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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| Magnetic Monopole |
A postulated defect in the fabric of spacetime that behaves like an isolated north or south pole of a magnet and has a mass 1016 times that of the proton. None has ever been detected.
The potential existence of magnetic monopoles is a serious problem that arises in Grand Unified Theories of the fundamental physical forces. It they exist in significant numbers, they would drastically slow the expansion of the universe, which is not what is observed. The problem of defects is avoided in the inflationary universe.
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