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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

F

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.

H

hypothesis

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

I

ion

An electrically charged atom.

ionosphere

The outer layer of the Earth's atmosphere that consists of layers of ionized gas atoms.

J

K

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.

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.

N

neutrino

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

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.

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.

Q

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.

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.

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.

U

ultraviolet light

Light beyond the visible spectrum.

umbra

The darker center of sunspots.

V

W

X

Y

Z

zionism

The movement to establish a Jewish nation.

         
           

©Copyright 1998 Elizabeth Beckett, Holly Bernitt, and Vishwa Chandra.