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astrometry

(Encyclopedia)astrometry: see astronomy.

seismology

(Encyclopedia)seismology sīzmŏlˈəjē, sīs– [key], scientific study of earthquakes and related phenomena, including the propagation of waves and shocks on or within the earth by natural or artificially genera...

shock wave

(Encyclopedia)shock wave, wave formed of a zone of extremely high pressure within a fluid, especially the atmosphere, that propagates through the fluid at a speed in excess of the speed of sound. A shock wave is ca...

granule

(Encyclopedia)granule, in astronomy: see photosphere. ...

eccentricity

(Encyclopedia)eccentricity, in astronomy: see orbit. ...

filament

(Encyclopedia)filament, in astronomy: see chromosphere. ...

twinkling

(Encyclopedia)twinkling, in astronomy: see seeing. ...

Huygens, Christiaan

(Encyclopedia)Huygens, Christiaan krĭsˈtyän hoiˈgəns [key], 1629–95, Dutch mathematician and physicist; son of Constantijn Huygens. He improved telescopic lenses and discovered (1655) a satellite of Saturn a...

breakwater

(Encyclopedia)breakwater, offshore structure to protect a harbor from wave energy or deflect currents. When it also serves as a pier, it is called a quay; when covered by a roadway it is called a mole. In the Unite...

False Cross

(Encyclopedia)False Cross, in astronomy: see Carina. ...