An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

A diagram involving → formal compactification of → space-time used in → general relativity to describe the causal properties of the space-time. Only two of the space dimensions are shown and horizontal lines represent space, while vertical lines belong to time. The → null geodesicss are at 45°, which facilitates the visualization of → light cones. The major feature of Penrose-Carter diagram is representing the whole space-time on a finite surface, while putting → spacelike and → timelike infinities at finite distance.

See also: Named for Roger Penrose (1931-) and Brandon Carter (1942-) who introduced it independently; → diagram.