Summary

The Facts On File Dictionary of Astronomy, Fifth Edition is a new edition in the Dictionary Science series. This volume uses clear descriptions of different celestial bodies, observational techniques and instruments, and scientific and mathematical theories by which other dictionaries in this discipline have been measured. Now in its fifth edition, this book has been thoroughly updated and expanded with more than 3,700 cross-referenced entries—200 more than the previous edition—that reflect all aspects of astronomy together with associated terms in spectroscopy, photometry, and particle physics.

Topics covered include:

• Avalanche
• Dark energy
• Early universe
• Imaging
• Orbital resonance
• Rampart crater
• Spitzer Space Telescope
• Thermal field theory.

Specifications

More than 150 black-and-white line illustrations, tables, and charts. Appendixes. Bibliography. Cross-references. Pronunciation symbols. Web sites.

About the Author(s)

John Daintith, Ph.D., worked as a research chemist at the University of London and as a research assistant at Oxford University. His main interests are chemical kinetics and spectroscopy. He has written many articles and compiled and edited a number of reference books, including The Facts On File Dictionary of Biochemistry, The Facts On File Dictionary of Inorganic Chemistry, The Facts On File Dictionary of Organic Chemistry, and the Oxford Dictionary of Science.

William Gould is an experienced reference-book compiler with a special interest in astronomy. He has contributed to a number of publications, including the The World Book Encyclopedia and the Collins English Dictionary.