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Acrux

(Encyclopedia)Acrux āˈkrəks [key] [from the Bayer designation α Crucis], brightest star in the constellation Crux (Southern Cross); 1992 position R.A. 12h26.2m, Dec. −63°04′. Its apparent magnitude of 0.86...

Newman, Barnett

(Encyclopedia)Newman, Barnett, 1905–70, American artist, b. New York City. A member of the New York school, Newman was one of the first to reject conventional notions of spatial composition in art. Often using mo...

pyroclastic flow

(Encyclopedia)pyroclastic flow, turbulent, fluidized mixture of rock, volcanic ash, and hot gas that moves like an avalanche away from a volcanic eruption. A pyroclastic flow may contain a mix of rock fragments ran...

Negishi, Ei-ichi

(Encyclopedia)Negishi, Ei-ichi, 1935–2021, Japanese chemist, b. Changchum, China, Univ. of Tokyo (B.Eng., 1958), Univ. of Pennsylvania (Ph.D...

Van, Lake

(Encyclopedia)Van, Lake vän [key], 1,453 sq mi (3,763 sq km), largest lake in Turkey, in E Turkey 65 mi (105 km) SW of Mt. Ararat. Some 75 mi (120 km) long, the lake is alkaline and has no outlet; the city of Van ...

Solferino

(Encyclopedia)Solferino sōlfārēˈnō [key], village, Lombardy, N Italy, near Mantua. There, on June 24, 1859, the French and Sardinians fought a bloody battle with the Austrians (see Risorgimento). Although the ...

Slatin, Rudolf Carl, Freiherr von

(Encyclopedia)Slatin, Rudolf Carl, Freiherr von päˈshä [key], 1857–1932, Austrian adventurer in British and Egyptian service. Called to Egypt by C. G. Gordon, Slatin became governor of Dara (1879) and governor...

Store Bælt and Lille Bælt

(Encyclopedia)Store Bælt lĭlˈə [key] [Great Belt and Little Belt], two shallow straits, S Denmark, connecting the Kattegat with the Baltic Sea. The Store Bælt, c.40 mi (60 km) long and from 10 to 20 mi (16–3...

Calais

(Encyclopedia)Calais kälāˈ [key], city, Pas-de-Calais dept., N France, in Picardy, on the Straits of Dov...

celestial pole

(Encyclopedia)celestial pole, one of the two points at which the earth's axis of rotation intersects the celestial sphere. The celestial pole is important as a reference point in the equatorial coordinate system; t...