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

A magnifying optical instrument for inspecting objects too small to be seen or too small to be seen distinctly and in detail by the unaided eye.

From Mod.L. microscopium "an instrument for viewing what is small," from Gk. → micro- + -skopion "means of viewing," from skopein "look at."

Rizbin, from riz→ micro- + 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").

Being or characterized as exceedingly small; not large enough to be seen with the naked eye. Compare → macroscopic. → macroscopic state.

→ microscope; → -ic.

Same as → microstate.

→ microscopic; → state.

The Microscope. A minor constellation in autumn southern sky lying just south of → Capricornus at 21h right ascension, 37° south declination. The constellation contains only 4th magnitude or fainter stars. Abbreviation: Mic; genitive: Microscopii.

Microscopium was named by Abbé Nicolas Louis de Lacaille (1713-1762); → microscope.

Statistical physics: For a system made up of a large number of components, a state of the system which is specified by describing the current dynamical variables of each constituting component. For example, for a gas system composed of a large number of molecules, the microstate is defined by the set of quantities which defines the state of each molecule in the system (position, velocity, vibration, etc.). In practice, it is impossible to know perfectly the microstate of a system. The aim of → statistical physics is to relate the macroscopic (average ) observables (→ pressure, → temperature, → internal energy) to the microstate of the system. Also called → microscopic state. See also → macrostate and → multiplicity.

→ micro-; → state.

The → turbulence phenomenon involving relatively smaller physical volumes compared to → macroturbulence. In stellar atmospheres, it is a bulk gas motion with a characteristic size less than the local photon → mean free path. Microturbulence is one of the most significant mechanisms that can cause → line broadening in the stellar spectrum. The presence of microturbulence de-saturates strong lines and increases their → equivalent widths. Microturbulence in → hot stars brings about gas motions with velocities 0-20 km s^-1. A physical connection may exist between microturbulence in hot star atmospheres and a subsurface → iron convection zone. Microturbulence may also be at the origin of → wind clumping in hot stars.

→ micro-; → turbulence.

Electromagnetic radiation having wavelengths in the 1 to 300 mm range.

→ micro-; → wave.

Thermal radiation with a temperature of 2.73 K that is apparently uniformly distributed in the Universe. It is believed to be a redshifted remnant of the hot radiation that was in thermal equilibrium with matter during the first hundred thousand years after the Big Bang. Same as → cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation.

→ microwave; → background; → radiation.

A type of electrically operated oven that cooks food very quickly using microwaves instead of heat.

→ microwave; → oven.

Electromagnetic radiation carried by → microwaves.

→ microwave; → radiation.

A prefix which means being at or near the middle point of; being or occupying a middle place or position.

M.E., from O.E. midd-, cognate with O.H.G. mitti, O.N. mithr, Gothic midjis, O.Ir. mide, L. medius, Gk. mesos, Skt. mádhya-, Av. maidiia- "middle, the middle," Pers. miyân, as below.

Miyâni, from miyân "within, between, center," from Mid.Pers. mayân "middle; among, between," Av. maidiia- "middle, the middle," maiδiiāna- "middle, center," maδəma- [adj.] "middle, being in the middle; middling, of a middling size or quality," maiδim "in the midst of," cf. Skt. mádhya- "middle, located in the middle;" O.H.G. mitti "located in the middle."
nim-, nimé, → half.

An immense chain of underwater mountains that runs down the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. The MAR, approximately 500-1000 km wide, extends 16,000 km from Iceland to the Antarctic Circle. The MAR is so high that it actually rises above sea level in many places, forming volcanic islands. The Azores, Ascension, St. Helena, and Iceland all arise from this great Atlantic range. The chain results from the movement of the continental plates. As these plates slowly separate, they leave gaps in the → Earth's crust. This allows molten rock from beneath the Earth's crust to reach the surface and forms a ridge. The MAR is a part of the global → mid-ocean ridge system.

→ mid-; → Atlantic; → ridge.

The portion of the → electromagnetic radiation lying between the → near-infrared and the → far-infrared. This covers the wavelength range approximately from 8 to 30 → microns. See also: → infrared radiation, → submillimeter radiation.

→ mid-; → infrared.

Any of submarine mountain ranges that stretch around the world through the Atlantic Ocean and across the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Such ridges generally stand about 1000 m to 3000 m above the adjacent ocean floor and are about 500-1000 km in width.

→ mid-; → ocean; → ridge.

The middle of the day; noon or the time centering around noon.

→ mid-; → day.

The point, part, position, etc., equidistant from extremes or limits.

M.E., O.E. middel; cf. M.L.G., Du. middel, Ger. mittel, variant mid; cognate with Pers. miyân, as below; from PIE *medhyo-.

1) Miyân "within, between, center," from Mid.Pers. mayân "middle; among, between," Av. maidiia- "middle, the middle," maiδiiāna- "middle, center," maδəma- [adj.] "middle, being in the middle; middling, of a middling size or quality," maiδim "in the midst of," cf. Skt. mádhya- "middle, located in the middle;" O.H.G. mitti "located in the middle."
2) From miyân + suffix -i.

The region lying between the → troposphere and the → thermosphere comprising the → stratosphere and the → mesosphere (Meteorology Glossary, American Meteorological Society).

→ middle; → atmosphere.

Same as → mid-infrared.

→ middle; → infrared.

The latitude belt roughly between 35 and 65 degrees North and South. Also referred to as the temperate region.

→ middle; → latitude.

Logic: In a → syllogism, the categorical term occurring in both the → major term and the → minor term.

→ middle; → term.