An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

A measure of the → reflectivity of a surface, especially of the solar system bodies (planets, satellites or asteroids). It is the ratio of a body’s brightness at zero → phase angle to the brightness of a perfectly diffusing disk with the same position and apparent size as the body. Geometric albedo depends on the radiation wavelength.
The bolometric geometric albedo refers to reflectivity in all wavelengths. Compare with the → Bond albedo.

See also: → geometric; → albedo.