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Glossary of Terms


A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z


A

acclimatization
Getting used to the climate surrounding you.
active region
A localized part of the solar atmosphere in which plages, sunspots, faculae, flares, and other solar phenomena may be observed.
aerosols
Particles in the atmosphere. They cool the earth by reflecting sunlight back into space, but disappear far faster than greenhouse gases.
amphetamines
A central nervous system stimulant used especially in cold and hay fever medicine.
angstrom
A unit of length = 1.0E-08 cm.
annular eclipse
An eclipse of the Sun that is not total. A ring of sunlight will show around the moon because the moon is too far away from Earth to cover the Sun entirely.
anthropogenic
Changes in the world's climate system that are a result of human actions.
arsenic
A solid poisonous element that is generally grey in color and crystalline and brittle in nature
astronomical unit
The average distance between the Sun and Earth.
astronomy
The study of the celestial bodies.
aurora australis
The bands of light that appear in the Southern Hemisphere sky when charged particles from the Sun escape the Earth's magnetosphere and travel down the Earth's magnetic lines to the poles.
aurora borealis
The bands of light that appear in the Northern Hemisphere sky when charged particles from the Sun escape the Earth's magnetosphere and travel down the Earth's magnetic lines to the poles.
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B

bailey's beads
Bright pinpoints of light that briefly appear around the edge of the moon during a total solar eclipse as sunlight shines through valleys around the moon's edge.
basal cell carcinoma
A type of malignant skin cancer.
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C

calorimeter
A device for measuring the amount of absorbed heat in a body.
cesium
An element of the Sun that is the most electropositive element known; from the alkaline metal group. Is used especially in photoelectric cells.
chromosphere
The layer of gases that forms the inner part of the Sun's atmosphere.
comet
A usually small icy body (usually a rock) orbiting the Sun.
constellation
A pattern that is seen in a group of stars.
convective zone
The topmost layer of the Sun's interior. The convective zone is made up entirely of hot gases.
copernican theory
A theory developed by Nicolaus Copernicus that says the Earth and planets move around the Sun.
core
The center of the Sun where thermonuclear reactions generate the Sun's energy.
corona
The last layer of the Sun's atmosphere. The corona can only be seen during eclipses.
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D

diffraction grating
A series of thousands of microscopic lines drawn on a transparent surface. These lines are so tiny they divide light into a spectrum.
disarmament
To lay aside armament, to reduce armament and armed forces.
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E

eclipse
The cutting off of the light of one celestial body by another.
electromagnetic radiation
A form of energy which includes visible light, x-rays, ultraviolet, and infrared light.
electromagnetic waves
A form of energy which includes visible light, x-rays, ultraviolet, and infrared light.
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F

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G

general relativity
An addition of the theory of relativity to include gravitation and related acceleration.
geology
The geographic study of the history of the Earth and planets.
law of gravitation
The force that makes all bodies in the universe move toward each other.
greenhouse effect
Warming of the Earth's atmosphere by infrared radiation given off by the Earth after they have been heated by the Sun.
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H

hypothesis
An educated guess made so that it can be developed and tested to its logical end.
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I

ion
An electrically charged atom.
ionosphere
The outer layer of the Earth's atmosphere that consists of layers of ionized gas atoms.
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J

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K

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L

latitude
The distance north or south of the equator measured in degrees.
longitude
The distance east or west of Greenwich, England measured in degrees.
lunar eclipse
When the moon passes into the Earth's shadow.
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M

magnetosphere
A shell-like, hollow flow of solar wind particles around the Earth.
mass-luminosity
The quantity of radiation given off by an astronomical body such as a star.
melanoma
A type of skin cancer.
milky way
The galaxy in which our solar system is located.
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N

neutrino
A particle emitted by the Sun that travels at the speed of light.
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O

oxygen
A colorless, odorless, tasteless gas that makes up 21% of our air.
ozone layer
A layer of our atmosphere that is made up of concentrated ozone. This shields us from ultraviolet light.
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P

pacifism
The opposition of violence or war to settle disagreements or disputes, or a policy of non-resistance.
penumbra
The outer edge, or shadow of a Sunspot.
photoelectric effect
The effect due to the interaction between light and matter.
photon
A small division of radiant energy.
photosphere
The visible surface of the Sun.
physics
The science that deals with matter and energy and their interactions in the fields that would include, optics, heat, electricity, magnetism, atomic structure, and others.
plasma
Matter that is formed at extremely hot temperatures. It isn't solid, liquid, or gas.
potassium
A metallic element of the alkali metal family that is abundant in nature.
precipitation agent
The product, result, or outcome of an action or process.
ptolemaic theory
The theory that said the Earth was the center of the universe. It is also known as the geocentric theory.
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Q

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R

radiative zone
The middle of the Sun's interior between the core and the convective zone. This is where heat moves out from the core through radiation.
refraction
The bending of light waves as they pass through different objects at oblique angles.
re-hydration
The process of adding more fluids to the body.
rubidium
A soft silvery metallic element that decomposes water and bursts into flame spontaneously in air.
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S

solar eclipse
An eclipse where the moon passes between the Sun and the Earth.
solar flare
A storm on the Sun that emits both rays and particles.
solar flux
A measurement of the intensity of solar radio emissions at the frequency of 2800 MHz made using a radio telescope in Ottawa, Ca na. It is also known as the 10.7 cm flux (the wavelength of the radio signals at 2800 MHz).
solar wind
High-speed, atomic and subatomic particles that travel outward from the Sun.
spectroscope
An instrument that separates light into it's different wavelengths. It is the instrument that permits us to identify the elements in a particular light source.
spectroscopy
The process of using a spectroscope or the production of a spectra.
squamous cell carcinoma
A type of malignant skin cancer.
sunspot
A small, cooler area on the Sun that shows up as a dark spot on the Sun.
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T

total eclipse
An eclipse where all the Sun's light is cut off by the moon.
trigonometry
The study of triangles and their applications.
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U

ultraviolet light
Light beyond the visible spectrum.
umbra
The darker center of sunspots.
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V

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W

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X

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Y

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Z

zionism
The movement to establish a Jewish nation.
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©Copyright 1998 Elizabeth Beckett, Holly Bernitt, and Vishwa Chandra.