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cycle

(Encyclopedia)cycle, in astronomy, period of time required for the recurrence of some celestial event. The length of a cycle may be measured relative to the sun or to the fixed stars (see sidereal time). A frequent...

midsummer day and midsummer night

(Encyclopedia)midsummer day and midsummer night, names given to the feast of the nativity of St. John the Baptist (June 24) and the preceding night (St. John's Eve, June 23). Because midsummer is about the time of ...

Saint Bartholomew's Day, massacre of

(Encyclopedia)Saint Bartholomew's Day, massacre of, murder of French Protestants, or Huguenots, that began in Paris on Aug. 24, 1572. It was preceded, on Aug. 22, by an attempt, ordered by Catherine de' Medici, on ...

Champlain, Samuel de

(Encyclopedia)Champlain, Samuel de shămplānˈ, Fr. sämüĕlˈ də shäNplăNˈ [key], 1567–1635, French explorer, the chief founder of New France. After serving in France under Henry of Navarre (King Henry IV)...

Shakur, Tupac Amaru

(Encyclopedia) Shakur, Tupac Amaru, 1971-1996, African-American rap artist, composer, and actor, b. New York, N.Y., as Lesane Parish Crooks. Tupac’s mother was a ...

Hastings, city, New Zealand

(Encyclopedia)Hastings, city, SE North Island, New Zealand, close to Napier. It has extensive food-processing industries, including meatpacking, canning, and dairy pr...

Hamilton, city, New Zealand

(Encyclopedia)Hamilton, city, N central North Island, New Zealand, on the Waikato River. Situated between Auckland and Wellington, Hamilton is the transportation and ...

Fly, river, New Guinea

(Encyclopedia)Fly, largest river of the island of New Guinea, c.650 mi (1,050 km) long, rising in the Star Mts. and flowing generally SE through Papua New Guinea to the Gulf of Papua. The Fly is navigable for steam...

Antipodes, islands, New Zealand

(Encyclopedia)Antipodes ăntĭpˈədēz [key], rocky uninhabited islands, 24 sq mi (62 sq km), South Pacific, c.550 mi (885 km) SE of New Zealand, to which they belong. Explored by British seamen in 1800, the Antip...

Dunedin, city, New Zealand

(Encyclopedia)Dunedin dənēˈdĭn [key], city, SE South Island, New Zealand, at the head of Otago Harbor. ...