Search results
Astronomy dictionary. Browse through our astronomy dictionary to find definitions for some of the most common terms used in practical astronomy and space science. Click on one of the letters below to search for a term.
With symbols that don’t detract from the overall view, you can identify stars that are variable in brightness - known as variable stars - or appear together with another star, forming a ‘ double star ’ like Mizar and Alcor in the Plough asterism or Zeta Reticuli in the southern hemisphere sky.
Here's our stargazing guide to what you can see in the night sky tonight. Our guide is centred around what's visible from the UK, but all northern hemisphere observers should be able to use it, with the odd adjustment to stated times. In our guide, we use Universal Time (UT) and British Summer Time (BST).
A glow in the night sky or around your observing site caused by artificial light. It greatly reduces how many stars you can see. Special light-pollution filters can be used with your telescope to improve the visibility of celestial objects.
The 20 Latin words you’ve discovered are more than just terms; they are bridges to our past, linking us to the stargazers who came before us and those of us still enjoying the night sky. So, the next time you look up at night, remember these words and let them guide you through your own celestial journey.
The night sky is the nighttime appearance of celestial objects like stars, planets, and the Moon, which are visible in a clear sky between sunset and sunrise, when the Sun is below the horizon. Natural light sources in a night sky include moonlight, starlight, and airglow, depending on location and timing.
People also ask
What does the night sky look like?
Why is the sky dark at night?
What is the scientific study of objects in the night sky?
What light sources are in a night sky?
Why is gegenschein a bright spot in the night sky?
Click a sentence to see alternatives. Learn more. Google's service, offered free of charge, instantly translates words, phrases, and web pages between English and over 100 other languages.
