Dictionary of Space Concepts
The Dictionary of Space Concepts (DSC) provides not only the basis for the advanced English language classes of the Multilingualism Programme; it also serves as larger online support platform for all UNIVERSEH students, with the aim of training specific space terminologies across various fields connected to the space sector. The DSC combines core space concepts and with helpful illustrations, all in an open-project format, which is freely available to everyone inside and outside UNIVERSEH. We welcome your contributions, comments, and expertise!
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Special | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | ALL
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Euclid mission | ||
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Image source: https://www.esa.int/var/esa/storage/images/esa_multimedia/images/2019/09/euclid_spacecraft/19709645-1-eng-GB/Euclid_spacecraft.jpg Short Definition: The euclid mission is project, being prepared by ESA to investigate dark matter as well as dark energy. At this moment, it is planned to launch the mission in the year 2023 (no specific date is set yet). The planned time the mission will take is set for six years and can be extended, but is limited by the amount of cold gas propulsion. Detailed definition: ESA has started the euclid mission is a project to try to investigate dark matter as well as dark energy. The spacecraft consists of a camera in the visible wavelength and a camera /spectrometer which works in the near-infrared area. It will launch from the Europe'sSpaceport in Kourou, which is located in French Guiana, and will move in an orbit which is halo shaped around the Sun-Earth Lagrange point. Another aspect which will be inspected by the mission is the reason why the expansion of the universe in accelerating and how the evolution of the universe took place, to gain more information about fundamental physics and cosmology. Etymology: Euclid - Greek euclid ("renowned, glorious") mission -Latin missionem ("act of sending a dispatching; a release, a setting at liberty") Sample Sentence: The Euclid mission is expected to bring new knowledge about the history of the universe and dark matter. Translations: French: MissionEuclide German:Euklid-Mission Polish: MisjaEuclid Swedish: UppdragEuclid Links to Articles: https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/euclid https://sci.esa.int/web/euclid https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/euclid/main/index.html | ||
EVA | |||
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Astronaut Steve Robinson performing an EVA during STS-114 mission. Source: Wikipedia/NASA Short Definition: EVA is an act of performing different activities outside your spaceship while in orbit. This could include repairing, attaching or other experiments. Detailed Definition: Performing an EVA can refer to activities such as spacewalks, where astronauts leave the spacecraft to work in the vacuum of space, as well as other tasks such as inspections or repairs on the exterior of the spacecraft. EVAs are a common part of space exploration and are conducted by astronauts in a variety of different settings, including the International Space Station and during lunar, or in the future, planetary missions. Etymology: EVA stands for Extravehicular Activity Sample Sentence(s): Astronauts on the ISS are preparing to perform an EVA. Yesterday's EVA was completed successfully. Translations: French: Sortie extravéhiculaire German: Außenbordeinsatz Polish: Spacer kosmiczny Swedish: Rymdpromenad Links to Videos/Articles: https://www.nasa.gov/content/extravehicular-activities/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extravehicular_activity | |||
Event Horizon | |||
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Source(s): Short Definition: The event horizon of a black hole is a threshold around the black hole where the escape velocity surpasses the speed of light. It is also referred to as a boundary beyond which events cannot affect an observer. Detailed Definition: The term event horizon is used to describe the phenomena of a very strong gravitational pull in the vicinity of a massive and compact object, which is able to prevent even light from escaping. The escape velocity is a threshold value for which the event horizon occurs. It is the velocity needed for an object to overcome the forces acting due to the presence of an enormous mass. If it is greater than the speed of light, it is impossible to witness any event taking place past the event horizon. Etymology: The term was first used by Wolfgang Rindler in the 1950s. Sample Sentence(s): "The event horizon is the ultimate prison wall - one can get in but never get out." - Avi Loeb, chair of astronomy at Harvard University. Translations of Terms/Concepts into Partner Languages French: Horizon des événements German: der Ereignishorizont Polish: Horyzont zdarzeń Swedish: Händelsehorisont Links to Videos/Articles: https://www.space.com/black-holes-event-horizon-explained.html https://astronomy.com/news/2019/04/the-event-horizon-telescope-may-soon-release-first-ever-black-hole-image | |||
Expansion of the universe | |||
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![]() Image/Video/Audio Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expansion_of_the_universe#/media/File:CMB_Timeline300_no_WMAP.jpg Short Definition: The expansion of the universe is a phenomenon, which describes the
inherent property of the universe, where two galaxies that are gravitationally unbound
tend to increase the distance to each other and the rate of expansion is even accelerating.
Far away parts of the observable universe will not be observable in the near
future, because the velocity of expansion is higher than light speed from an
outside perspective. Detailed Definition: The expansion of the universe is a phenomenon, which explains an inherent property of the universe to expand. The fact that the universe seems to expand, was first doubted because of the gravitational force and the fact that releases of energy like the big bang should normally lose power and should slow over time, but the opposite was observed. The elusive culprit was found quite fast. Dark matter is to be responsible for this phenomenon, but since we know even less about dark matter than about the expansion of the universe, details of how and why it expands are still unknown. This expansion occurs at
every location of the universe and only gravitationally bound galaxies will be
able to observe each other, because unbound galaxies will escape our observable
universe at some point. The expansion can in some way be compared to an elastic
rubber band, where the distances also increase when you stretch it, but not
literally and not on a human scale. It is more that at a scale so far zoomed
out, that the universe looks like a cosmic fluid and at this scale it is apparent
that the density is decreasing over time. There are three viable methods to
measure this expansion. One is based on redshifts, while another on the cosmic
distance ladder. Those measurements gave non-matching results, and so 2018 information
from gravitational waves made it possible to determine the rate of expansion
even more precisely. Etymology: Expansion à from Latin expandere à spread out Universeà from Old French univers à from Latin universumSample Sentence(s): In a thought experiment of an ascending civilization in a faraway galaxy in the far future, they would only be able to observe their neighbouring galaxies and will think that this is all there is to the universe and all this due to an expansion of the universe. The rate of expansion of the universe is thought to be accelerating. French: Expansion de l'universGerman: Ausdehnung des Universums Polish: Ekspansja wszechświata Swedish: Utvidgning av universum Links to Videos/Articles: Expansion of the universe - Wikipedia | |||
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Fluid shift in the human body | ||
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Image Source: S, M. (2023, June 01). Illustration of fluid distribution. self. self-made Short Definition: The fluid shift in the body is an adaption to the reduced gravitation force in space. This results in a shift of the body fluids from the lower body to the upper body. Detailed Definition: When a human body is placed on the earth surface, it has a hydrostatic (gravitational) blood pressure gradient and every body region has a different arterial pressure. In the reduced gravity of space, the hydrostatic pressure in the arteries and veins is altered to a homogeneous arterial pressure in all regions (which is the original arterial pressure of the hearth), which results in the shifted fluid distribution through the body. The human body reduces the volume of the total fluid and after the space resident, the fluid is shifted because of the returned gravity force. This phenomenon can cause several issues like cardiac arrhytmia, muscular athropy and visual problems (because the globe is flattened, the blood flow is changed slightly and the diamteter of the optical nerve can increase). Etymology: fluid - Latin fluidus ("fluid, flowing, moist") shift - Proto-Germanic skiftan (" to divide, change, seperate") Sample sentence(s): A medical
effect of a space flight may be a fluid shift. Nasa is studying
the effect of the fluid shift and how it affects changes in vision. Translation: French: déplacement du fluide German: Flüssigkeitsverschiebung Polish: Przemieszczenie płynu Swedish: vätskeförskjutning Links to Videos/Articles: https://www.nasa.gov/content/fluid-shifts-study-advances-journey-to-mars https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20150001888 | ||
Frequency | ||
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Image Source: Short Definition: A frequency (f) is a physical variable which measures how often a event is repeated in a defined period of time. The SI-unit is Hertz (hz) or s^-1. A common scenario in which the frequency is used, is in a wave, in which it can be calculated by measuring the Period T (the time it takes to complete one cycle) and using the equation: f = 1/T Detailed Definition: Another equation by which the frequency can be calculated, is the following with \( \lambda = \) wavelength and v= phase velocity (if the wave is detected in a vacuum, the following applies: v=c) \( f = v/ \lambda \). There exist two special types of frequency, the angular frequency and the spatial frequency, which will be explained in the following: The angular frequency (ω) describes how fast a vibration / wave is occurring by measuring the overstepped phase angle of the vibration / wave in a defined time period. This frequency can be calculated in the already introduced frequency f by using the following equation: \( \omega = 2 \pi f = 2 \pi /T \). The spatial frequency (ξ) measures how often sinusoidal components (components of a sinusoidal wave) of a structure repeat per unit of distance, which can be calculated by using the following equation: \( \xi = 1/ \lambda = f/v \). Etymology: frequency - Latin frequentia (" an assembling in great numbers, a crowding; crowd, multitude, thong") Sample Sentence(s): The frequency can be identified by calculating the inverse of the period T. The frequency is a variable which can characterize a wave. Translations: French: Fréquence German: Frequenz Polish: Częstotliwość Swedish: Frekvens Links to Videos/Articles: https://www.britannica.com/science/frequency-physics https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WIDhLeryWM https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/waves/Lesson-2/Frequency-and-Period-of-a-Wave | ||
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Galaxy | ||
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Image/Video/Audio Source: Short Definition: Detailed Definition: Etymology: Sample Sentence(s): Translations: German: Polish: Swedish: Spanish: Links to Videos/Articles: | ||
Galaxy Evolution | |||
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Picture: Model of Evolution of Galaxy Image/Video/Audio Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a3/Evolution_in_slow_motion.jpg Short Definition: Galaxy evolution or evolution of galaxy is a term that we have used for understanding the formation process and changes of galaxies since the beginning that made up the known universe. The term galaxy evolution also represents the models we form about the universe filled by the observed photons and the expansion since the big bang. At this point, the sizes, shapes and contents of all galaxies give us an idea about the formation and evolution of the universe. Detailed Definition: Galaxy evolution is a term used to understand the structure of the universe and the ongoing formation processes by comparing the morphology, brightness and content of galaxies with each other. The term galaxy evolution here studies galaxies in four main groups. These are Elliptical Galaxies, Lenticular Galaxies, Spiral Galaxies, and Irregular galaxies. The evolution process of galaxies in these four groups is examined under three main headings. These are Passive evolution (The state where the galaxy does not interact with any other galaxy [interactions or mergers] and thus does not produce star formations.), Interactions and Mergers (The state in which galaxies are affected by interacting with other galaxies), Secular Evolution (Situation in which processes by internal changes of galaxies affect their colour, luminosity and shape.) Etymology: From Latin ‘Galaxias’ and From Latin ‘ēvolūtiōnis’ (Unrolling/Unfolding) Sample Sentence(s): ‘’Radio telescopes have played a pivotal role in the understanding of galactic evolution.’’ (Galaxy Evolution, Cosmology and Dark Energy. (2018, May 30). Public Website. https://www.skatelescope.org/galaxyevolution/) ‘’Understanding how black holes shape their host galaxies is part of the study of galactic structure and evolution.’’ (Galaxy Formation and Evolution | Center for Astrophysics. (n.d.). https://www.cfa.harvard.edu/research/topic/galaxy-formation-and-evolution) Translations of Terms/Concepts into Partner Languages: French: Évolution de la galaxie German: Galaxienentwicklung Polish: Ewolucja galaktyki Swedish: Utveckling av galaxer Turkish: Galaksi Evrimi Links to Videos/Articles: https://www.britannica.com/science/galaxy/Evolution-of-galaxies-and-quasars https://www.jwst.nasa.gov/content/science/galaxies.html https://www.skatelescope.org/galaxyevolution/ https://www.cfa.harvard.edu/research/topic/galaxy-formation-and-evolution https://sites.astro.caltech.edu/~george/ay20/eaa-galevol.pdf https://astronomy.swin.edu.au/cosmos/E/evolution+of+galaxies https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rdd9KAUcvgQ&ab_channel=TakayukiSaitoh https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WtvU4Xn2UE&ab_channel=CaltechAstro | |||
Galaxy Merger | |||
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![]() Source: https://www.eso.org/public/images/1016-galaxy_formation_merger/ Short Definition: A galaxy merger is the phenomenon of two or more galaxies colliding with each other, resulting in the formation of a new, enlarged galaxy. Detailed Definition: A galaxy merger occurs when two or more galaxies collide with each other, leading to the creation of a larger galaxy. Galaxy mergers are the most violent type of galaxy interaction. When a collision of several galaxies occurs, the stars and dark matter in each of them become affected, which has influence on both the orbits of the stars and the shape of the newly formed galaxy. During a merger, an increase in star formation can be observed, as the friction interaction of gas and dust contributes to the raise of energy in the resulting system. Galaxy mergers provide astronomers with the merger rate, which is a fundamental measurement of galaxy evolution and sheds some light on how galaxies have increased in size over time. Etymology: merge - Latin mergere"to dip, dip in, immerse, plunge" galaxy - Late Latin galaxias - Greek galaxías Sample Sentence(s): Galaxy mergers can be simulated in computers, to learn more about galaxy formation. Translations of Terms/Concepts into Partner Languages French: Fusion de galaxies German: Galaxienfusion Polish: Fuzja galaktyk Swedish: Galaxsammanslagning Links to Videos/Articles: https://www.eso.org/public/images/1016-galaxy_formation_merger/ https://www.thoughtco.com/interacting-galaxies-have-interesting-results-3072045 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4disyKG7XtU | |||
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