An Astronomical Glossary.
Abstract
At various times during the development of the GEODSS system it became clear that a common, technical vocabulary could be a useful thing. There are many precisely defined astronomical quantities one needs to intelligently discuss star catalogs, optical data reduction, orbital analysis, photometry, etc. Partially as an outgrowth of this need, but mostly through the impetus of a forthcoming reference work, this Glossary was assembled. Its orientation is heavily toward astrometry, rather than astronomy or astrophysics. Also, it is frequently difficult to give precise and concise definitions. In some cases, it is impossible to provide the precise meaning without complicated formulas and much discussion. Nevertheless, sometimes sacrificing clarity for brevity and with a minimum of mathematics, the following 800 items are presented. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 12, 1980
- Accession Number
- ADA084445
Entities
People
- Laurence G. Taff
Organizations
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology