An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics
English-French-Persian

Phonetics: A → vowel sound produced by a blended sequence of two separate vowels in a single syllable, where the sound begins as one vowel and moves toward another (as in loud, light, and lair).

From M.Fr. diphthongue, from L.L. diphthongus, from Gk. diphthongos "having two sounds," from → di- "double" + phthongos "sound, voice."

Dovâké, from do "two, → di-" + vâké, vâk, → voice.

A pathological condition of vision in which a single object appears double because the eyes are not focusing properly. Same as → double vision.

From L. diplo- "double, in pairs," from Gk., combining form of diplos "twofold" + -opia, from Gk. -opia, from ops "eye."

Dobini, from do→ two + bini "vision, seeing," from bin "to see; seer" (present stem of didan; Mid.Pers. wyn-; O.Pers. vain- "to see;" Av. vaēn- "to see;" Skt. veda "I know;" Gk. oida "I know," idein "to see;" L. videre "to see;" PIE base *weid- "to know, to see").

Of or relating to a → dipole.

→ dipole; → -ar.

A → magnetic field produced by a system possessing a net magnetic → dipole moment.

→ dipolar; → magnetic; → field.

1) A combination of two electrically or magnetically charged particles of opposite signs, which are separated by a very small distance.
2) Chemistry: A molecule containing both positively and negatively charged groups.

→ di- "two, twice, double," + → pole.

A form of anistropy in the temperature of the → cosmic microwave background radiation, appearing as one hot pole and one cold pole, caused by our motion with respect to the cosmic background radiation. The temperature variations, amounting to 1 part in 1000, yield a velocity of about 600 km/sec for our Galaxy with respect to the background. → cosmic microwave background anisotropy.

→ dipole; → anisotropy.

One of the simplest kinds of antenna which is connected at the center to a radio-frequency feed line for transmitting or receiving radio frequency energy. It differs from the dish antenna in that it consists of many separate antennas that collect energy by feeding all their weak individual signals into one common receiving set.

→ dipole; → antenna.

1) The product of the strength of either of the charges in an → electric dipole and the distance separating the two charges. It is expressed in → coulomb meters. Dipole moment is a → vector quantity. Its direction is defined as toward the positive charge. In chemistry dipole moment is a quantitative measure of polarity in a molecule; the unit is the → debye.
2) The product of the strength of either of the poles in a → magnetic dipole and the distance separating the two poles. Dipole moment is a vector quantity. Its direction is defined as toward the magnetic north pole.

→ dipole; → moment.

The electromagnetic radiation produced by an oscillating → electric dipole or → magnetic dipole.

→ dipole; → radiation.

An → isotope of → helium that consists of two → protons, without any → neutrons. It is extremely → unstable.

→ di-; → proton.

Paul A. M. Dirac (1902-1984), English theoretical → physicist, one of the founders of → quantum mechanics and → quantum electrodynamics, Nobel Prize for Physics in 1933. → Dirac annihilation, → Dirac equation, → Dirac function, → Dirac constant, → Fermi-Dirac statistics .

Same as → pair annihilation.

→ Dirac; → annihilation.

The → Planck constant divided by 2π and denoted ħ, pronounced h-bar. Also called → reduced Planck constant.

→ Dirac; → constant.

The equation that describes the behavior of an → electron in a way that combines the requirements of → quantum mechanics with the requirements of → special relativity. The Dirac equation predicted the existence of antimatter

→ Dirac; → equation.

A function of x defined as being zero for all values of x other than x = x₀ and having the definite integral from x = -∞ to x = +∞ equal to unity.

→ Dirac; → function

→ Dirac constant.

→ Dirac; → constant.

1a) Proceeding in a straight course or line without deviation or interruption.
1b) Math.: Varying in the same manner as another quantity, especially increasing if another quantity increases or decreasing if it decreases.
1c) Astro.: Designating west-to-east motion of a planet in the same direction as the Sun's movement against the stars.
2) To administer; manage; supervise; to serve as a director in the performance or production of.

From L. directus "straight," p.p. of dirigere "set straight," from → dis- "apart" + regere "to guide;" cognate with Pers. râst, as explained below.

Râst "right, straight" (râšt in afrâštan); Mid.Pers. râst; O.Pers. rāsta- "straight, true," rās- "to be right, straight, true," rād- "to prepare;" Av. rāz- "to direct, put in line, set," razišta- "straightest, most correct," erezu- "correct, straight," rāzayeiti "directs," razan- "order;" Skt. raj- "to direct, stretch," rjuyant- "walking straight;" Gk. orektos "stretched out;" L. regere "to lead straight, guide, rule," p.p. rectus "right, straight;" Ger. recht; E. right; PIE base *reg- "right, just; to move in a straight line."
Sarrâst, from sar here an intensive element meaning "side," originally "head" (Mid.Pers. sar; Av. sarah- "head;" Skt. siras- "head;" Gk. kara "head," keras "horn;" Mod.Pers. sarun "horn;" L. cerebrum "brain;" PIE *ker- "head, horn") + râst, as above.
Râštidan, infinitive from râšt, variant râst "direct."

A correlation between two variables such that as one variable becomes large, the other also becomes large, and vice versa. The correlation coefficient is between 0 and +1. Also called positive correlation.

→ direct; → correlation.

An → electric current which flows in one direction only and which is substantially constant in magnitude. Virtually all electronic and computer hardware needs direct current to function. → Alternating current can be converted to direct current by means of a power supply consisting of a → transformer.

→ direct; → current.

The motion of a solar system body from West to East across the sky against the background stars. It is the "normal" direction of motion within the solar system. For rotating or orbiting solar system objects it is anti-clockwise as seen from above the solar system in the direction of the North Pole. The same as → prograde motion. See also → retrograde motion.

→ direct; → motion.