Term Index (N)
- N:
- N band:
- infrared (IR): electromagnetic radiation, wavelength .74-300 micrometers
- mid infrared (MIR): infrared radiation with wavelengths in the 7.5um-25um range
- N galaxy: galaxy with bright nucleus and faint surroundings
- N-body:
- N-body problem: calculating the paths of gravitationally-interacting celestial objects
- N-body simulation: simulation of many objects gravitationally-bound to each other
- N-PDF:
- N-point correlation function:
- N-point function: general term for analyses-techniques of spatial data
- N500:
- Neff:
- neutrino (ν): light, electrically neutral elementary particle
- ns:
- Lambda-CDM model (ΛCDM,LCDM): Big-Bang cosmological model with a cosmological constant and cold dark matter
- Na:
- sodium (Na): metal, Na, atomic number 11
- NACO:
- NAI:
- NAIC:
- naked singularity:
- Namibia:
- Nançay Radio Telescope (NRT): France large single-dish radio telescope
- NANOGrav: effort to detect gravitational waves through pulsar timing
- nanohertz gravitational waves: size of GWs that pulsar-timing observations might catch
- nanohertz GWs:
- nanometer:
- angstrom (Å): unit of length 10-10 meters
- NANTEN:
- NANTEN2: millimeter telescope in Chile
- NANTEN2: millimeter telescope in Chile
- NAOMI:
- narrow band photometry:
- photometry: studying starlight through bandpass filters
- narrowband:
- bandwidth: number of hertz between minimum and maximum frequencies
- NARVAL:
- NASA: includes space-based astronomy research
- NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI): research funding and coordination organization
- NASA Deep Space Network (NASA DSN,DSN): NASA's world-wide radio communication setup
- NASA DSN:
- NASA Flagship Program:
- HabEx: proposed space mission to directly image exoplanets
- NASA Infrared Telescope Facility:
- IRTF: Mauna Kea 3-meter infrared telescope
- NASA IRTF:
- IRTF: Mauna Kea 3-meter infrared telescope
- NASA Orbital Debris Observatory:
- NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database (NED): a database of galaxies and other objects outside the Milky Way
- NASA/IPAC Infrared Science Archive:
- IRSA: archive center for infrared data from NASA missions
- Nasmyth telescope: type of reflecting telescope with secondary and tertiary mirrors
- Nasmyth-Cassegrain:
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration:
- NASA: includes space-based astronomy research
- National Astronomical Observatory of Japan:
- National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center:
- National Center for Supercomputer Applications:
- Partiview: visualization software aimed at 4d data
- National Geographic Society-Palomar Observatory Sky Survey:
- National Optical Astronomy Observatory:
- National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO): US-operated radio astronomy organization
- National Reconnaissance Office:
- WFIRST: proposed space observatory
- National Science Foundation:
- NSF AST: US government astronomical research funding division
- National Solar Observatory:
- natural broadening:
- natural laser:
- natural satellite:
- moon: a planet's natural satellite, such as Earth's
- Naval Observatory Merged Astrometric Dataset:
- NOMAD: astrometric star catalog
- Navarro-Frenk-White profile (NFW profile): a dark matter spatial mass distribution function
- Navcam:
- Navcams:
- Navier-Stokes equations (NS equations): equations that describe fluid dynamics
- NBODY: code to carry out N-body simulations
- NBODY6:
- NBODY: code to carry out N-body simulations
- NCAR:
- NCBiR:
- NCE:
- NCSA:
- Partiview: visualization software aimed at 4d data
- NDWFS:
- Near Earth Object WISE:
- near infrared (NIR,near-IR): electromagnetic radiation in the range of 800-2500 nm
- 3D-HST: near-infrared survey of 100,000 galaxies by HST
- CorMASS: near-infrared spectrograph
- DENIS: 1990s southern sky survey of two near-infrared bands
- I band: photometric filter for near infrared light
- KMOS: 2-micron spectrograph on ESO VLT
- KMOS3D: survey of galaxies before to after peak star formation
- Mimir: multi-function near-infrared instrument on Perkins Telescope
- Multi-object Optical and Near-IR Spectrograph (MOONS): advanced spectrograph under development for VLT
- optics: science and technology regarding visible light
- Palomar Testbed Interferometer (PTI): near-infrared interferometer experiment
- R band: band of visible light around 6500 angstroms
- SINS: near-infrared study of distant luminous galaxies
- SPECULOOS: search for Earth-like exoplanets orbiting nearby dim stars
- SPHEREx: all-sky spectral survey space-mission plan
- UltraVISTA: near infrared survey using VISTA telescope
- VLT Survey Telescope (VST): survey telescope located at the VLT site
- near ultraviolet:
- optics: science and technology regarding visible light
- ultraviolet (UV): electromagnetic radiation, wavelength 10-400 nm
- Near-Earth Asteroid Tracking:
- near-Earth object (NEO): object orbiting the Sun that passes close to Earth
- 101955 Bennu: near-Earth asteroid that is the target of a planned sample-return mission
- near-Earth objects:
- Near-infrared Echelle for Wide-band Spectroscopy:
- NEWS: planned near-infrared spectrometer on Discovery Channel Telescope
- near-IR:
- near infrared (NIR,near-IR): electromagnetic radiation in the range of 800-2500 nm
- near-UV:
- ultraviolet (UV): electromagnetic radiation, wavelength 10-400 nm
- nearby star:
- Nearby Supernova Factory (NSNF,SNfactory): survey that scanned transient data for supernovae
- NEAT:
- nebula: cloud of dust and gas
- nebulae:
- nebular hypothesis: model positing solar system planets result from a solar disk
- nebular line:
- forbidden line: lines that quantum mechanics disallows for the most part
- nebular shock:
- chondrite: stony meteorites showing no melting
- NED:
- negative feedback:
- negative-pressure vacuum energy density:
- inflation: theorized rapid expansion of the very early universe
- NEMESIS:
- NEO:
- neodymium:
- neon:
- neon burning:
- oxygen (O): element, O, atomic number 8
- NEOWISE:
- Neptune: outer-most solar system planet
- ethylene (C2H4): compound of two carbon and four hydrogen atoms
- giant planet: planet of more than 10 Earth masses
- ice giant: planet more massive than gas planets and less than rocky planets
- ring system: disk or set of rings orbiting a planet
- shepherd moon: small moon at outer edge of a ring
- Triton: Neptune's one significant moon
- Voyager: space probes to observe planets and the edge of the solar system
- Neptune I:
- Triton: Neptune's one significant moon
- Neptunes:
- Nessie: star forming filament found in the Orion star forming region
- Nessie Nebula:
- Nessie: star forming filament found in the Orion star forming region
- Netherlands:
- Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy:
- Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research:
- ASTRON: Netherlands radio astronomy research organization
- neutral:
- neutral atom:
- neutral atomic hydrogen (HI,H I): state of hydrogen when sufficiently cool
- neutral atoms:
- neutralino: proposed type of particle that might include wimps
- neutrino (ν): light, electrically neutral elementary particle
- particle: very small thing
- supersymmetry: extension to standard model of particle physics
- WIMP: proposed particle comprising dark matter
- neutrino detector:
- neutrino family:
- neutrino (ν): light, electrically neutral elementary particle
- neutrino flavor:
- neutrino (ν): light, electrically neutral elementary particle
- neutrino oscillation:
- neutrino species:
- neutrino (ν): light, electrically neutral elementary particle
- neutrinos:
- neutron:
- baryon: protons, neutrons, and other three-quark particles
- particle: very small thing
- standard model: model of elementary particles including quarks
- neutron capture: combination of an atomic nucleus and a neutron
- neutron degeneracy pressure:
- electron degeneracy: the condition of electrons supported solely by the Pauli exclusion principle
- neutron star: stellar remnant consisting entirely of solar masses of neutrons
- neutron degenerate matter:
- degeneracy: general word meaning a violation of normal rules
- electron degeneracy: the condition of electrons supported solely by the Pauli exclusion principle
- neutron drip: neutrons exiting from nuclei
- neutron heavy:
- neutron lifetime:
- neutron scattering: scattering of neutrons by atomic nuclei
- neutron spectrograph:
- neutron spectrometer: device determining the energy of received free neutrons
- neutron spectroscopy:
- neutron star: stellar remnant consisting entirely of solar masses of neutrons
- Black Widow Pulsar (B1957+20, PSR J1959+2048, PSR B1957+20): binary system consisting of a pulsar and small companion
- Hulse-Taylor Binary (PSR B1913+16,PSR J1915+1606, PSR 1913+16): binary system consisting of a pulsar and neutron star
- J1713-0747: binary system with millisecond pulsar and white dwarf
- PSR 1957+12: pulsar with first discovered planet system
- neutron star binary:
- neutron star merger: two neutron stars meeting and forming one
- neutron stars:
- neutronization: an electron and proton combining to form a neutron
- neutrons from carbon-13: process by which neutrons are freed in the s process
- New Catalogue of Suspected Variable Stars (NSV): catalog from latter half of 20th century catalog
- New Frontiers:
- CAESAR: planned space mission to return a sample of a comet
- Dragonfly: plan for Titan flying rover
- Enceladus Life Finder (ELF): mission to search for life on Saturn moon Enceladus
- Juno: mission to Jupiter
- New Horizons (NF1): explorer spaceship sent to Pluto
- OSIRIS-REx: space mission aiming to return a sample of an asteroid
- New Frontiers 1:
- New Frontiers 2:
- New Frontiers 3:
- OSIRIS-REx: space mission aiming to return a sample of an asteroid
- New Frontiers 4:
- New Frontiers Program:
- NASA: includes space-based astronomy research
- New General Catalogue (NGC): 1888 catalog of galaxies, star clusters, and other nebulae
- New general catalogue of double stars within 120° of the North pole.:
- New General Catalogue of Nebulae and Clusters of Stars:
- New Gravitational Wave Observatory (NGO): proposed space mission to detect gravitational waves
- New Horizons (NF1): explorer spaceship sent to Pluto
- New Luyten Two-Tenths Arcsecond Catalog:
- New Mexico:
- new Moon:
- earthshine: reflected and emitted electromagnetic radiation from Earth
- New South Wales:
- SkyMapper: automated 1.35m optical telescope in Australia
- New Technology Telescope (NTT): 3.58 meter reflecting telescope in Chile
- New Worlds Mission: plan for space occulter to facilitate the view of exoplanets
- New X-ray Telescope:
- ASTRO-H: Japanese space X-ray telescope
- New Zealand:
- MOA: search for microlensing
- NEWS: planned near-infrared spectrometer on Discovery Channel Telescope
- newton:
- joule: SI unit of energy
- tesla (T): unit of magnetic flux density
- Newton's laws:
- Newtonian gravitational field:
- Newtonian gravity:
- Newtonian mechanics:
- quantum mechanics (QM): modern mechanical theory of small things, on the scale of atoms
- Newtonian telescope: type of reflecting telescope
- NeXT:
- ASTRO-H: Japanese space X-ray telescope
- Next Generation Very Large Array (ngVLA): planned radio telescope array as a follow-on to ALMA and the Jansky VLA
- Next-generation Transit Survey:
- NGTS: survey of transits from Chile
- NF1:
- NF2:
- NF3:
- OSIRIS-REx: space mission aiming to return a sample of an asteroid
- NF4:
- NFW profile:
- NG:
- NGTS: survey of transits from Chile
- non-Gaussian (NG): something requiring adjustment from the gaussian function
- NGC:
- NGC 104:
- NGC 1555:
- T Tauri: variable star taken as example of young star
- NGC 1600: elliptical galaxy with supermassive black hole
- NGC 1866: globular cluster of interest in the LMC
- NGC 1952:
- NGC 1976:
- Orion Nebula (M42, NGC 1976): easily observed nebula that includes SF regions
- NGC 224:
- Andromeda (M31): spiral galaxy in the Local Group
- NGC 2363: low-metallicity SF region
- NGC 2366:
- NGC 253: spiral galaxy 11 million light-years away
- NGC 2770: spiral galaxy 88 million light-years away
- NGC 3031:
- NGC 3034:
- NGC 3201: globular cluster in which a black hole has been identified
- NGC 3314: a pair of galaxies aligned with us
- NGC 346: open cluster in SMC
- NGC 4321:
- Messier 100 (M100,NGC 4321): easily observed spiral galaxy
- NGC 4374:
- NGC 4486:
- M87: supergiant elliptical galaxy
- NGC 4594:
- NGC 4736:
- NGC 4826:
- NGC 4945:
- NGC 4993:
- GW170817: gravitational wave detection from a neutron star merger
- NGC 5128:
- NGC 5139:
- NGC 5194:
- NGC 5236:
- NGC 5457:
- NGC 5548:
- NGC 5866:
- Spindle Galaxy (NGC 5866): striking spiral galaxy with very large bulge
- NGC 598:
- NGC 628:
- Messier 74 (M74,NGC 628): easily observed spiral galaxy
- NGC 6822:
- NGC 6946: face-on spiral galaxy
- NGC 7078:
- Messier 15 (M15): globular cluster with collapsed core
- NGO:
- NGS-POSS:
- NGTS: survey of transits from Chile
- ngVLA:
- NH3:
- ammonia (NH3): compound of nitrogen and hydrogen
- NI:
- nickel (Ni): metal, Ni, atomic number 28
- nitrogen (N): metal, N, atomic number 7
- Nice model: model of the evolution of the solar system
- Nicholas U. Mayall Telescope:
- NICI:
- nickel (Ni): metal, Ni, atomic number 28
- nickel-56:
- nickel (Ni): metal, Ni, atomic number 28
- nickel-58:
- nickel (Ni): metal, Ni, atomic number 28
- nickel-62:
- nickel (Ni): metal, Ni, atomic number 28
- NICMOS:
- NICMOS3:
- NICS:
- NIFS:
- night sky:
- light pollution: light from cities that interferes with astronomical observation
- visible light: electromagnetic radiation, wavelength 390-750 nm
- NIHTS:
- NII:
- nitrogen (N): metal, N, atomic number 7
- STARFIRE: planned balloon-borne 2.5m telescope and spectroscope
- NIII:
- NIR:
- near infrared (NIR,near-IR): electromagnetic radiation in the range of 800-2500 nm
- NIRC:
- NIRC-2:
- NIRC2:
- PALMS: survey to find exoplanets for direct imaging
- NIRCam:
- NIRISS:
- NIRISS SOSS:
- NIRSPEC:
- NIRSpec G395:
- nitrite (NO2-): ion of a nitrogen atom and two oxygen atoms with extra electron
- nitrite salt:
- nitrite (NO2-): ion of a nitrogen atom and two oxygen atoms with extra electron
- nitrogen (N): metal, N, atomic number 7
- amine: type of compound containing nitrogen
- ammonia (NH3): compound of nitrogen and hydrogen
- nitrite (NO2-): ion of a nitrogen atom and two oxygen atoms with extra electron
- nitrogen dioxide:
- nitrite (NO2-): ion of a nitrogen atom and two oxygen atoms with extra electron
- NIVR:
- IRAS: 1983 satellite that surveyed the sky in infrared
- Nix:
- Pluto: dwarf planet formerly listed as one of the nine planets
- NLTE:
- NLTT:
- NML Cygni:
- NO2:
- nitrite (NO2-): ion of a nitrogen atom and two oxygen atoms with extra electron
- NO2-:
- nitrite (NO2-): ion of a nitrogen atom and two oxygen atoms with extra electron
- NOAA:
- MarsWRF: Mars-oriented general circulation model
- NOAO:
- NOAO Deep Wide-field Survey (NDWFS): survey investigating large scale structure of the universe
- NOEMA:
- noise temperature: a measure of noise in electronic devices
- NOMAD: astrometric star catalog
- NOMAD1:
- NOMAD: astrometric star catalog
- non chemical equilibrium:
- non local thermodynamic equilibrium:
- non-baryonic matter:
- baryon: protons, neutrons, and other three-quark particles
- non-CE:
- non-condensing gas:
- non-Gaussian (NG): something requiring adjustment from the gaussian function
- non-Gaussianity:
- non-Gaussian (NG): something requiring adjustment from the gaussian function
- non-integrated Sachs-Wolfe effect:
- non-metal:
- helium (He): non-metallic element, He, atomic number 2
- hydrogen (H): most prominent element, atomic number 1
- non-relativistic speed:
- non-thermal escape:
- nonbaryonic matter:
- baryon: protons, neutrons, and other three-quark particles
- noncollisional:
- nondimensionalization: manipulation of an equation to remove dimensions
- nonlinear GW memory:
- nonparametric model: model developed avoiding assumptions regarding a basic structure
- Norma Arm:
- spiral arm: long, winding visible structure within a spiral galaxy
- normal color index:
- color index: a number that characterizes the color of an object
- normal distribution:
- normal mode:
- eigenmode: vibration mode of an oscillator where all parts move at the same frequency
- normalized PDF:
- North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves:
- NANOGrav: effort to detect gravitational waves through pulsar timing
- north node:
- Northern Cross Radio Telescope:
- Northern Extended Millimeter Array (NOEMA): large radio telescope array under construction in Europe
- northern zone of avoidance:
- not local thermodynamic equilibrium:
- NOTSA:
- nova: white dwarf explosion
- NPDF:
- NR:
- NRAO:
- NRAO Catalog (NRAO): 1960s followup to Cambridge radio surveys
- NRAO Seven-beam Receiver:
- NRAO VLA Sky Survey (NVSS): 1990s microwave survey of 82% of the sky
- NRES:
- NRL White-light Coronagraph:
- OSO 7: 1970s observatory-satellite for viewing the Sun
- NRT:
- NS equations:
- NS merger:
- NSB:
- NSF:
- KAGRA: pair of interferometers to detect gravitational waves
- LIGO: pair of observatories to detect gravitational waves
- MEarth Project (MEarth): automated observatories monitoring nearby red dwarfs for transits
- NSF AST: US government astronomical research funding division
- Two Micron All-sky Survey (2MASS): near-infrared survey of both hemispheres
- NSF AST: US government astronomical research funding division
- NSF AST MSIP:
- NSF AST: US government astronomical research funding division
- NSF Astronomical Sciences Division:
- NSF AST: US government astronomical research funding division
- NSFCam2:
- IRTF: Mauna Kea 3-meter infrared telescope
- NSNF:
- NSO:
- NSV:
- NTT:
- nuclear:
- nuclear drip line:
- nuclear energy generation rate (ε): fusion power per unit mass
- nuclear fission:
- fusion: formation of an atomic nucleus nuclei from multiple smaller nuclei
- nuclear fusion:
- fusion: formation of an atomic nucleus nuclei from multiple smaller nuclei
- nuclear isomer:
- metastable: characteristic of an excited state that lasts longer than typical
- nuclear photodissociation:
- nuclear reaction:
- nuclear reaction rate:
- Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array:
- NuSTAR: space telescope for high-energy X-rays
- nuclear timescale:
- timescale (t,τ): general length of time something takes
- nucleon:
- dalton (Da,u): mass unit used on atomic scale
- element: class of atom based on its number of protons
- fusion: formation of an atomic nucleus nuclei from multiple smaller nuclei
- isotope: subclass of an element with a specific number of nucleons
- standard model: model of elementary particles including quarks
- nucleosynthesis: creation of atomic nuclei
- nucleotide:
- Lego principle: principle that life is associated with a skew in molecule abundances
- nucleus notation:
- isotope: subclass of an element with a specific number of nucleons
- nuclide:
- nulling:
- number density: number of objects per volume
- numbered object:
- numerical analysis: using equations through repetitive arithmetic
- finite difference method (FDM): means of estimating calculus and differential equation solutions
- stencil: pattern of input to numerical solutions at a point
- numerical integration:
- numerical method:
- numerical model:
- numerical relativity (NR): solving GR-sensitive problems with numerical methods
- numerical weather prediction (NWP): Earth weather prediction by computer equation-solving and/or simulation
- numerical weather prediction model:
- NuSTAR: space telescope for high-energy X-rays
- nutation: precession of a body's axis of rotation
- NUV:
- ultraviolet (UV): electromagnetic radiation, wavelength 10-400 nm
- NVSS:
- NWO:
- ASTRON: Netherlands radio astronomy research organization
- Astronet: European astronomy consortium
- NWP:
- NWP model:
index