Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Struve

(Encyclopedia)Struve shtro͞oˈvə [key], family of astronomers. Friedrich Georg Wilhelm von Struve, 1793–1864, was born in Germany but later lived in Russia. While director (1817–39) of Dorpat Observatory he w...

In

(Encyclopedia)In, symbol for the element indium. ...

Tethys , in Greek religion and mythology

(Encyclopedia)Tethys, in Greek religion and mythology, a Titan, daughter of Gaea and Uranus. She was the wife of the seagod Oceanus and the mother of the Oceanids. ...

Kronos

(Encyclopedia)Kronos or Cronus both: krōˈnəs [key], in Greek religion and mythology, the youngest Titan, son of Uranus and Gaea. With the help of his mother, he led the Titans in the revolt against Uranus and ru...

superior planet

(Encyclopedia)superior planet, planet whose orbit lies outside that of the earth. The superior planets are Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. ...

National Radio Astronomy Observatory

(Encyclopedia)National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), federal observatory for radio astronomy, founded in 1956 and operated under contract with the National Science Foundation by Associated Universities, Inc.,...

Nuffield Radio Astronomy Laboratories

(Encyclopedia)Nuffield Radio Astronomy Laboratories: see Jodrell Bank Observatory. ...

Mnemosyne

(Encyclopedia)Mnemosyne nēmŏsˈĭnē, nēmŏzˈ– [key], in Greek mythology, the personification of memory. She was a Titan, daughter of Uranus and Gaea. The Muses were her daughters by Zeus. ...

satellite, natural

(Encyclopedia)satellite, natural, celestial body orbiting a planet, dwarf planet, asteroid, or star of a larger size. The most familiar natural satellite is the earth's moon; thus, satellites of other planets are o...

retrograde motion

(Encyclopedia)retrograde motion, in astronomy, real or apparent movement of a planet, dwarf planet, moon, asteroid, or comet from east to west relative to the fixed stars. The most common direction of motion in the...