Term Index (digit or symbol)

• α:
  • spectral index (α): power by which an object's flux depends on frequency
• α_CO:
  • alpha CO (α_CO): ratio of CO emissions to H2
• Å:
  • angstrom (Å): unit of length 10^-10 meters
• β:
  • beta (β): ratio of plasma pressure to magnetic pressure
• β decay:
  • beta decay: radioactivity such that an electron or positron is emitted
• β Per:
  • Algol (Beta Per,β Per): multiple star system demonstrating affects of mass transfer
• β Persei:
  • Algol (Beta Per,β Per): multiple star system demonstrating affects of mass transfer
• β Pic b:
  • Beta Pictoris b (β Pic b): super Jupiter discovered in 2008
• β Pictoris:
  • Beta Pictoris b (β Pic b): super Jupiter discovered in 2008
• χ² test:
  • chi-squared test (χ² test): statistical significance test
• Δ²_R:
  • Lambda-CDM model (ΛCDM,LCDM): Big-Bang cosmological model with a cosmological constant and cold dark matter
• ε:
  • nuclear energy generation rate (ε): fusion power per unit mass
• ε Ind:
  • Epsilon Indi (ε Indi,ε Ind): nearby star system including two brown dwarf companions
• ε Indi:
  • Epsilon Indi (ε Indi,ε Ind): nearby star system including two brown dwarf companions
• η Carinae:
  • hypergiant: extremely bright stars
• γ:
  • Lorentz transformation: equations describing the effect of relative motion on length and velocity
  • specific heat: ratio of added temperature to added heat for a material
• ℏ:
  • Planck constant (h): quantum of action in quantum mechanics
• κ:
  • permeability (κ,k): ability of a material to allow fluids to pass through it
• Λ:
  • cosmological constant (Λ): force counteracting the universe's inward gravitational pull
  • eigenvalue (λ): ratio between a vector and a linear transformation of that vector
  • Jeans parameter (λ): ratio measuring a tendency of an atmosphere to escape
• ΛCDM:
  • Lambda-CDM model (ΛCDM,LCDM): Big-Bang cosmological model with a cosmological constant and cold dark matter
• μ:
  • mean molecular weight (μ): measurement of a gas usual for approximating in gas models
  • standard gravitational parameter (μ): a body's mass times the gravitational constant
• ν:
  • neutrino (ν): light, electrically neutral elementary particle
• Ω:
  • critical density (ρ_c): density of the universe which leaves it flat
  • solid angle (Ω): two-dimensional analog of an angle
• Ω_Λ:
  • Lambda-CDM model (ΛCDM,LCDM): Big-Bang cosmological model with a cosmological constant and cold dark matter
• Ω₀:
  • critical density (ρ_c): density of the universe which leaves it flat
• Ω_b:
  • Lambda-CDM model (ΛCDM,LCDM): Big-Bang cosmological model with a cosmological constant and cold dark matter
• Ω_bh²:
  • Lambda-CDM model (ΛCDM,LCDM): Big-Bang cosmological model with a cosmological constant and cold dark matter
• Ω_dΩ_c:
  • Lambda-CDM model (ΛCDM,LCDM): Big-Bang cosmological model with a cosmological constant and cold dark matter
• Ω_dh²:
  • Lambda-CDM model (ΛCDM,LCDM): Big-Bang cosmological model with a cosmological constant and cold dark matter
• Ω_m:
  • Lambda-CDM model (ΛCDM,LCDM): Big-Bang cosmological model with a cosmological constant and cold dark matter
• Öpik-Oort Cloud:
  • Oort Cloud: cloud of comets and minor planets around the solar system
• Φ:
  • gravitational potential (Φ): conceptual field indicating the strength of gravity at each point
• Φ_Tidal:
  • tide: affect of Moon's gravity on Earth's seas, etc.
• π:
  • pion (π): first type of meson discovered
• ρ_c:
  • critical density (ρ_c): density of the universe which leaves it flat
• Σ:
  • sigma (σ): indication of the confidence level of an experiment
  • Stefan-Boltzmann constant (σ): relates radiation power to temperature and surface area
  • Struve Catalogs: two catalogs of double stars
  • surface density (Σ): quantity such as mass per surface area
  • velocity dispersion (σ): statistical dispersion of velocities of a group of objects
• τ:
  • Lambda-CDM model (ΛCDM,LCDM): Big-Bang cosmological model with a cosmological constant and cold dark matter
  • optical depth (τ): a measure of opaqueness of a path of light
  • timescale (t,τ): general length of time something takes
• τ_advec:
  • advection: transport of something through a fluid's motion
• ϒ:
  • mass-to-light ratio (M/L,ϒ): measure of a population of stars or region
• ζ Aurigae:
  • binary star: system of two stars co-orbiting
• ζ Aurigae system:
  • binary star: system of two stars co-orbiting
• 0FGL:
  • Fermi (FGST,GLAST): satellite for studying gamma rays
• 1 Jansky Empty Field Survey (1 Jy): survey to find optical identifications for weak radio sources
• 1 Jy:
  • 1 Jansky Empty Field Survey (1 Jy): survey to find optical identifications for weak radio sources
• 1.27m Mount Stromlo Telescope:
  • MACHO Project: survey searching out microlensing that could indicate a MACHO
• 1.3mm observation: observation frequency useful for detecting dust
• 1.5m Hale Telescope:
  • coudé focus telescope: type of Nasmyth telescope with additional mirrors
• 1/V_max method:
  • volume weighting: method of accommodating the Malmquist bias
• 101955 Bennu: near-Earth asteroid that is the target of a planned sample-return mission
  • OSIRIS-REx: planned space mission to return a sample of an asteroid
• 10199 Chariklo: largest minor planet in the outer solar system
• 1050cm:
  • Parkes Observatory: Australian large single-dish radio telescope
• 10C:
  • Cambridge Catalog of Radio Sources: series of catalogs of northern hemisphere sources
  • Third Cambridge Catalogue of Radio Sources (3C): 1959 catalog of northern hemisphere 159MHz sources
• 134340 Pluto:
  • Pluto: dwarf planet formerly listed as one of the nine planets
• 13MM:
  • Parkes Observatory: Australian large single-dish radio telescope
• 140 Foot Telescope:
  • Green Bank 140 Foot Telescope: West Virginia radio telescope
• 150 megaparsecs:
  • baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO): density fluctuations stemming from acoustic waves in the early universe
• 16 Psyche:
  • Psyche: planned space mission to orbit an asteroid
• 16-pole:
  • multipole expansion: series expansion of a function over the surface of a sphere
• 1947 sunspot: largest sunspot ever recorded
• 1987A:
  • SN 1987A (1987A): supernova in February 1987 rare for being visible by the naked eye
• 1999 RQ₃₆:
  • 101955 Bennu: near-Earth asteroid that is the target of a planned sample-return mission
  • OSIRIS-REx: planned space mission to return a sample of an asteroid
• 1AGL:
  • AGILE: Italian space gamma-ray observatory
• 1C:
  • Cambridge Catalog of Radio Sources: series of catalogs of northern hemisphere sources
• 1D climate model:
  • one dimensional climate model: atmospheric model ignoring all horizontal motion
• 1D model:
  • one dimensional climate model: atmospheric model ignoring all horizontal motion
  • three dimensional model: computer simulation handling variation in all three dimensions
• 1E:
  • HEAO-2: 1978 x-ray observatory space mission
• 1E 6057-556:
  • Bullet Cluster: example of two galaxy clusters in collision
• 1ES:
  • HEAO-2: 1978 x-ray observatory space mission
• 1FGL:
  • Fermi (FGST,GLAST): satellite for studying gamma rays
• 1H:
  • HEAO-1: 1977 x-ray observatory space mission
• 1RXS:
  • ROSAT: 1990s German space x-ray telescope
• 1SWASP:
  • SuperWASP (SWASP): broad Earth-based search for transiting planets
• 1SWASP J140747:
  • J1407: star orbited by a companion with a ring system
• 1SWASP J140747.93-394542.86:
  • J1407: star orbited by a companion with a ring system
• 2014 MU₆₉:
  • New Horizons (NF1): explorer spaceship sent to Pluto
• 21 cm line:
  • spin (m_s): an angular-momentum quantum number
• 21cm experiment: search for redshifted 21cm hydrogen emission lines
• 21cm line: hydrogen line useful for determining redshift
• 243 Ida:
  • binary minor planet (BMP): minor planet with another body orbiting it
• 25m Dwingeloo Radio Telescope:
  • Dwingeloo Obscured Galaxy Survey (DOGS): radio survey of ZOA for 21cm lines indicating galaxies
• 26 Meter Telescope:
  • Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory (DRAO): radio observatory in British Columbia, Canada
• 2C:
  • Cambridge Catalog of Radio Sources: series of catalogs of northern hemisphere sources
• 2D model:
  • subgrid-scale physics: shortcuts handling physics on a smaller scale than a simulation's grid
  • three dimensional model: computer simulation handling variation in all three dimensions
• 2dF:
  • 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey (2dFGRS): imaging survey of 300,000 objects
  • Anglo-Australian Telescope (AAT): 3.9m reflector telescope in Australia
  • GALAH: survey of Milky Way with an emphasis on old structures
  • Hawaii K-band Galaxy Survey: near-infrared survey of a selection of fields
  • WiggleZ: survey aimed at mapping dark energy
• 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey (2dFGRS): imaging survey of 300,000 objects
• 2dFGRS:
  • 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey (2dFGRS): imaging survey of 300,000 objects
• 2E:
  • HEAO-2: 1978 x-ray observatory space mission
• 2FGL:
  • Fermi (FGST,GLAST): satellite for studying gamma rays
• 2HWC:
  • High-altitude Water Cherenkov Observatory (HAWC): gamma ray telescope using Cherenkov radiation
• 2M:
  • Two Micron All-sky Survey (2MASS): near-infrared survey of both hemispheres
• 2MASS:
  • Two Micron All-sky Survey (2MASS): near-infrared survey of both hemispheres
• 2MASS 0720-0846:
  • Scholz's Star: nearby binary star with red dwarf and brown dwarf
• 2MASS 1207:
  • TW Hydrae association (TWA): nearby stellar association
• 2MASS 19425852-1956585:
  • WASP-67b: hot Jupiter discovered in 2011
• 2MASS J0445930-1516166:
  • LHS 1140: red dwarf with rocky planet in its habitable zone
• 2MASS J07200325-0846499:
  • Scholz's Star: nearby binary star with red dwarf and brown dwarf
• 2MASS J16264502-2423077:
  • Elias 2-27: much-studied YSO
• 2MASS J23062928-0502285:
  • TRAPPIST-1: red dwarf with exoplanet near the habitable zone
• 2MASS photometric system:
  • JHK photometric system (JHK): system to classify stars according to near-infrared colors
• 2MASX:
  • Two Micron All-sky Survey (2MASS): near-infrared survey of both hemispheres
• 2U:
  • Uhuru: 1970 satellite x-ray telescope
• 30 Doradus:
  • SAGE: survey of gas and dust in the Magellanic Clouds
• 32-pole:
  • multipole expansion: series expansion of a function over the surface of a sphere
• 3C:
  • Third Cambridge Catalogue of Radio Sources (3C): 1959 catalog of northern hemisphere 159MHz sources
• 3C 273: first quasar discovered
• 3C 295: distant radio galaxy
• 3C 303: Seyfert galaxy
• 3C 327: elliptical radio galaxy
• 3C 405:
  • Cygnus A (3C 405,QSO B1957+405): early-discovered radio galaxy and quasar
• 3C 48: radio galaxy/quasar
• 3C 9: first quasar discovered
• 3CR:
  • Third Cambridge Catalogue of Radio Sources (3C): 1959 catalog of northern hemisphere 159MHz sources
• 3CRR:
  • Third Cambridge Catalogue of Radio Sources (3C): 1959 catalog of northern hemisphere 159MHz sources
• 3D model:
  • subgrid-scale physics: shortcuts handling physics on a smaller scale than a simulation's grid
  • three dimensional model: computer simulation handling variation in all three dimensions
• 3D-HST: near-infrared survey of 100,000 galaxies by HST
• 3GM:
  • JUICE: mission to Jupiter in development
• 4-metre Multi-object Spectroscopic Telescope:
  • 4MOST: planned spectrograph for VISTA telescope
• 43 Meter Telescope:
  • Green Bank 140 Foot Telescope: West Virginia radio telescope
• 47 Tuc:
  • 47 Tucanae (47 Tuc): bright globular cluster
• 47 Tucanae (47 Tuc): bright globular cluster
• 4C:
  • Fourth Cambridge Catalog of Radio Sources (4C): 1960s catalog of northern hemisphere 178MHz sources
• 4MOST: planned spectrograph for VISTA telescope
  • VISTA: 4.1 meter telescope in Paranal Observatory in Chile
• 4U:
  • Uhuru: 1970 satellite x-ray telescope
• 51 Eri b:
  • 51 Eridani b: Jupiter-like planet discovered in 2015
• 51 Eridani:
  • 51 Eridani b: Jupiter-like planet discovered in 2015
• 51 Eridani b: Jupiter-like planet discovered in 2015
• 51 Peg b:
  • 51 Pegasi b (51 Peg b): first exoplanet found orbiting a main sequence star
• 51 Pegasi:
  • extra-solar planet: planet not in the solar system
• 51 Pegasi b (51 Peg b): first exoplanet found orbiting a main sequence star
• 55 Cancri e (55 Cnc e): superearth orbiting a Sun-like star
• 55 Cnc e:
  • 55 Cancri e (55 Cnc e): superearth orbiting a Sun-like star
• 5535 Annefrank:
  • Stardust: space mission to collect comet coma dust
• 67P:
  • 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (67P,67P/C-G): comet visited by Rosetta space mission
  • CAESAR: planned space mission to return a sample of a comet
  • Rosetta: space probe that visited a comet
• 67P/C-G:
  • 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (67P,67P/C-G): comet visited by Rosetta space mission
  • CAESAR: planned space mission to return a sample of a comet
  • Rosetta: space probe that visited a comet
• 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (67P,67P/C-G): comet visited by Rosetta space mission
  • CAESAR: planned space mission to return a sample of a comet
  • Rosetta: space probe that visited a comet
• 6dF:
  • UK Schmidt Telescope (UKST): 1.2 meter telescope in Australia with wide field-of-view
• 775 AD event: apparent solar eruption, based upon tree-ring evidence
• 7C:
  • Cambridge Catalog of Radio Sources: series of catalogs of northern hemisphere sources
• 87GB:
  • 87GB Catalog of Radio Sources (87GB): 1980s Green Bank radio survey
• 87GB Catalog of Radio Sources (87GB): 1980s Green Bank radio survey
• 8C:
  • Cambridge Catalog of Radio Sources: series of catalogs of northern hemisphere sources
• 92cm line:
  • 21cm line: hydrogen line useful for determining redshift
• 951 Gaspra:
  • Galileo: circa 1990s space mission to Jupiter
• μ:
  • permeability (κ,k): ability of a material to allow fluids to pass through it
• a:
  • semi-major axis (a): maximum radius of an ellipse
• b:
  • semi-major axis (a): maximum radius of an ellipse
• e:
  • eccentricity (e): degree to which an orbit is non-circular
• ¹H: hydrogen isotope with no neutrons
• [CH]:
  • methylidyne (CH): compound of one carbon and one hydrogen atom
• [CI]:
  • carbon (C): element, C, atomic number 6
  • fine structure: spectral lines due to electron spin and relativistic effects
• [CII]:
  • carbon (C): element, C, atomic number 6
  • CONCERTO: spectrometer aimed at mapping the [CII] line
  • fine structure: spectral lines due to electron spin and relativistic effects
  • ionized carbon fine structure line ([CII]): carbon line that traces distant star formation
  • Millimeter-wave Intensity Mapping Experiment (mmIME): project to map CO an [CII]
  • STARFIRE: planned balloon-borne 2.5m telescope and spectroscope
  • Tomographic Ionized-carbon Mapping Experiment (TIME): proposed instrument to map the [CII] line
• [HI]:
  • neutral atomic hydrogen (HI,H I): state of hydrogen when sufficiently cool
• [O III]:
  • planetary nebula luminosity function (PNLF): model used in distance estimation