General astronomy

General astronomy

Contributors in General astronomy

General astronomy

An emission line that is found in the spectra of diffuse nebulae, notably the green lines due to doubly ionized oxygen, [O III], at 495.9 and 500.7 nm. Nebular lines are also forbidden lines, since ...

radar meteor

Astronomy; General astronomy

A meteor that can be detected by a pulsed radio signal reflected from its ionized trail to a receiver at the same location as the transmitter. Radar observations allow accurate determination of ...

recycled pulsar

Astronomy; General astronomy

A pulsar with a unusually low magnetic field (1–100 tesla) and a low spin-down rate. It usually has a very short pulse period and is often found in a binary system. Recycled pulsars are ordinary ...

planetary precession

Astronomy; General astronomy

The change of the Earth's orbital plane as a result of the attractions of the planets on the Earth's center of mass. It causes the equinox to move eastwards along the celestial equator (i.e. in the ...

photometric binary

Astronomy; General astronomy

A binary star whose duplexity is detectable because it is variable in brightness, with a light-curve that has certain specific characteristics. If the components of a binary star have different ...

magnetotail

Astronomy; General astronomy

The part of a planet's magnetosphere that is elongated in the direction of the solar wind or away from the Sun. The Earth's magnetotail extends beyond the Moon's orbit, and that of Jupiter extends ...

Jupiter

Astronomy; General astronomy

Jupiter is the largest planet in the Solar System and the fifth planet from the Sun, with a mass two and a half times greater than all the other planets combined. Jupiter is distinctly ellipsoidal in ...