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

The qualifier of a medium in which the → optical depth is large, significantly smaller than 1.

→ optically; → thin.

A member of a small subset of quasars consisting of bright radio galaxies whose flux of visible light output can vary by as much as 50% in a single day.

→ optically; → violent; → variable; → quasar.

1) A maker or seller of optical glass.
2) A person specialized in optical instruments.

From Fr. opticien, from M.L. optic(a), → optics, + -ien "-ian."

1) Eynak-sâz "eyeglass maker," from eynak→ eyeglasses + sâz agent noun of sâxtan, sâzidan "to build, make, fashion; to adapt, adjust, be fit" (from Mid.Pers. sâxtan, sâz-, Manichean Parthian s'c'dn "to prepare, to form;" Av. sak- "to understand, to mark," sâcaya- (causative) "to teach").
2) Nurikâr, nurik-kâr "optics performer, optics workman, optics specialist," from nurik, → optics, + -kâr variants -gar,-gâr, from kar-, kardan "to do, to make" (Mid.Pers. kardan, O.Pers./Av. kar- "to do, make, build," Av. kərənaoiti "makes," cf. Skt. kr- "to do, to make," krnoti "makes," karma "act, deed;" PIE base k^wer- "to do, to make").

The branch of physics that deals with the properties and phenomena of electromagnetic radiation in the wavelength range extending from the ultraviolet (at about 40 nm) to the far-infrared (at 1 mm) and with vision.

Optics, from optic, from M.Fr. optique, from M.L. opticus "of sight or seeing," from Gk. optikos "of or having to do with sight," from optos "seen, visible," from op-, root of opsesthai "be going to see," related to ops "eye," from PIE *ok^w- "eye; to see" (→ eye); → -ics.

Nurik, from nur, → light, + -ik→ -ics. Nuršenâsi, from nur, → light, + šenâsi→ -logy.

The branch of optics concerned with the wave properties of light, → diffraction, → polarization, and other phenomena for which the ray approximation of → geometric optics is not valid. Also called → wave optics.

→ physical; → optics.

In general, pertaining to or affording an overall view.

M.L. synopticus, from Gk. synoptikos, from synop-, → synopsis, + -tikos.

1) Sun: A map that displays positions of certain events (e.g., → sunspots, → faculae, → filaments, etc.) observed during one solar rotation.
2) Meteorology: The use of data obtained simultaneously over a wide area for the purpose of presenting a comprehensive and nearly instantaneous picture of the state of the atmosphere.

→ synoptic; → map.

The branch of optics that analyzes the electromagnetic radiation in terms of its wave characteristics. Also called → physical optics.

→ wave; → optics.