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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| Nutation |
A relatively short-period oscillation superimposed on the precession of the rotation axis of a rotating body under turning forces torque from external gravitational influences. The nutation of the Earth’s axis, a maximum of 15 arc seconds with a period of about 18.6 years, is caused by changes in the Moon’s orbit over this time.
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