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

An aggregate of two or more substances that are not chemically combined with each other.

M.E., from L. mixtura "a mixing," from mixtus, → mix.

Âmizé, from âmiz present stem of âmixtan, → mix.

A hypothetical, large molecular sphere, as a component of the → stellar atmosphere, suggested to encompass → red giant and → supergiant stars. This suggestion has offered satisfactory explanations to the spectrum of → Mu Cephei (Tsuji 2003), but it is not clear whether MOLspheres are common features of the atmospheres of all such stars.

MOL, from → molecular; → sphere.

The → rotation of the Moon's → orbit within the → orbital plane, whereby the axes of the ellipse change direction. The Moon's → major axis makes one complete revolution every 8.85 Earth years, or 3,232.6054 days, as it rotates slowly in the same direction as the Moon itself (direct, or → prograde motion). The Moon's apsidal precession is a → relativistic effect, and should not be confused with its → axial procession.

→ Moon; → apsidal; → precession.

A large-scale → shock wave observed in Hα on the Sun's → chromosphere that is generated by the impact of a → solar flare. Moreton waves expand outward at about 1,000 km/s, and may travel for several hundred thousand kilometers. They are accompanied by meter-wave radio bursts.

Named after the American astronomer Gail E. Moreton (1960, A.J. 65, 494); → wave.

An observationally determined relationship between the → morphological classification of galaxies and the → environments in which they are located. Specifically, the morphology-density relation indicates that early-type galaxies (→ ETG) are preferentially located in high density environments, whereas late-type galaxies (→ LTG) are preferentially found in low density environments. Hence, spiral galaxies are rare in the high densities of clusters and are common in the lower density group environments. Early-type galaxies, on the other hand, are common in clusters and are rarely found in isolation.

→ morphology; → density; → relation.

The division of a relatively long exposure into several successive shorter ones, e.g. to avoid detector saturation.

→ multiple; → exposure.

Same as → Charpak's detector.

→ multi-; → wire; → proportional; → chamber.

One who murders; especially : one who commits the crime of murder (Merriam-Webster).

→ murder; → -er.

The outer region of a → quasar or an → active galactic nucleus displaying narrow spectral lines. Also called Type II AGN. See also → obscuring torus.

→ narrow; → line; → region.

A lunar → impact crater that is located in the southern part of the Moon's near side. Latitude: 41.0°S, longitude: 0.2°E, diameter: 52 km, depth: 3.35 km.

Named after the Iranian mathematician and astronomer Nasireddin Tusi (1201-1274), → Nasireddin couple.

A theorem put forward by the 13th century Persian mathematician and astronomer Nasireddin Tusi to generate linear motion from a combination of circular motions, and thus improve the geocentric model of Ptolemy. A circle of radius R rotates inside a circle of radius 2R. The smaller circle rotates at twice the speed of the larger one and in opposite direction. The initial tangent point will travel in linear motion back and forth along the diameter of the larger circle. A particular case of → hypocycloid curves.

Named for Nasireddin Tusi (1201-1274), director of Marâgha observatory who created the Ilkhani zij; → couple.

Any frequency of small-amplitude oscillation for a system with a position of stable equilibrium and in the absence of external forces. In other words, the frequency of → free oscillation. Also called characteristic frequency.

→ natural; → frequency.

A resonance such that the period of the driving force is the same as the natural period of the system.

→ natural; → resonance.

The natural world as it exists without human beings or civilization.

M.E. natur(e), from O.Fr. nature from L. natura "the things at the outset, as it was when brought into existence; conditions of birth; essence, natural qualities," from natus "born," p.p. of nasci "to be born," from PIE *gen- "to give birth, beget," cognate with Pers. zâdan "to give birth," as below.

Zâstâr, literally "birth," from zâst past stem of [Dehxodâ] zâstan, variant of zâdan "to bring forth, give birth;" (Lâsgardi, Sorxeyi, Aftari) nestor "barren, sterile" (Mid.Pers. zâtan; Av. zan- "to bear, give birth to a child, be born," infinitive zazāite, zāta- "born;" cf. Skt. janati "begets, bears;" L. gignere "to beget," nasci "to be born," as above, PIE base *gen- "to give birth, beget") + suffix -âr (forming verbal nouns as in raftâr, kerdâr, goftâr, didâr, jostâr, and so on; or forming accusative nouns, as in gereftâr, koštâr, etc.).

That region of the → electromagnetic spectrum covering shorter infrared wavelengths. It contains the → infrared windows between about 0.8 and 8 → microns, but the longer wavelength limit is not well defined. See also: → infrared radiation, → mid-infrared, → far-infrared, → submillimeter radiation.

→ near; → infrared.

A correlation between two variables such that as one variable's values tend to increase, the other variable's values tend to decrease.

→ negative; → correlation.

A kind of pressure that contrarily to ordinary pressure pushes inward. In contrast with the → Newtonian mechanics, in → general relativity there are situations in which pressure can be negative. Positive pressure gives rise to attractive gravity, whereas negative pressure creates → repulsive gravity.

→ negative; → pressure.

The outermost satellite of Neptune (radius 150-250 km), discovered on May 1, 1949 by Gerard P. Kuiper. Its period is about 360 days and it has the most eccentric orbit (e = 0.76) of any natural satellite.

Named after the Nereids, the 50 sea-nymph daughters of Nereus, a Gk. sea god.

The entropy change for chemical reactions involving crystalline solid is zero at the absolute zero of temperature. Also known as the third law of thermodynamics.

→ Nernst effect; → heat; → theorem.

The → nuclear reaction that occurs when an → atomic nucleus captures a → neutron. Neutron capture is the primary mechanism (principally, the → s-process and → r-process) by which very massive nuclei are formed in stars and during → supernova explosions. Instead of → fusion of similar nuclei, heavy, → neutron-capture elements are created by the addition of more and more neutrons to existing nuclei.

→ neutron; → capture.