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fireball

(Encyclopedia)fireball, very bright meteor leaving a trail in the sky that can remain visible for several minutes; often a distinct sound, perhaps caused by very low frequency radio waves, is associated with it. A ...

terrarium

(Encyclopedia)terrarium, a miniature garden in an artificial environment, in which small plants and animals may be kept as ornament or for educational purposes. Fish bowls, small fish tanks, large bottles, and carb...

inert gas

(Encyclopedia)inert gas or noble gas, any of the elements in Group 18 of the periodic table. In order of increasing atomic number they are: helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, and radon. They are colorless, odorle...

Enceladus

(Encyclopedia)Enceladus ĕnsĕlˈədəs [key], in astronomy, one of the named moons, or natural satellites, of Saturn. Also known as Saturn II (or S2), Enceladus is 310 mi (500 km) in diameter, orbits Saturn at a m...

meteorite

(Encyclopedia)meteorite, meteor that survives the intense heat of atmospheric friction and reaches the earth's surface. Because of the destructive effects of this friction, only the very largest meteors become mete...

Koninck, Philips de

(Encyclopedia)Koninck or Coningh, Philips de fēˈlĭps də kōˈnĭngk, kōˈnĭng [key], 1619–88, Dutch landscape and portrait painter. His panoramic landscapes, rich and warm in tone, suggest dramatic atmosphe...

Constable, Henry

(Encyclopedia)Constable, Henry kŏnˈstəbəl [key], 1562–1613, English poet. After graduating from Cambridge in 1580 he went to Paris, where the atmosphere was more congenial for one of Roman Catholic faith. The...

Salta

(Encyclopedia)Salta, city (1991 pop. 370,302) capital of Salta prov., NW Argentina, in the Lerma valley. It is the commercial center of a region rich in agricultural produce, minerals (chiefly oil), and forest prod...

smoke

(Encyclopedia)smoke, visible gaseous product of incomplete combustion. Smoke varies with its source, but it usually comprises hot gas and suspended particles of carbon and tarry substances, or soot. To reduce the a...

sneeze

(Encyclopedia)sneeze, involuntary violent expiration of air through the nose and mouth. It results from stimulation of the nervous system in the nose, causing sudden contraction of the muscles of expiration. The st...