Space exploration began with the launch of Sputnik and Astrophysics was born as the application of physics to the phenomena observed by Astronomy, which etymologically means laws of the stars.
There are 2759 entries in this glossary.| Term | Definition |
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| Line Profile |
The variation in light intensity in a spectrum across a narrow wavelength range occupied by a single spectral line. When traced as a graph of intensity against wavelength, a typical stellar absorption line shows a bell-shaped profile, for example. If a line profile can be determined in some detail, information can be deduced about the physical conditions in the gas where the line originated.
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