.)


sidereal rotation period

sidereal rotation period (plural sidereal rotation periods)

(astronomy) The sidereal day of a planet. (I.e., in the definition for "sidereal day", replace "Earth" by the given planet.)


sidereal period

sidereal period (plural sidereal periods)

Coordinate term: synodic period

Sidereal orbital period
sidereal orbital period

Sidereal rotation period
sidereal rotation period


true anomaly

true anomaly (countable and uncountable, plural true anomalies)

(astronomy, celestial mechanics) The angle PFC formed by P = the periapsis of a celestial body's elliptical orbit, F = the focus of that orbit, and C = the current position of the celestial body.


Daphnean

(astronomy) Of or relating to the asteroid (41) Daphne.


halofinding

(astronomy) The use of computation to identify haloes in clusters of galaxies or other crowded regions.


comet-finder

(astronomy) A low-powered telescope with a large field of view, used for finding comets.


astrophotonic

(astronomy) Describing the application of photonics to astronomical instruments


outburster

(astronomy) Any astronomical object that suddenly produces an outburst of radiation (especially radio waves)


protohalo

protohalo (plural protohalos or protohaloes)

protohalos (plural)
protohaloes (plural)

(astronomy) The assemblage of material that coalesces to form a galactic halo


galactic halo

(astronomy) An aggregation of individual stars, dust, and gas (and possibly dark matter) that surrounds a galaxy.


femtolensing

gravitational lensing
gravitational lensing

(physics, astronomy) A form of gravitational lensing in which the magnification has a dependency upon the wavelength of the light being observed


supernebula

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-supernebula.wav


dopplergram

(astronomy) An image of the sun, made using a modified spectroheliograph, showing showing the approaching and receding motions of its atmosphere.


astrophotonics

(astronomy) The application of photonics technology to astronomy


solar energetic particle

solar energetic particle (plural solar energetic particles)

(astronomy) A high-energy particle coming from the Sun.


Hydrid

a similarly bright meteor at 12ʰ 33ᵐ was probably an α Hydrid

1902, “Section for the Observation of Meteors”, in Memoirs of the British Astronomical Association, volume 12, page 10:

The radiant analysis that included orbits from the Croatian Meteor Network Catalogues of Orbits 2007 to 2010 plus the orbits from the SonotaCo catalogues for 2007 to 2011 revealed a possible new Hydrid stream with radiant running parallel to, but distinct from, the sigma Hydrids.

2013, D. Šegon et al., “A possible new meteor shower - η Hydrids”, in WGN, Journal of the International Meteor Organization:

(astronomy) Any of the meteors in a meteor shower that appears to come from the constellation Hydra.


Sankranti

There are 12 Sankrantis in a year.

(Hinduism, astronomy) The transmigration of the Sun from one Rāshi (constellation of the zodiac) to the next.


NRAO

National Radio Astronomy Observatory
w:National Radio Astronomy Observatory

(astronomy, radio astronomy) Initialism of National Radio Astronomy Observatory.


earthly branch

earthly branch (plural earthly branches)

branca terrestre

set of twelve terms in East Asian cultures

One of the twelve terms used in East Asian cultures to represent

(historical astronomy) The (approximately) twelve years of Jupiter's orbital period, forming the Chinese zodiac and personified as twelve or sixty gods known as Tai Sui.

(historical astronomy) The duodecimal divisions of the Chinese seasons, beginning with the second of the three divisions of winter.


Pomona

(astronomy) 32 Pomona, a main belt asteroid


HPMS

high proper motion star
high proper motion star#English

(astronomy) Abbreviation of high proper motion star.


Quaoar

(astronomy) a dwarf planet orbiting between Haumea and Makemake in the Kuiper belt. Its moon is Weywot.


Stygian

en-adj

Stygian (comparative more Stygian, superlative most Stygian)

more Stygian (comparative)
most Stygian (superlative)

(astronomy) Of, by or relating to the Plutonian moon named after Styx.


regmaglypt

/ˈɹɛɡməɡlɪpt/

From Ancient Greek ῥῆγμα (rhêgma, “something broken or rent asunder; a breach, cleft, fracture”), + γλυπτόν (gluptón, “carving, sculpture”).

der

But, as the author has established, when an individual sample of a meteorite shower has a semi-orientated shape (roughly conoid, as in the given case), it must have definite morphological properties: on its front surface it must have a fully developed typical regmaglypt – relief which has had time to form during the sample's movement at cosmic speed after its separation from the main meteoric body.

1960, E. L. Krinov [i.e., Yevgeny Leonidovich Krinov], “Morphology of Meteorites”, in Irene Vidziunas, transl., edited by Harrison Brown, Principles of Meteoritics; Translated from the Russian (International Series of Monographs on Earth Sciences; 7), Oxford, London: Pergamon Press, →OCLC, page 257:

This, the Warburton Range meteorite, weighs 125 lbs and is a single mass […] displaying regmaglypt patterns on its surface.

1965 June, G. J. H. McCall, “Advances in Meteoritics in Western Australia”, in Meteoritics: The Journal of the Meteoritical Society, volume 2, number 4, Fayeteville, Ark.: Meteoritical Society, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 318:

The largest Henbury meteorites show beautiful regmaglypt structures. Some are oriented, displaying a shieldlike form produced when a meteoroid passes through the atmosphere without tumbling and ablates, primarily on the leading side.

1994, O[ran] Richard Norton, Rocks from Space: Meteorites and Meteorite Hunters, Missoula, Mont.: Mountain Press Publishing Company, →ISBN, page 141:

Another product of ablation that occurs during a meteoroid's brief atmospheric passage is the development of surface pits or regmaglypts on stones and irons alike. The common name for these is "thumb prints," since they are about the size of the human thumb. Regmaglypts in stones tend to be shallower than in irons, and are therefore not as well defined.

2008, O[ran] Richard Norton, Lawrence A. Chitwood, “Meteoroids to Meteorites: Lessons in Survival”, in Field Guide to Meteors and Meteorites (Patrick Moore’s Practical Astronomy Series), London: Springer-Verlag, →DOI, →ISBN, pages 58–59:

(astronomy, geology) A small, shallow indentation or pit on the surface of a meteorite, resembling a thumbprint impression in clay, created by ablation while falling in an atmosphere.


pezograph

From Ancient Greek πέζις (pézis, “peziza [a stalkess cup mushroom]”) and γράφω (gráphō, “to carve, draw, write”).


piezoglypt

From Ancient Greek πιέζειν (piézein, “to press, squeeze”), and γλυπτόν (gluptón, “a carving, sculpture”).


lunar distance

(astronomy) A measurement of the distance from the Earth to the Moon.


acronycal

From Ancient Greek ἄκρονυξ (ákronux, “nightfall”) + -al, one of the three poetic times for the rising and setting of stars, along with cosmical and heliacal.

affix

(astronomy, of a star) Rising at sunset and setting at sunrise


non-periodic

(astronomy) Taking over 200 years to complete an orbit; especially said of comets.


Kalliope

(astronomy) 22 Kalliope, a main belt asteroid.


barred spiral galaxy

en-noun

barred spiral galaxy (plural barred spiral galaxies)

(astronomy) A spiral galaxy with a central bar-shaped structure composed of stars.


Semele

(astronomy) 86 Semele, a main belt asteroid.


binary system

二進制 /二进制

math, computing: numeric system with base 2

[S]cientists from the SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) Institute found subtle dips in the light coming from a binary system about 200 million light years from Earth.

2011 December 7, Jeffrey Kluger, “Star Wars Gets Real”, in Time:

(astronomy) Two gravitationally connected stars or other celestial objects which orbit around their center of mass.