An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics
English-French-Persian

An empirical curve obtained through appropriate exposures in order to determine the instrument's response. For example, a curve allowing the conversion of relative intensities of an observed object into absolute fluxes, or a curve relating the detector's pixel positions to wavelengths.

→ calibration; → curve.

A systematic error in the constant values to be applied to a measuring instrument.

→ calibration; → error.

Irang, → error; kabizeš, → calibration.

An exposure obtained with an instrument mounted on the telescope using an artificial illuminating source in order to calibrate the instrument.

→ calibration; → exposure.

Nurdâd, → exposure; kabizeš, → calibration.

A lamp used for instrument calibration, such as an internal He-Ar arc for wavelength calibration or an external source of light placed in the telescope dome for flat-field exposures.

→ calibration; lamp, from O.Fr. lampe, L. lampas, from Gk. lampas "torch, lamp, light, meteor," from lampein "to shine."

Kabizeš, → calibration; lâmp, from Fr., as above.

Canon of Eclipses. The most famous catalogue of solar and lunar eclipses. Published in 1887 by Theodor von Oppolzer, the catalogue contains the elements of all solar and lunar eclipses between 1208 BC and 2161 AD. It has been superseded by the calculations of F. Espenak and J. Meeus, Five Millennium Canon of Solar Eclipses: -1999 to +3000 (NASA/TP-2006-214141) and Five Millennium Canon of Lunar Eclipses: -1999 to +3000 (NASA/TP-2009-214172).

Canon, from L. canon, from Gk. kanon "a straight rod, a measuring rod, rule;" Ger. Finsternisse, plural from finsternis "eclipse; darkness," from finster "dark," M.H.G. vinster, O.H.G. finstar "dark" + -nis suffix forming abstract nouns, → -ness.

Fehrest "index, catalogue, canon," → index; gerefthâ plural of gereft, → eclipse.

1) General: Pertaining to, established by, or conforming to a canon, i.e. a law or a general rule (especially in ecclesiastical matters).
2) Math.: Relating to the simplest or standard form of a general function, equation, rule, etc.

M.M. canonicalis, from canonic(us), from L. canon, from Gk. kanon "a straight rod, a measuring rod, rule " + alis, → -al.

Hanjârvâr, from hanjâr "a mason's rule, any string or instrument used by builders in laying stones straight; rule, law, way, custom; a norm" + -vâr suffix meaning "having, endowed with; like, in the manner of."

A periodic change in one of the components of the orbit of a celestial object.

→ canonical; → change.

Any set of generalized coordinates of a system together with their → conjugate momenta.

→ canonical; → coordinates.

The highest correlation between linear functions of two data sets when specific restrictions are imposed upon them.

→ canonical; → correlation.

The most general form of an equation.

→ canonical; → equation.

The simplest expression of an equation, statement, or rule.

→ canonical; → form.

A two-component stellar → initial mass function with → slopes of 1.3 and 2.3 for massive and low mass stars, respectively. Also called universal IMF.

→ canonical; → IMF.

A model for the formation of the Moon according to which the → Moon results from a giant impact. A Mars-sized body (often referred to as → Theia) obliquely collided with the proto-Earth at the mutual escapee velocity. This specific giant impact is often used to represent all giant impacts. A recent advanced version of the canonical model is called → giant impact hypothesis.

→ canonical; → model.

Same as → conjugate momentum.

→ canonical; → momentum.

A physical upper mass limit near 150 Msun assumed for the stellar → initial mass function (Kroupa et al. 2012, arXiv:1112.3340).

→ canonical; → upper; → limit.

A generalized coordinate and its → conjugate momentum.

Canonically, adverb from → canonical; → conjugate; → variable.

The ability of a → liquid to → flow in a → narrow space, such as a thin → tube, without the assistance of, and in opposition to, external forces like → gravity. Also called → capillarity. It occurs because of intermolecular → attractive forces between the liquid and solid surrounding surfaces. If the diameter of the tube is sufficiently small, then the combination of → surface tension (which is caused by → cohesion within the liquid) and → adhesion (between the liquid and the → container) acts to lift the liquid. The capillarity of the liquid is high when adhesion is greater than cohesion. For example, water in a thin glass tube has strong → adhesive forces due to the hydrogen bonds that form between the water molecules and the oxygen atoms in the glass wall (made of → silica, SiO₂). In contrast, mercury is characterized by stronger cohesion, and hence its capillarity is much lower.

→ capillary; → action.

1) A title or explanation for a picture or illustration, especially in a magazine.
2) A heading or title, as of a chapter, article, or page (Dictionary.com).

M.E. capcio(u)n "taking, seizure," from capcion "arrest, capture, imprisonment," or directly from L. caption-, from capt(us) "taken," → capture.

Kapéš "taking, capture," verbal noun from kapidan "to seize, take, capture," related to qâpidan, qâp zadan "to rob, to seize," Malâyeri qapâl "robbing, seizure, robbing," probably related to L. capere, → capture.

Nonmetallic chemical element; symbol C. → Atomic number 6; → atomic weight 12.011; → melting point about 3,550°C; → boiling point 4,827°C. The most abundant isotope of carbon is ¹²C. Carbon is one of the most important elements for life. The burning of carbon in the form of coal and oils has been essential in the development of industrial societies. It is the element that hardens → steel and the sole element in → diamonds. The carbon in nature is produced inside massive stars. → triple-alpha process; → Hoyle state.

Carbon, from Fr. carbone, coined by Antoine Lavoisier (1743-1794) to distinguish it from charbon (Fr.) "charcoal," from L. carbo (genitive carbonis) "a coal, charcoal."

The stage in the evolution of a star after → helium burning when the core of the star consists mainly of carbon and oxygen. In stars of mass greater than about 8 solar masses, whose cores reach a temperature above 5 × 10⁸ K and density above 3 × 10⁹ kg m^-3, carbon burning can begin via reactions such as the following:
¹²C + ¹²C → ²⁰Ne + ⁴He
¹²C + ¹²C → ²³Na + p
¹²C + ¹²C → ²³Mg + n.
The time-scale for this phase of → nucleosynthesis is of order of five hundred years.

→ carbon; → burning.