(Encyclopedia) DioneDionedīōˈnē [key], in astronomy, one of the named moons, or natural satellites, of Saturn. Also known as Saturn IV (or S4), Dione is 695 mi (1,120 km) in diameter, orbits Saturn…
(Encyclopedia) Alexie, Sherman (Sherman Joseph Alexie, Jr.), 1966–, Native American writer, b. Wellpinit, Spokane Indian Reservation, E Wash., studied Gonzaga Univ. and Washington State Univ. (B.A.,…
(Encyclopedia) Crab Nebula, diffuse gaseous nebula in the constellation Taurus; cataloged as NGC 1952 and M1, the first object recorded in Charles Messier's catalog of nonstellar objects (see Messier…
(Encyclopedia) Aldrin, BuzzAldrin, Buzzôlˈdrĭn [key] (Edwin Eugene Aldrin, Jr.), 1930–, American astronaut, b. Montclair, N.J. After graduating from West Point (1951), Aldrin joined the U.S. air…
(Encyclopedia) Fellini, FedericoFellini, Federicofādārēˈkō fāl-lēˈnē [key], 1920–93, Italian film director. After World War II he wrote screenplays for such neorealistic films as Rossellini's Open…
(Encyclopedia) seeing, in astronomy, the clarity with which stars and other celestial objects can be observed. It is primarily determined by the atmosphere of the earth. The most obvious phenomenon…
(Encyclopedia) Newcomb, SimonNewcomb, Simonn&oomacr;ˈkəm, ny&oomacr;ˈ– [key], 1835–1909, American astronomer, b. Nova Scotia, grad. Lawrence Scientific School, Harvard, 1858. Living in the…
(Encyclopedia) Van Allen, James Alfred, 1914–2006, American physicist and space scientist, Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. A graduate (Ph.D 1939) of and professor of physics (1951–85) at what is now the Univ. of…
(Encyclopedia) Brahe, TychoBrahe, Tychotīˈkō brä [key], 1546–1601, Danish astronomer. The most prominent astronomer of the late 16th cent., he paved the way for future discoveries by improving…
(Encyclopedia) SiriusSiriussĭrˈēəs [key], or Dog Star, brightest star in the sky. It is located in the constellation Canis Major (1992 position R.A. 6h44.8m, Dec. −16°42′); its Bayer designation is…
