NOVA

An altitude determined by inexact means, as by estimation or by a star finder or star chart

The point of the orbit of one member of a double star system at which the stars are farthest apart. That point at which they are nearest together is called PERIASTRON.

A prefix meaning star or stars and, by extension, sometimes used as the equivalent of celestial

A chronometer equipped with an electrical contact assembly and program wheel which automatically makes or breaks an electric circuit at precise intervals, the sequence and duration of circuitopen circuit closed conditions being recorded on a chronograph. The program sequence is controlled by the design of the program wheel installed. Various programs of make or break sequence, up to 60 seconds, are possible. In some chronometers the breaks occur every other second, on the even seconds, and a break occurs also on the 59th second to identify the beginning of the minute; in other chronometers, breaks occur every second except at the beginning of the minute. By recording the occurrence of events (such as star transits) on a chronograph sheet along with the chronometer breaks, the chronometer times of those occurrences are obtained.

The phenomenon occurring when a solid particle from space enters the earth’s atmosphere and is heated to incandescence by friction of the air. A meteor whose brightness does not exceed that of Venus (magnitude -4) is popularly called SHOOTING STAR or FALLING STAR. A shooting star results from the entrance into the atmosphere of a particle having a diameter between a few centime- ters and just visible to the naked eye. Shooting stars are observed first as a light source, similar to a star, which suddenly appears in the sky and moves along a long or short path to a point where it just as suddenly disappears. The brighter shooting stars may leave a trail which remains luminous for a short time. Meteors brighter than magnitude -4 are called BOLIDES or FIREBALLS. Light bursts, spark showers, or splitting of the trail are sometimes seen along their luminous trails which persist for minutes and for an hour in exceptional cases. The intensity of any meteor is dependent upon the size of the particle which enters the atmosphere. A particle 10 centimeters in diameter can produce a bolide as bright as the full moon.

A star whose apparent position relative to surrounding stars appears to be unvarying or fixed for long periods of time

1. That point on the earth at which a given celestial body is in the zenith at a specified time. The geographical position of the sun is also called the sub solar point, of the moon the sublunar point, and of a star the substellar or subastral point. 2. Any position on the earth defined by means of its geographical coordinates either astronomical or geodetic.

1. The concealment of a celestial body by another which crosses the line of view. Thus, the moon occults a star when it passes between the observer and the star. 2. The interval of darkness in the period of the light.

That point of the orbit of one member of a double star system at which the stars are nearest together. That point at which they are farthest apart is called APASTRON.

A celestial body of a solar system, in orbit around the sun or a star and shining by reflected light. The larger of such bodies are sometimes called major planets to distinguish them from minor planets (asteroids) which are very much smaller. Larger planets may have satellites. In the solar system an inferior planet has an orbit smaller than that of the earth; a superior planet has an orbit larger than that of the earth. The four planets commonly used for celestial observations are called navigational planets. The word planet is of Greek origin, meaning, literally, wanderer, applied because the planets appear to move relative to the stars.