Term Index (V)

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Term Index (V)

V: photometric filter for visible light
V band:
- V: photometric filter for visible light
V filter:
- V: photometric filter for visible light
Víctor M. Blanco Telescope: 4m reflector telescope in Chile
V-band:
- Hubble Ultra-Deep Field (HUDF): extremely detailed HST image of a small region of space
V1216 Sagittarii:
- Ross 154: nearby red dwarf
V1216 Sgr:
- Ross 154: nearby red dwarf
V_e:
- escape velocity (V_e): minimal velocity that allows something to overcome a body's gravity
V_max:
- volume weighting: method of accommodating the Malmquist bias
vacuum:
- false vacuum: apparent QM vacuum
vacuum energy:
- dark energy: energy theorized to accelerate the expansion of the universe
valence:
- oxidation state: number characterizing atoms of a compound as ions
valley of beta stability: set of isotopes not prone to beta decay
Van Allen belts: regions of energetic charged particles surrounding Earth
- aurora: light produced by atmosphere and solar wind
Van Den Bergh Reflection Nebula Catalog (vdB): catalog of reflection nebulae found in POSS plates
van der Waals force:
- adsorption: adhesion to a surface
vapor pressure:
- water activity (a_w): measure of partial vapor pressure of water
variable:
- AU Microscopii (AU Mic): nearby star with disk and planets
- cataclysmic variable star (CV): star whose magnitude is much larger on occasion
- Cepheid variable: star varying with a constant period
- Frank Ross's Catalog (Ross): high-proper-motion and variable stars catalogued by Frank Ross
- FU Orionis star (FUor): type of variable pre-main-sequence star
- General Catalogue of Variable Stars (GCVS): 20th/21st century catalog of 58000 variable stars
- instability strip: region of H-R diagram where stars are unstable
- New Catalogue of Suspected Variable Stars (NSV): catalog from latter half of 20th century catalog
- pulsating star: variable star that varies through energy pulses
- RR Lyrae variable: star with periodic variation often in globular clusters
- T-Tauri star (TTS): type of variable pre-main-sequence star
- variable star: star that varies in magnitude
- variable star designation: Bayer system variant for variable stars
variable star: star that varies in magnitude
- Achernar: ninth-brightest star in the sky
- AD Leonis (AD Leo): active red dwarf
- Algol (Beta Per,β Per): multiple star system demonstrating affects of mass transfer
- Barnard's Star: nearby red dwarf
- DQ Tau: young binary star system
- Elias 2-27: much-studied YSO
- G239-25: nearby red dwarf with brown dwarf companion
- GG Tau: much-studied quadruple star system
- HL Tau: much-studied T-Tauri star
- KIC 8462852: star with unusual variations
- Lalande 21185: nearby red dwarf
- Rigel: brightest star in constellation Orion
- Ross 154: nearby red dwarf
- Ross 248: nearby red dwarf
- T Tauri: variable star taken as example of young star
- Vega: brightest star in constellation Lyra
- Wolf 359: nearby red dwarf
variable star designation: Bayer system variant for variable stars
Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope:
- Gregorian telescope: type of reflecting telescope
VBSDC:
- New Horizons (NF1): explorer spaceship sent to Pluto
VCF:
- Local Group (LG): group of galaxies including the Milky Way
vdB:
- Van Den Bergh Reflection Nebula Catalog (vdB): catalog of reflection nebulae found in POSS plates
vector calculus:
- mathematical field: function of three variables, potentially representing space
vector field:
- mathematical field: function of three variables, potentially representing space
Vega: brightest star in constellation Lyra
Vega system: magnitude calibration such that Vega has zero magnitude
vegetation red edge (VRE): wavelength cut-off point in the reflectivity of typical plants
vegetation signature:
- biosignature: sign of life
Velikhov-Chandrasekhar Instability:
- magnetorotational instability (MRI): instability in the fluid of a disk from MHD effects
Veloce:
- Anglo-Australian Telescope (AAT): 3.9m reflector telescope in Australia
velocity dispersion (σ): statistical dispersion of velocities of a group of objects
velocity-metallicity relation: higher stellar velocity correlates with lower metallicity
Venus: second inner-most planet in the solar system
VERA: VLBI project to map the Milky Way
- very-long-baseline interferometry (VLBI): interferometry based upon storing timing data at each telescope
verification by multiplicity:
- multiplicity fraction: fraction of star systems that are multiple-star systems
VERITAS:
- Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory (FLWO): observatory near Amado, Arizona
vernal equinox:
- ecliptic coordinate system: celestial coordinate system system based upon Earth's orbital plane
- equinox: times when tilt of Earth is neither toward or away from the Sun
vernal point:
- equinox: times when tilt of Earth is neither toward or away from the Sun
vertical epicyclic frequency:
- epicyclic frequency: frequency of oscillation in an accretion disk
vertical optical depth:
- optical depth (τ): a measure of opaqueness of a path of light
vertical oscillation frequency:
- spiral galaxy: flat galaxy with spiraling arms
vertical scale height:
- scale height (H): measure of exponential falloff
vertical temperature profile:
- atmospheric temperature profile: the atmosphere's temperature by altitude
very high energy:
- very-high-energy gamma rays (VHEGR): energetic gamma rays with 100 GeV to 100 TeV photon energy
- VHE: 100 GeV or more
Very Large Array (VLA): radio telescope in New Mexico
Very Large Telescope:
- European Southern Observatory Very Large Telescope (ESO VLT,VLT): four 8.2-meter optical telescopes in Chile that can act together
- Multi-object Optical and Near-IR Spectrograph (MOONS): advanced spectrograph under development for VLT
Very Large Telescope Interferometer:
- European Southern Observatory Very Large Telescope (ESO VLT,VLT): four 8.2-meter optical telescopes in Chile that can act together
Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA): radio interferometer stretching 8000 km
very low frequency (VLF): electromagnetic radiation, frequency 3kHz to 30kHz
very low mass star:
- low mass star: stars of less than half the solar mass
Very Small Array (VSA): radio interferometer in Canary Islands
very-high energy cosmic rays:
- cosmic rays (CR): very-high-energy particles from beyond the solar system
very-high-energy gamma rays (VHEGR): energetic gamma rays with 100 GeV to 100 TeV photon energy
very-long-baseline interferometry (VLBI): interferometry based upon storing timing data at each telescope
Vesta:
- asteroid family: set of asteroids based on similar orbits
- embryo barrier: a barrier to accretion on the order of the size of Pluto
- protoplanet: simplest, least-developed object classified as a planet
VHE: 100 GeV or more
- very-high-energy gamma rays (VHEGR): energetic gamma rays with 100 GeV to 100 TeV photon energy
VHE cosmic rays:
- cosmic rays (CR): very-high-energy particles from beyond the solar system
VHECR:
- cosmic rays (CR): very-high-energy particles from beyond the solar system
VHEGR:
- very-high-energy gamma rays (VHEGR): energetic gamma rays with 100 GeV to 100 TeV photon energy
VHS:
- VISTA: 4.1 meter telescope in Paranal Observatory in Chile
Victor M. Blanco Telescope:
- Dark Energy Survey (DES): survey aimed at mapping the universe's expansion
- DECaLS: survey imaging part of SDSS footprint with DECam
VIDEO:
- VISTA: 4.1 meter telescope in Paranal Observatory in Chile
VIK:
- VISTA: 4.1 meter telescope in Paranal Observatory in Chile
VIKING:
- Mars: well-explored planet in the solar system
- VISTA: 4.1 meter telescope in Paranal Observatory in Chile
Villanova White Dwarf Catalog: ongoing catalog of white dwarfs
VIMOS:
- Cosmic Evolution Survey (COSMOS): investigation of dark matter and the universe's large scale structure
- European Southern Observatory Very Large Telescope (ESO VLT,VLT): four 8.2-meter optical telescopes in Chile that can act together
- multi-object spectrograph: device to record the spectrum of multiple targets simultaneously
- VIRMOS-VLT Deep Survey (VVDS): spectroscopic survey of 100,000 high-redshift galaxies
VIMS:
- Cassini: explorer spaceship sent to Saturn
violent migration:
- planetary migration: change in planet's orbit
violet noise:
- red noise: noise tending toward lower frequencies
VIRCAM:
- UltraVISTA: near infrared survey using VISTA telescope
- VISTA: 4.1 meter telescope in Paranal Observatory in Chile
Virgo: ground-based gravitational-wave detector in Italy
- European Gravitational Observatory (EGO): gravitational wave observatory in Italy
- Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO): satellite observing the Sun
Virgo A:
- M87: supergiant elliptical galaxy
Virgo Cluster: nearby large galaxy cluster
- galaxy cluster (CL): large group of galaxies gravitationally-bound to the group
- supergalactic coordinate system: celestial coordinate system system based upon the supergalactic plane
- Virgo Supercluster: supercluster including the Local Group
Virgo Detector:
- Virgo: ground-based gravitational-wave detector in Italy
Virgo SC:
- Virgo Supercluster: supercluster including the Local Group
Virgo Supercluster: supercluster including the Local Group
Virgo X-1:
- M87: supergiant elliptical galaxy
Virgocentric flow:
- Local Group (LG): group of galaxies including the Milky Way
Virgocentric peculiar velocity:
- Local Group (LG): group of galaxies including the Milky Way
virial length:
- virial theorem: average kinetic energy equals half the average negative potential energy
virial mass:
- virial theorem: average kinetic energy equals half the average negative potential energy
virial parameter: calculated quantity showing whether a cloud is gravitationally bound
virial radius:
- circumgalactic medium (CGM): gas surrounding a galaxy
- virial theorem: average kinetic energy equals half the average negative potential energy
virial scale:
- virial theorem: average kinetic energy equals half the average negative potential energy
virial temperature:
- virial theorem: average kinetic energy equals half the average negative potential energy
virial theorem: average kinetic energy equals half the average negative potential energy
VIRMOS-VLT Deep Survey (VVDS): spectroscopic survey of 100,000 high-redshift galaxies
VIRTIS:
- Rosetta: space probe that visited a comet
virtual observatory (VO): online database of astronomical data
VIRUS:
- Hobby-Eberly Telescope (HET): 9.2 meter telescope in Texas
viscous forces:
- Reynolds number (Re): measure reflecting a fluid system's propensity to turbulence
Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy:
- VISTA: 4.1 meter telescope in Paranal Observatory in Chile
visible light: electromagnetic radiation, wavelength 390-750 nm
- aperture: opening through which light passes
- B: photometric filter for blue light
- BlackGEM: telescope array in development to follow up gravitational wave signals
- Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT): 3.6 meter optical/infrared telescope in Hawaii
- Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO): observatory near Amado, Arizona
- CHARA: optical interferometer
- COAST: optical interferometer in England
- COLD GASS: survey of CO in nearby large galaxies
- Colossus Telescope: concept for a 50-meter telescope using interferometry
- cosmic optical background (COB): widespread optical radiation not associated with known sources
- DEVILS: visible-light spectrographic survey of 56k distant galaxies
- Discovery Channel Telescope (DCT): 4.3m telescope at Lowell Observatory, Arizona
- Euclid: planned observatory-satellite to measure dark energy
- European Southern Observatory Very Large Telescope (ESO VLT,VLT): four 8.2-meter optical telescopes in Chile that can act together
- Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory (FLWO): observatory near Amado, Arizona
- G band: band of visible light around 5100 angstroms
- Gaia: survey satellite at 400-1000 nanometers
- Gemini Observatory: pair of telescopes in Hawaii and Chile
- GI2T: optical interferometer in France
- Giant Segmented Mirror Telescope (GSMT): concept for an extremely large telescope
- Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC): 10.4 meter telescope in the Canary Islands
- HabEx: proposed space mission to directly image exoplanets
- High Definition Space Telescope (HDST): proposed 12m space telescope
- Hubble Space Telescope (HST): observatory-satellite with 2.4 meter reflective telescope
- Keck Observatory: observatory in Hawaii with two 10-meter reflectors
- Large Binocular Telescope (LBT): dual 8.4 meter telescope in Arizona
- Large Zenith Telescope (LZT): 6 meter liquid mirror telescope in British Columbia
- light echo: reflected light from an astronomical event arriving later
- light pollution: light from cities that interferes with astronomical observation
- LUVOIR: plan for a space-based 10 meter telescope
- Magellan Telescopes: pair of 6.5m optical telescopes in Chile
- MeerLICHT: South African telescope to coordinate with MeerKAT
- Multi-object Optical and Near-IR Spectrograph (MOONS): advanced spectrograph under development for VLT
- New Technology Telescope (NTT): 3.58 meter reflecting telescope in Chile
- OIR: a spectral "band name" for both visible light and infrared
- optical interferometer: interferometer of visible light
- optics: science and technology regarding visible light
- Palomar 48 Inch Telescope (P48): 48 inch Schmidt telescope at Palomar Observatory
- Palomar 60 Inch Telescope (P60): 60 inch telescope at Palomar Observatory
- photometer: instrument measuring brightness
- SkyMapper: automated 1.35m optical telescope in Australia
- Sloan 2.5m Telescope: telescope for SDSS in New Mexico
- Solar Maximum Mission (SMM): 1980s satellite to study the Sun during solar maximum
- Southern African Large Telescope (SALT): 10 meter telescope in South Africa
- SPECULOOS: search for Earth-like exoplanets orbiting nearby dim stars
- stray light: unintended light reaching a telescope's sensors
- Subaru Telescope: 8.2 meter telescope in Hawaii
- Swift: satellite for studying gamma-ray bursts
- Telescopio Nazionale Galileo (TNG): 3.58m telescope in Canary Islands
- TRACE: former solar observing satellite
- UVOIR: a spectral "band name" covering UV, visible light, and IR
- V: photometric filter for visible light
- VISTA: 4.1 meter telescope in Paranal Observatory in Chile
- VLT Survey Telescope (VST): survey telescope located at the VLT site
- William Herschel Telescope (WHT): 4.2 meter telescope in the Canary Islands
- zodiacal light: sunlight reflected off interplanetary dust
visible window:
- atmospheric window: frequency bands in which the atmosphere passes electromagnetic radiation
VISIR:
- European Southern Observatory Very Large Telescope (ESO VLT,VLT): four 8.2-meter optical telescopes in Chile that can act together
VISTA: 4.1 meter telescope in Paranal Observatory in Chile
- European Southern Observatory (ESO): organization operating telescopes in the southern hemisphere
- UltraVISTA: near infrared survey using VISTA telescope
VISTA Deep Extragalactic Observations Survey:
- VISTA: 4.1 meter telescope in Paranal Observatory in Chile
VISTA Hemispheric Survey:
- VISTA: 4.1 meter telescope in Paranal Observatory in Chile
VISTA Kilodegree Infrared Galaxy Survey:
- VISTA: 4.1 meter telescope in Paranal Observatory in Chile
VISTA Magellanic Survey:
- VISTA: 4.1 meter telescope in Paranal Observatory in Chile
VISTA Variables in the Via Lactea Survey:
- VISTA: 4.1 meter telescope in Paranal Observatory in Chile
visual:
- V: photometric filter for visible light
visual binary: binary star system in which both stars can be seen
visual double:
- double star: two stars close together in the sky
visualization:
- OpenSpace: visualization software aimed at astrophysical data
- Partiview: visualization software aimed at 4d data
- Uniview: planetarium software
VLA:
- FIRST: 1990s radio survey
- Millimeter-wave Intensity Mapping Experiment (mmIME): project to map CO an [CII]
- National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO): US-operated radio astronomy organization
- Very Large Array (VLA): radio telescope in New Mexico
VLBA:
- Gould's Belt Distances Survey (GOBELINS): survey of parallax distances to Gould's Belt YSOs
- MOJAVE: program to monitor AGN jet radio brightness and polarization
- National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO): US-operated radio astronomy organization
- Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA): radio interferometer stretching 8000 km
VLBA MK:
- Mauna Kea: Hawaiian mountain, the site of observatories
- Mauna Kea Observatories (MKO): observatories on Mauna Kea in Hawaii
VLBI:
- correlator: unit that interferes wave signals for interferometry
- Earth-sized VLBI: ground-based VLBI with near-maximal baseline
- electronic very-long-baseline interferometry (e-VLBI): real-time VLBI using electronic links
- European VLBI Network (EVN): consortium of radio telescopes to coordinate VLBI efforts
- Event Horizon Telescope (EHT): growing VLBI network
- Gould's Belt Distances Survey (GOBELINS): survey of parallax distances to Gould's Belt YSOs
- Green Bank 140 Foot Telescope: West Virginia radio telescope
- Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy (MPIR): Bonn research institute
- Spektr-R: 10m space radio telescope
- VERA: VLBI project to map the Milky Way
- Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA): radio interferometer stretching 8000 km
- very-long-baseline interferometry (VLBI): interferometry based upon storing timing data at each telescope
VLBI Exploration of Radio Astrometry:
- VERA: VLBI project to map the Milky Way
- very-long-baseline interferometry (VLBI): interferometry based upon storing timing data at each telescope
VLF:
- very low frequency (VLF): electromagnetic radiation, frequency 3kHz to 30kHz
VLT:
- Beta Pictoris b (β Pic b): super Jupiter discovered in 2008
- European Southern Observatory (ESO): organization operating telescopes in the southern hemisphere
- European Southern Observatory Very Large Telescope (ESO VLT,VLT): four 8.2-meter optical telescopes in Chile that can act together
- Multi-object Optical and Near-IR Spectrograph (MOONS): advanced spectrograph under development for VLT
- VIRMOS-VLT Deep Survey (VVDS): spectroscopic survey of 100,000 high-redshift galaxies
VLT Survey Telescope (VST): survey telescope located at the VLT site
VLT-SPHERE:
- SPHERE: VLT instrument for imaging exoplanets
VLTI:
- European Southern Observatory Very Large Telescope (ESO VLT,VLT): four 8.2-meter optical telescopes in Chile that can act together
VMC:
- VISTA: 4.1 meter telescope in Paranal Observatory in Chile
VO:
- virtual observatory (VO): online database of astronomical data
Vogt-Russell theorem: proposition that a star's structure depends on its mass and makeup
void: empty spaces between large scale structures
- Local Void: void next to the Local Group
Voigt function:
- convolution: type of product function of two functions
- Voigt profile: mathematical shape that models spectral lines
Voigt profile: mathematical shape that models spectral lines
- line shape function: function describing the shape of a spectral line
volatile:
- volatile material: material with low condensation temperature
volatile compound:
- refractory material: material with high condensation temperature
- volatile material: material with low condensation temperature
volatile element:
- refractory material: material with high condensation temperature
- volatile material: material with low condensation temperature
volatile material: material with low condensation temperature
- ice giant: planet more massive than gas planets and less than rocky planets
- refractory material: material with high condensation temperature
volume phase holographic grating:
- grating: spectrometer component
volume weighting: method of accommodating the Malmquist bias
volumetric analysis:
- titration: analyzing a chemical solution by color change
vortensity (PV): ratio of vorticity to mass density
vortex: fluid region where the flow is spinning
vorticity:
- vortensity (PV): ratio of vorticity to mass density
Voyager: space probes to observe planets and the edge of the solar system
Voyager 1:
- heliopause: boundary between solar wind and the interstellar medium
- heliosheath: region just beyond the heliosphere
- Voyager: space probes to observe planets and the edge of the solar system
Voyager 2:
- Neptune: outer-most solar system planet
- Uranus: second outer-most solar system planet
- Voyager: space probes to observe planets and the edge of the solar system
VPH grating:
- grating: spectrometer component
VPHAS+:
- VLT Survey Telescope (VST): survey telescope located at the VLT site
VRE:
- vegetation red edge (VRE): wavelength cut-off point in the reflectivity of typical plants
VSA:
- Very Small Array (VSA): radio interferometer in Canary Islands
VST:
- European Southern Observatory (ESO): organization operating telescopes in the southern hemisphere
- VLT Survey Telescope (VST): survey telescope located at the VLT site
VST ATLAS:
- VLT Survey Telescope (VST): survey telescope located at the VLT site
VST Photometric Hα Survey of the Southern Galactic Plane:
- VLT Survey Telescope (VST): survey telescope located at the VLT site
VV:
- Catalogue of Interacting Galaxies (VV): begun in the 1950s
VV Cephei:
- binary star: system of two stars co-orbiting
VV Cephei system:
- binary star: system of two stars co-orbiting
VVDS:
- VIRMOS-VLT Deep Survey (VVDS): spectroscopic survey of 100,000 high-redshift galaxies
VVV:
- VISTA: 4.1 meter telescope in Paranal Observatory in Chile

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