An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics
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The decrease in the length of a body moving in the direction of its length as measured by an observer situated in that direction. The shortening factor is [1 - (v/c)²]^1/2, where v is the relative velocity and c light speed.

→ Lorentz; → contraction.

In → special relativity, an important parameter which appears in several equations, including → time dilation, → length contraction, and → relativistic mass. It is defined as γ = 1 / [1 - (v/c)²]^1/2 = dt/dτ, where v is the velocity as observed in the reference frame where time t is measured, τ is the proper time, and c the → velocity of light. Same as Lorentz γ factor.

→ Lorentz; → factor.

The fractional amount (by mass) of a given → chemical element or → nuclide in a given → chemical composition. In chemical composition studies of astrophysical objects the mass fractions of → hydrogen, → helium, and all the remaining chemical elements are usually denoted by the parameter X, Y, and Z, respectively. Their sum is defined as X + Y + Z = 1. The parameter Z is usually referred to as → heavy elements or → metals.

→ mass; → fraction.

A striking of a meteorite against another body, especially the solar system planets or satellites.

→ meteoritic; → impact.

A process in which the energy, composition, or structure of an atomic nucleus changes.

→ nuclear; → reaction.

A device in which a nuclear fission chain reaction is maintained and controlled for the production of nuclear energy or radioactive isotopes.

→ nuclear; → reactor.

The fraction of time that a → pulsar undergoes → pulse nulling. For most → nulling pulsars this fraction can range from zero (for the → Vela pulsar) to more than 50%.

→ null; → -ing; → fraction.

The property possessed by some substances and their solutions of rotating the plane of vibration of → polarized light. When a beam of → linearly polarized light is sent through an optically active substance, such as crystalline quartz and sugar solution, the direction of vibration of the emerging linearly polarized light is found to be different from the original direction. Those which rotate the → plane of polarization to the right, for an observer looking in the incoming beam, are called → dextrorotatory or right handed; those which rotate it to the left, → levorotatory or left handed. Optical activity may be due to an asymmetry of molecules of a substance (solutions of cane sugar) or it may be a property of a crystal as a whole (crystalline quartz).

→ optical; → activity.

Relating to → optical activity.

→ optically; → active.

The difference between the isotopic mass of a nuclide and its mass number divided by its mass number. The packing fraction is a measure of the stability of the nucleus.

Packing, from the verb pack "to put together in a pack," from the noun pack, from M.E. pak, packe, from M.D. pac or perhaps M.L.G. pak; → fraction.

Barxé, → fraction; anbâštegi quality noun of anbâštan, anbârdan "to fill, to replete;" Mid.Pers. hambāridan "to fill;" from Proto-Iranian *ham-par-, from prefix ham- + par- "to fill;" cf. Av. par- "to fill," parav-, pauru-, pouru- "full, much, many;" O.Pers. paru- "much, many;" Mid.Pers. purr "full;" Mod.Pers. por "full, much, very;" PIE base *pelu- "full," from *pel- "to be full;" cf. Skt. puru- "much, abundant;" Gk. polus "many," plethos "great number, multitude;" O.E. full.

Of or pertaining to a parallax.

Adj. form of → parallax.

Of an object in the sky, the angle between the → celestial pole, the object, and the → zenith. Since parallactic angle describes the orientation on the sky of the object for a particular observer, it can be an important quantity in some observations.

→ parallactic; → angle.

The path on the sky of the apparent position of a star as seen from the Earth, due to the Earth's annual motion around the Sun.

→ parallactic; → ellipse.

An irregularity in the Moon's motion caused by the Sun's gravitational attraction, which sets the Moon ahead or behind its normal orbital position. The Moon is about 2 arcminutes ahead of its expected position at first quarter, and a similar amount behind at last quarter.

→ parallactic; → inequality.

The proper motion of a star due to the effect of the Sun's motion relative to the → local standard of rest.

→ parallactic; → motion.

Of or pertaining to a → perigalacticon.

→ peri-; → galactic.

The point in an object's orbit around a galaxy when the object lies closest to the galactic center; opposite of → apogalacticon.

→ peri- + → galaxy.

The ratio expressed by P = (I_par - I_per) / (I_par + I_per), where I_par and I_per are the light intensities with the electric field vector respectively parallel and perpendicular to the incident beam.

→ polarization; → fraction.

That can be done or used or put into practice.

→ practice; → -able.

Concerned with practice, as opposed to → theory.

→ practice; → -al.