An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

A round vessel pivoted on a central axis that rotates by the force of internal steam escaping from two diametrically opposed narrow apertures. Aeolipile, first described by Hero of Alexandria (c. 10-70 AD), is an early example of → jet propulsion.

See also: L aeolipila, from Gk aiolipyle, from
Aiolon pyle, fr. aioli-, from Aiolos “god of wind,” +
pyle “gate.”

1. General: An indefinitely long period of time; an age.
   

2. Geology: A unit of geologic time equal to one billion years; US eon.

Etymology (EN): L. aeon, from Gk. aion “age, eternity;” akin to Av. āiiu- “duration, period, lifetime;” Skt. áyu- “life, longevity.”

Etymology (PE): Âyu, from Av. āiiu- “duration, period, lifetime” (Sogd. āy “life, age”), as above.

Of or pertaining to → aerodynamics.

See also: → aerodynamics.

The force exerted by a gaseous fluid upon a body completely immersed in it caused by their relative motion. The components of aerodynamic force are: → lift and → drag.

See also: → aerodynamic; → force.

The science that is concerned with the study of the → motion of → air and other gaseous → fluids and with the → forces acting on bodies moving through such fluids.

See also: Aerodynamics, from Gk. aero-, → air, +
→ dynamics.

A stony meteorite consisting of silicate minerals. This alternative name for a stony meteorite, is now largely obsolete.

Etymology (EN): Aerolite, from Gk. aero-, → air, + Gk. lithos “stone”.

Etymology (PE): Havâsang from Persian havâ “air”; compare with Mid. Pers./Mod. Pers. vây “weather,” from Av. vayah-, vaya- “weather, atmosphere,” from va- “to blow”. Cognate with Skt. va-, Gk. aemi “to blow” + sang, → stone.

A subdivision of meteorology concerned with the total vertical extent of the atmosphere as opposed to the study of the atmosphere near Earth’s surface.

Etymology (EN): Aerology from Gk. aero- “air” + Gk. logia “study of,” from legein “to speak”.

Etymology (PE): Javvšenâsi, from Ar. javv “air, atmosphere” + šenâsi “knowledge, knowing,” from šenâxtan “to know,” from Av./O.Pers. xšnâ “to learn, come to know, know,” compare with Skt. jna “to know,” Gk. gignoskein “to know, think, judge,” L. gnoscere, noscere “to come to know,” PIE *gno- “to know.”

The science and technology concerned with designing, constructing, and operating machines capable of flying in the atmosphere.

Etymology (EN): From aeronautic, from Fr. aéronautique, from aéro-,
from Gk. aer, → air, + nautique “of ships,” from L. nauticus, from Gk. nautikos,
from naus “ship” (cognate with Mod.Pers. nâv “ship;” Av./O.Pers. *nāv-, O.Pers. nāviyā- “fleet;” Skt. nau-, nava- “ship, boat;” Gk. naus, neus, L. navis; PIE *nāu- “ship”).

Etymology (PE): Havânavardi, from havâ, → air, + navardi, verbal noun of navardidan “to travel, walk, pass by and over.”

The study of processes in the the upper atmosphere, especially of regions of ionized gas,
from stratosphere to interplanetary space.

See also: From Gk. aer- “weather” + nomos “arranging, regulating,” related to nemein “to deal out,” → -nomy.

A suspension of fine solid or liquid particles in a gas.

Etymology (EN): Aerosol from aero “air” + sol(ution).

Etymology (PE): Havâlu from havâ “weather” + lu from → luyé, luyeš, → solution.

Relating to the philosophy of → aesthetics.

See also: Adjective from → aesthetics.

1. The branch of philosophy dealing with such notions as the beautiful, the ugly, the sublime, the comic, etc., as applicable to the fine arts, with a view to establishing the meaning and validity of critical judgments concerning works of art, and the principles underlying or justifying such judgments.
   

2. The study of the mind and emotions in relation to the sense of beauty (Dictionary.com).

Etymology (EN): From Ger. Ästhetisch or Fr. esthétique, both from Gk. aisthetikos “sensitive, perceptive,” from aisthanesthai “to perceive, to feel.”

Etymology (PE): Zibâyik, from zibâ “beautiful, elegant, adorned,” → beauty, + -ik, → -ics.