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

1) An imperfection in the imaging properties of a → lens or → mirror. The main aberrations are → chromatic aberration, → spherical aberration, → coma, → astigmatism, → distortion, and → field curvature.
2) → aberration of starlight.
See also: → aberration angle→ aberration constan→ aberration of starlight→ aberration orbit→ annual aberration→ chromatic aberration→ constant of aberration→ diurnal aberration→ optical aberration→ planetary aberration→ relativistic aberration→ secular aberration→ spherical aberration→ stellar aberration.

Aberration, from L. aberrationem, from aberrare "go astray," → aberrate.

Birâheš, from birâidan, → aberrate.

The angle tilt required by the → stellar aberration phenomenon in order that a moving telescope points directly to a star.

→ aberration; → angle.

Same as → constant of aberration.

→ aberration; → constant.

→ aberration of starlight

→ aberration; → light.

An apparent displacement in the observed position of a star. It is a result of the finite speed of light combined with the relative motion of the Earth through space. Suppose that you walk through a vertically falling rain with an umbrella over your head. The faster you walk, the further you must lower the umbrella in front of yourself to prevent the rain from striking your face. For starlight to enter a telescope, a similar phenomenon must occur, because the Earth is in motion. The telescope must be tilted in the direction of motion by an angle: tan θ =(v/c), where v the Earth velocity and c the speed of light. The aberration of starlight was discovered by the English astronomer James Bradley (1693-1762) in 1729 by observing → Gamma Draconis. The tilt angle is θ = 20''.50, from which the Earth's orbital speed, 29.80 km s^-1, can be deduced, using the above equation. See also → annual aberration; → diurnal aberration; → secular aberration. → Special relativity modifies the classical formula for aberration, predicting results which differ substantially from those of classical physics for objects moving at a substantial fraction of the speed of light; → relativistic aberration.

→ aberration; → star; → light.

The apparent path described by a star on the → celestial sphere due → annual aberration. A star at the → ecliptic pole is seen to move around a circle of angular radius about 20".50, once a year. A star on the → ecliptic oscillates to and fro along a line of angular half-length 20".50. At an intermediate → celestial latitude, β, the aberration orbit is an ellipse, with semi-major axis 20".50 and semi-minor axis (20".50) sin β.

→ aberration; → orbit.

Of or pertaining to → aberration.

→ aberration; → -al.

A → Besselian day number denoted by C or D.

→ aberration; → -al; → day; → number.

The → locus of points on the → celestial sphere occupied by a star during the annual → revolution of the → Earth about the → Sun due to → annual aberration. annual aberration.

→ aberrational; → ellipse.

The apparent, small displacement in position of a star during the year due to the → aberration of starlight. It depends on the → celestial latitude, and its maximum value is about 20''.50. See also → constant of aberration; → aberration orbit.

→ annual; → aberration.

A defect in a lens that causes it to concentrate the various colors in a beam of light at various point, thus producing color fringes.

→ chromatic; → aberration.

The maximum amount of the apparent yearly displacement of a star, resulting from the → aberration of starlight. The value of the constant of aberration, κ, at J2000.0 is 20".49552. κ = (v/c) csc 1", where v is the average speed of the Earth about the Sun and c is the → speed of light in vacuum. The Earth's speed is given by: v = 2πa / [P(1 - e²)^1/2], where a is the → semi-major axis of the Earth's orbit, e is the → eccentricity of the Earth's orbit, and P is the → sidereal period of the Earth. Same as → constant of annual aberration. See also → constant of diurnal aberration.

→ constant; → aberration.

Same as → constant of aberration.

→ constant; → annual; → aberration.

The quantity 0''.3200 ρ cos φ', where ρ is the geocentric distance of the observer measured in units of → equatorial radius the Earth and φ' is the observer's → geocentric latitude. The numerical part is equal to 2πa csc1'' / (cP), where a is the equatorial radius of the Earth, P is its → sidereal period of rotation, and c is the → speed of light in vacuum.

→ constant; → diurnal; → aberration.

The aberration of a star's position due to the rotation of the Earth. Its value depends on the latitude of the observer, and is only 0''.32 in the case of an observer at the equator, where the rotational velocity is greatest.

→ diurnal; → aberration.

The same as → elliptic aberration.

e, → elliptic; → term; → aberration.

That part of → annual aberration proportional to the → eccentricity of the Earth's orbit.

→ elliptic; → aberration.

An imperfection in the imaging properties of a lens or mirror. The main aberrations are → chromatic aberration, → spherical aberration, → coma, → astigmatism, → field curvature, → distortion.

→ optical; → aberration.

The difference between the true position of a planet and its apparent position, due to the time required for light to travel the distance from the planet to Earth. Correction for planetary aberration is necessary in determining orbits.

→ planetary; → aberration.

The aberration of light for an object moving with → relativistic speed. In contrast to the classical case, the → Lorentz transformation between the → rest frame of the observer and that of the object must be used. Relativistic aberration is expressed by the equation: cos φ' = (cos φ - )/(1 - cos φ.v/c), where φ is the classical → aberration angle, v the speed of the Earth, and c the → speed of light. It can also be expressed as: tan φ' = -(c/v)(1 - v²/c)^1/2.

→ relativistic; → aberration.