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Sirius

(Encyclopedia)Sirius sĭrˈēəs [key], or Dog Star, brightest star in the sky. It is located in the constellation Canis Major (1992 position R.A. 6h44.8m, Dec. −16°42′); its Bayer designation is Alpha Canis M...

Berle, Milton

(Encyclopedia)Berle, Milton, 1908–2002, American entertainer, b. New York City as Milton Berlinger. Berle first performed in vaudeville and on (1939–48) radio. His great success, however, came as television's f...

Mayor, Michel Gustave Edward

(Encyclopedia)Mayor, Michel Gustave Edward, 1942–, Swiss astrophysicist, Ph.D. Univ. of Geneva, 1971. He spent his entire career at the Univ. of Geneva, retiring as professor emeritus in 2007. In 2019 Mayor and D...

luminosity

(Encyclopedia)luminosity, in astronomy, the rate at which energy of all types is radiated by an object in all directions. A star's luminosity depends on its size and its temperature, varying as the square of the ra...

Spica

(Encyclopedia)Spica spīˈkə [key], brightest star in the constellation Virgo; Bayer designation Alpha Virginis; 1992 position R.A. 13h24.8m, Dec. −11°07′. A bluish-white star of spectral class B1 V, its appa...

Atholston, Hugh Graham, 1st Baron

(Encyclopedia)Atholston, Hugh Graham, 1st Baron ăthˈəlstən [key], 1848–1938, Canadian newspaper publisher. He was the founder and proprietor (1869) of the evening paper the Montreal Star, which became Canada'...

Castor, in astronomy

(Encyclopedia)Castor kăsˈtər [key], bright star in the constellation Gemini; Bayer designation α Geminorum; 1992 position R.A. 7h34.1m, Dec. +31°54′. Slightly dimmer than Pollux, with which it forms the Twin...

Aquila, in astronomy

(Encyclopedia)Aquila [Lat.,=the eagle], equatorial constellation located N of Sagittarius and Capricornus, lying partly in the Milky Way. It is sometimes depicted as an eagle. It contains the bright star Altair (Al...

Messier catalog

(Encyclopedia)Messier catalog mĕsyāˈ [key], systematic list of nebulae and star clusters. A first list, compiled and published in 1771 by Charles Messier, contained 45 objects. The final list, published in 1784,...

ruby

(Encyclopedia)ruby, precious stone, the transparent red variety of corundum, found chiefly in Myanmar, Thailand, and Sri Lanka and classified among the most valuable of gems. The Myanmarese stones are blood red, th...