HyperDic: astronomy

English > 1 sense of the word astronomy:
NOUNcognitionastronomy, uranologythe branch of physics that studies celestial bodies and the universe as a whole
astronomy > pronunciation
Soundsahstraa'nahmiy
Rhymesacademy ... yummy: 83 rhymes with miy...
English > astronomy: 1 sense > noun 1, cognition
MeaningThe branch of physics that studies celestial bodies and the universe as a whole.
Synonymuranology
Category ofCopernican system(astronomy) Copernicus' astronomical model in which the Earth rotates around the sun
Hubble's law, Hubble law(astronomy) the generalization that the speed of recession of distant galaxies (the red shift) is proportional to their distance from the observer
Kepler's law, Kepler's law of planetary motion(astronomy) one of three empirical laws of planetary motion stated by Johannes Kepler
Oort cloud(astronomy) a hypothetical huge collection of comets orbiting the sun far beyond the orbit of Pluto
Ptolemaic system(astronomy) Ptolemy's model of the universe with the Earth at the center
absolute magnitude(astronomy) the magnitude that a star would have if it were viewed from a distance of 10 parsecs (32.62 light years) from the earth
accretion(astronomy) the formation of a celestial object by the effect of gravity pulling together surrounding objects and gases
active(of the sun) characterized by an increased occurrence of sunspots and flares and radio emissions
anomaly(astronomy) position of a planet as defined by its angular distance from its perihelion (as observed from the sun)
apoapsis, point of apoapsis(astronomy) the point in an orbit farthest from the body being orbited
ascension(astronomy) the rising of a star above the horizon
asterism(astronomy) a cluster of stars (or a small constellation)
astronomer, uranologist, stargazerA physicist who studies astronomy
autumnal equinox(astronomy) the equinoctial point that lies in the constellation of Virgo
barycenter(astronomy) the common center of mass around which two or more bodies revolve
canal(astronomy) an indistinct surface feature of Mars once thought to be a system of channels
coma(astronomy) the luminous cloud of particles surrounding the frozen nucleus of a comet
comet(astronomy) a relatively small extraterrestrial body consisting of a frozen mass that travels around the sun in a highly elliptical orbit
conjunction, alignment(astronomy) apparent meeting or passing of two or more celestial bodies in the same degree of the zodiac
culmination(astronomy) a heavenly body's highest celestial point above an observer's horizon
declination, celestial latitude, dec(astronomy) the angular distance of a celestial body north or to the south of the celestial equator
directMoving from west to east on the celestial sphere
egress, emersion(astronomy) the reappearance of a celestial body after an eclipse
epoch, date of reference(astronomy) an arbitrarily fixed date that is the point in time relative to which information (as coordinates of a celestial body) is recorded
equinoctial point, equinox(astronomy) either of the two celestial points at which the celestial equator intersects the ecliptic
galaxy, extragalactic nebula(astronomy) a collection of star systems
hour angle, HA(astronomy) the angular distance of a celestial point measured westward along the celestial equator from the zenith crossing
inclination, inclination of an orbit(astronomy) the angle between the plane of the orbit and the plane of the ecliptic stated in degrees
inferiorHaving an orbit between the sun and the Earth's orbit
inferior conjunction(astronomy) the alignment of the Earth and a planet on the same side of the sun
ingress, immersion(astronomy) the disappearance of a celestial body prior to an eclipse
libration(astronomy) a real or apparent slow oscillation of a moon or satellite
limb(astronomy) the circumferential edge of the apparent disc of the sun or the moon or a planet
mean time, mean solar time(astronomy) time based on the motion of the mean sun (an imaginary sun moving uniformly along the celestial equator)
meteoroid, meteor(astronomy) any of the small solid extraterrestrial bodies that hits the earth's atmosphere
nebular, nebulousOf or relating to or resembling a nebula
node(astronomy) a point where an orbit crosses a plane
nucleosynthesis(astronomy) the cosmic synthesis of atoms more complex than the hydrogen atom
nucleus(astronomy) the center of the head of a comet
orbital plane(astronomy) the plane on which a body is orbiting
outer planet(astronomy) a major planet whose orbit is outside the asteroid belt (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto)
periapsis, point of periapsis(astronomy) the point in an orbit closest to the body being orbited
phase(astronomy) the particular appearance of a body's state of illumination (especially one of the recurring shapes of the part of Earth's moon that is illuminated by the sun)
planet, major planet(astronomy) any of the nine large / large celestial bodies in the solar system that revolve around the sun and shine by reflected light
primary(astronomy) a celestial body (especially a star) relative to other objects in orbit around it
quietOf the sun characterized by a low level of surface phenomena like sunspots e.g.
red shift, redshift(astronomy) a shift in the spectra of very distant galaxies toward longer wavelengths (toward the red end of the spectrum)
retrogradeMoving from east to west on the celestial sphere
right ascension, RA, celestial longitude(astronomy) the equatorial coordinate specifying the angle, measured eastward along the celestial equator, from the vernal equinox to the intersection of the hour circle that passes through an object in the sky
rise, come up, uprise, ascendcome up, of celestial bodies
set, go down, go underdisappear beyond the horizon
star(astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior
stargazeobserve / observe the stars
superiorHaving an orbit farther from the sun than the Earth's orbit
superior conjunction(astronomy) the alignment of the Earth and a planet on the opposite side of the sun
terrestrial time, TT, terrestrial dynamical time, TDT, ephemeris time(astronomy) a measure of time defined by Earth's orbital motion
variation(astronomy) any perturbation of the mean motion or orbit of a planet or satellite (especially a perturbation of the earth's moon)
vernal equinox(astronomy) the equinoctial point that lies in the constellation of Pisces
NarrowerastrodynamicsThe branch of astronomy that studies the motion of natural and artificial bodies in space
astrometryThe branch of astronomy that deals with the measurement of the position and motion of celestial bodies
astrophysicsThe branch of astronomy concerned with the physical and chemical properties of celestial bodies
celestial mechanicsThe branch of astronomy concerned with the application of Newton's laws of motion to the motions of heavenly bodies
radio astronomyThe branch of astronomy that detects and studies the radio waves emitted by celestial bodies
selenologyThe branch of astronomy that deals with the moon
solar physicsThe branch of astronomy that deals with the sun
Broaderphysics, natural philosophyThe science of matter and energy and their interactions
Spanishastronomía
Catalanastronomia, uranology
Adjectivesastronomic, astronomicalrelating or belonging to the science of astronomy

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