Skip to ContentGo to accessibility pageKeyboard shortcuts menu
OpenStax Logo
Astronomy

Index

AstronomyIndex

A
absorption spectrum 5.3 Spectroscopy in Astronomy
active galactic nuclei (AGN) 27.1 Quasars
active galaxies 27.1 Quasars
adaptive optics 6.2 Telescopes Today
Amino acids 30.2 Astrobiology
Ant Nebula Thinking Ahead
anthropic principle 29.7 The Anthropic Principle
apertures 6.1 Telescopes
apparent magnitudes 2.2 Ancient Astronomy
apparent solar time 4.3 Keeping Time
Arecibo Observatory 6.4 Radio Telescopes
Aristarchus 2.2 Ancient Astronomy
association 22.2 Star Clusters
astrobiology 30.2 Astrobiology
astronomical unit (AU) 3.1 The Laws of Planetary Motion
Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array 6.4 Radio Telescopes
Australia Telescope Compact Array 6.4 Radio Telescopes
B
B–V index 17.2 Colors of Stars
Big Telescope Altazimuth 6.2 Telescopes Today
Brookhaven National Laboratory 16.4 The Solar Interior: Observations
C
C-type asteroids 13.1 Asteroids
calendar 4.4 The Calendar
Callisto’s surface 12.2 The Galilean Moons of Jupiter
Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex 6.4 Radio Telescopes
Carrington Event 15.4 Space Weather
celestial equator 2.1 The Sky Above
celestial poles 2.1 The Sky Above
celestial sphere 2.1 The Sky Above
charge-coupled devices (CCDs) 6.3 Visible-Light Detectors and Instruments
Cherenkov Telescope Array 6.6 The Future of Large Telescopes
chromatic aberration 6.1 Telescopes
circumpolar zone 2.1 The Sky Above
color index 17.2 Colors of Stars
Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory 23.6 The Mystery of the Gamma-Ray Bursts
conservation of angular momentum 3.2 Newton’s Great Synthesis
continuous spectrum 5.3 Spectroscopy in Astronomy
coordinates 4.1 Earth and Sky
Copernican principle 30.1 The Cosmic Context for Life
coronal hole 15.4 Space Weather
coronal mass ejection (CME) 15.3 Solar Activity above the Photosphere
cosmic microwave background (CMB) 29.4 The Cosmic Microwave Background
cosmological constant 29.1 The Age of the Universe
crater counts 9.3 Impact Craters
critical density 29.2 A Model of the Universe
Curtis 27.1 Quasars
D
declination 4.1 Earth and Sky
detector 6.1 Telescopes
differential galactic rotation 25.2 Spiral Structure
differential rotation 15.2 The Solar Cycle
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) 30.2 Astrobiology
dwarf planet 12.4 Pluto and Charon
E
Eagle Nebula 21.1 Star Formation
Earth’s interior 8.1 The Global Perspective
Earth’s magnetic field 8.1 The Global Perspective
Earth’s magnetosphere 8.1 The Global Perspective
Earth’s surface 8.1 The Global Perspective
eclipsing binary 18.3 Diameters of Stars
Effelsberg 100-m Telescope 6.4 Radio Telescopes
electromagnetic radiation 5.1 The Behavior of Light
electromagnetic spectrum 5.2 The Electromagnetic Spectrum
Elliptical galaxies 26.2 Types of Galaxies
emission spectrum 5.3 Spectroscopy in Astronomy
equivalence principle 24.1 Introducing General Relativity
escape velocity 24.5 Black Holes
European Extremely Large Telescope 6.2 Telescopes Today, 6.6 The Future of Large Telescopes
expanding universe 26.5 The Expanding Universe
extremophile 30.2 Astrobiology
eyepiece 6.1 Telescopes
G
Gemini North 6.2 Telescopes Today
Gemini South 6.2 Telescopes Today
general theory of relativity 24.1 Introducing General Relativity
geocentric 2.1 The Sky Above
giant impact hypothesis 9.4 The Origin of the Moon
Giant Magellan Telescope 6.2 Telescopes Today
giant molecular clouds 21.1 Star Formation
Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex 6.4 Radio Telescopes
Gran Telescopio Canarias 6.2 Telescopes Today
grand unified theories 29.6 The Inflationary Universe
gravitational redshift 24.4 Time in General Relativity
great circle 4.1 Earth and Sky
Green Bank Telescope 6.4 Radio Telescopes
Gregorian calendar 4.4 The Calendar
H
H II region 20.2 Interstellar Gas
habitable environment 30.2 Astrobiology
Hale Telescope 6.2 Telescopes Today
Hat Creek Radio Observatory 6.4 Radio Telescopes
Herbig-Haro (HH) object 21.1 Star Formation
Hobby–Eberly Telescope 6.2 Telescopes Today
hydrostatic equilibrium 16.3 The Solar Interior: Theory
I
igneous rock 8.2 Earth’s Crust
inflationary universe 29.6 The Inflationary Universe
Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph 15.1 The Structure and Composition of the Sun
Interference 6.4 Radio Telescopes
interferometer 6.4 Radio Telescopes
interferometer array 6.4 Radio Telescopes
International Astronomical Union 7.1 Overview of Our Planetary System
International Date Line 4.3 Keeping Time
International Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory 6.5 Observations outside Earth’s Atmosphere
International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) 16.2 Mass, Energy, and the Theory of Relativity
interstellar extinction 20.3 Cosmic Dust
interstellar mass 20.1 The Interstellar Medium
interstellar medium (ISM) 20.1 The Interstellar Medium
interstellar molecules 20.2 Interstellar Gas
inverse square law 5.1 The Behavior of Light
irregular galaxy 26.2 Types of Galaxies
Itokawa 13.1 Asteroids
J
James Clerk Maxwell Telescope 6.4 Radio Telescopes
James Webb Space Telescope 6.6 The Future of Large Telescopes
Jansky Very Large Array 6.4 Radio Telescopes
Janssen 6.1 Telescopes
L
Large Binocular Telescope 6.2 Telescopes Today, 6.4 Radio Telescopes
Large Synoptic Survey Telescope 6.2 Telescopes Today
light pollution 6.2 Telescopes Today
line broadening 26.3 Properties of Galaxies
Lippershey 6.1 Telescopes
Little Ice Age 15.4 Space Weather
long-duration gamma-ray burst 23.6 The Mystery of the Gamma-Ray Bursts
Lovell Telescope 6.4 Radio Telescopes
lunar history 9.2 The Lunar Surface
M
M-type asteroids 13.1 Asteroids
Magellan Telescopes 6.2 Telescopes Today
magnetic field 11.2 The Giant Planets
magnetogram 15.2 The Solar Cycle
main-sequence stars 18.4 The H–R Diagram
main-sequence turnoff 22.3 Checking Out the Theory
martian meteorites 10.4 The Geology of Mars
mass-luminosity relation 18.2 Measuring Stellar Masses
Maunder Minimum 15.4 Space Weather
Maxwell Mountains 14.5 Planetary Evolution
mean solar time 4.3 Keeping Time
Mercury’s composition 9.5 Mercury
Mercury’s orbit 9.5 Mercury
Mercury’s rotation 9.5 Mercury
Mercury’s surface 9.5 Mercury
MESSENGER 9.5 Mercury
Metamorphic rocks 8.2 Earth’s Crust
meteor shower 14.1 Meteors, 14.1 Meteors
Miller-Urey 30.2 Astrobiology
Moon’s highlands 9.2 The Lunar Surface
Moon’s origin 9.4 The Origin of the Moon
Moon’s surface 9.2 The Lunar Surface
Multi-Element Radio Linked Interferometer Network 6.4 Radio Telescopes
Multi-Mirror Telescope 6.2 Telescopes Today
N
near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) 13.2 Asteroids and Planetary Defense
near-Earth objects (NEOs) 13.2 Asteroids and Planetary Defense
Neptune’s Great Dark Spot 11.3 Atmospheres of the Giant Planets
New Horizons 12.4 Pluto and Charon
Newton’s first law 3.2 Newton’s Great Synthesis
Newton’s second law 3.2 Newton’s Great Synthesis
Newton’s third law 3.2 Newton’s Great Synthesis
Nobeyama Radio Observatory 6.4 Radio Telescopes
P
Parkes Observatory 6.4 Radio Telescopes
Pauli exclusion principle 23.1 The Death of Low-Mass Stars
photon decoupling time 29.4 The Cosmic Microwave Background
Plate tectonics 8.2 Earth’s Crust
prime focus 6.1 Telescopes
primitive rock 8.2 Earth’s Crust
protogalactic cloud 25.6 The Formation of the Galaxy
S
S-type asteroids 13.1 Asteroids
scarps 9.5 Mercury
Schwarzschild 24.5 Black Holes
Sedimentary rocks 8.2 Earth’s Crust
selection effect 18.1 A Stellar Census
Seyfert 27.1 Quasars
short-duration gamma-ray burst 23.6 The Mystery of the Gamma-Ray Bursts
sidereal day 4.3 Keeping Time
singularity 24.5 Black Holes
solar day 4.3 Keeping Time
solar dynamo 15.2 The Solar Cycle
solstice 4.2 The Seasons
Southern African Large Telescope 6.2 Telescopes Today
space weather 15.4 Space Weather
spectral line 15.2 The Solar Cycle
spectroscopic binary 18.2 Measuring Stellar Masses
spiral arms 25.2 Spiral Structure
Square Kilometre Array 6.4 Radio Telescopes
star cluster 22.2 Star Clusters
star diameter 18.3 Diameters of Stars
star formation 21.1 Star Formation
Stefan-Boltzmann law 5.2 The Electromagnetic Spectrum
stellar association 22.2 Star Clusters, 22.2 Star Clusters
stellar color 17.2 Colors of Stars
stellar temperature 17.2 Colors of Stars
stellar wind 21.1 Star Formation
stromatolites 30.2 Astrobiology
Subaru Telescope 6.2 Telescopes Today
subduction 8.2 Earth’s Crust
Sudbury Neutrino Observatory 16.4 The Solar Interior: Observations
sunspot maxima 15.2 The Solar Cycle
sunspot minima 15.2 The Solar Cycle
supergiant stars 18.3 Diameters of Stars
supermassive black holes 25.4 The Center of the Galaxy
supernova 1987A 23.3 Supernova Observations
synchronous rotation 4.5 Phases and Motions of the Moon
synchrotron radiation 11.2 The Giant Planets
T
T Tauri star 21.1 Star Formation
thermophile 30.2 Astrobiology
Thirty-Meter Telescope 6.2 Telescopes Today
time zones 4.3 Keeping Time
Titan’s atmosphere 12.3 Titan and Triton
Titan’s surface 12.3 Titan and Triton
trans-Neptunian object 7.1 Overview of Our Planetary System
Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) 6.5 Observations outside Earth’s Atmosphere
triple-alpha process 22.4 Further Evolution of Stars
Triton’s surface 12.3 Titan and Triton
V
Very Long Baseline Array 6.4 Radio Telescopes
Citation/Attribution

This book may not be used in the training of large language models or otherwise be ingested into large language models or generative AI offerings without OpenStax's permission.

Want to cite, share, or modify this book? This book uses the Creative Commons Attribution License and you must attribute OpenStax.

Attribution information
  • If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a print format, then you must include on every physical page the following attribution:
    Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/astronomy/pages/1-introduction
  • If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a digital format, then you must include on every digital page view the following attribution:
    Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/astronomy/pages/1-introduction
Citation information

© Jan 28, 2022 OpenStax. Textbook content produced by OpenStax is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License . The OpenStax name, OpenStax logo, OpenStax book covers, OpenStax CNX name, and OpenStax CNX logo are not subject to the Creative Commons license and may not be reproduced without the prior and express written consent of Rice University.