Term Index (Z)

Astrophysics (Index)

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Term Index (Z)

Astrophysical terms and names of things beginning with the letter Z.

Z8 ZA ZC ZD ZE ZF ZH ZI ZK ZL ZO ZP ZT ZW ZZ

Z (atomic number): number of protons in an atomic nucleus
Z (metallicity): metal fraction of an object
Z (partition function): scale factor for Boltzmann factors
Z: see Catalog of Galaxies and Clusters of Galaxies
Z: see mass fraction
Z: see weak interaction
- element: class of atom based on its number of protons
- Population I: stars with substantial metallicity
- Population II: stars with lower metallicity
- Population III: stars with no metallicity
- stellar population: grouping of stars according to metallicity
z (redshift): change to longer wavelengths due to Doppler effects
z: see cosmological redshift
z: see griz photometric system
z: see ugriz photometric system
- blue shift: shortening of wavelengths due to Doppler effects
Z Andromedae variable: see variable star
Z Andromedae with eclipses: see variable star
Z band: see infrared
Z boson: see weak interaction
- standard model: model of elementary particles including quarks
- supersymmetry: extension to standard model of particle physics
Zürich number: see sunspot
z': see ugriz photometric system
Z+: symbol for ion or ion charge
z-band: see Hubble Ultra-Deep Field
Z-FOURGE (FourStar Galaxy Evolution Survey): infrared deep-survey to detect galaxies
Z-Spec: see Caltech Submillimeter Observatory
z8: see rare designator prefixes
z_abs: see redshift
z_em: see redshift
Z_p: see mass fraction
Z⁺ (Z+): symbol for ion or ion charge
Z⁰: see weak interaction
z=2.38 Filament: see galaxy filament
ZAH

Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics: Heidelberg research institute

ZAHB: see horizontal branch
ZAMO frame: a frame of reference that is not rotating
ZAMS (zero-age main sequence): describes stars that just began hydrogen fusion
ZAND: see variable star
ZANDE: see variable star
Zanstra method: method of determining temperature of a hot star within a nebula
Zanstra temperature: see Zanstra method
ZC (Catalog of Galaxies and Clusters of Galaxies): list of galaxies/clusters assembled in 1960s
ZC: see Cosmic Evolution Survey
ZC: see rare designator prefixes
zC-SINF

SINS: near-infrared study of distant luminous galaxies

zCOSMOS: see Cosmic Evolution Survey
- SINS: near-infrared study of distant luminous galaxies
ZDI (Zeeman-Doppler imaging): technique for imaging stellar magnetic fields
Zeeman effect: magnetic field influence on spectral lines
- molecular cloud: interstellar gas cloud that includes molecules
- quadratic field strength: a measure of a star's varying magnetic field
- Zeeman-Doppler imaging: technique for imaging stellar magnetic fields
Zeeman-Doppler imaging: technique for imaging stellar magnetic fields
- Zeeman effect: magnetic field influence on spectral lines
Zeipel-Lidov-Kozai mechanism (Kozai mechanism): an effect on an orbit by another, more distant orbiting body
Zel'dovich approximation: model of the formation of cosmological structure
Zel'dovich pancake: see Zel'dovich approximation
zenith: spot on the sky directly above something
- celestial meridian: celestial sphere's meridian passing overhead
- horizontal coordinate system: celestial coordinate system based upon horizon and north
zenith distance: see horizontal coordinate system
zenith hourly rate: a meteor shower's maximum meteors/per/hour rate
Zenodo: online repository for making research data available
ZEPLIN: experiment to identify WIMPs with a tank of xenon
ZEPLIN-III: see ZEPLIN
zero angular momentum frame (ZAMO frame): a frame of reference that is not rotating
zero-age HB: see horizontal branch
zero-age main sequence: describes stars that just began hydrogen fusion
zero-field level crossing (Hanle effect): effect of magnetic field on the polarization of emitted photons
zero-point energy: see ground state
- dark energy: energy theorized to accelerate the expansion of the universe
Zeta Aurigae system: see binary star
Zeta Tucanae

F-type star: spectral class of star a bit hotter than then Sun

ZEUS-2: see Caltech Submillimeter Observatory
ZF: see FourStar Galaxy Evolution Survey
ZFOURGE (FourStar Galaxy Evolution Survey): infrared deep-survey to detect galaxies
Zhao profile: see Navarro-Frenk-White profile
ZHR (zenith hourly rate): a meteor shower's maximum meteors/per/hour rate
Zhurong: see Tianwen-1
Zi: see rare designator prefixes
ZIMPOL: see European Southern Observatory Very Large Telescope
ZIMPOL: see SPHERE
zinc

Am star: A-type star with metallic lines

zino: see supersymmetry
Zipf's law: particular discrete probability distribution discovered in linguistics
Zipfian distribution: see Zipf's law
zirconium

Am star: A-type star with metallic lines

ZKL (Kozai mechanism): an effect on an orbit by another, more distant orbiting body
ZLK (Kozai mechanism): an effect on an orbit by another, more distant orbiting body
ZOA (zone of avoidance): region of sky obscured by Milky Way
ZOAG: see zone of avoidance
zodiac: see zodiacal light
- XZ Catalog of Zodiacal Stars: 1977 catalog of stars near the ecliptic
zodiacal cloud: see zodiacal light
zodiacal dust: see zodiacal light
zodiacal light: sunlight reflected off interplanetary dust
zonal coefficients

gravitational potential model: mathematical model of an astronomical body's gravitational field

zonal flow: east-west air circulation
- zone: apparent "horizontal" band in an atmosphere
zonal harmonic gravity model: see J₂
zonal wind (zonal flow): east-west air circulation
zone: apparent "horizontal" band in an atmosphere
- jet stream: upper-atmosphere narrow west-to-east streams of air
- superrotating wind: wind traveling in the same direction as the planet is rotating
zone of avoidance: region of sky obscured by Milky Way
zone of few nebulae (zone of avoidance): region of sky obscured by Milky Way
zone of full illumination

illumination: measure of light energy producing a telescope's image

zone of mixing

Hadley cell: circulation pattern of up at the equator, poleward, down, and back

Zoned Proportional Scintillation in Liquid Noble Gases (ZEPLIN): experiment to identify WIMPs with a tank of xenon
Zooniverse: effort supporting research through crowdsourcing
- Galaxy Zoo: crowdsourcing website to identify galaxy types from surveys
- Galaxy Zoo 2: crowd-sourced classification of hundreds of thousands of galaxies
- Planet Hunters: crowdsourcing website to identify galaxy types from surveys
- Radio Galaxy Zoo: crowd-sourced classification of radio galaxies
Zorro: see Gemini Observatory
ZPE: see ground state
ZTF (Zwicky Transient Facility): survey designed to find transients
- Palomar 60-inch Telescope: 60 inch telescope at Palomar Observatory
- Palomar Transient Factory: survey designed to find transients
ZTF J1539+5027: binary star of two white dwarfs with tight orbit
ZTF18abvkwla: see AT2018cow
ZTF20acigmel: see AT2018cow
Zw: see Catalog of Galaxies and Clusters of Galaxies
Zw 3146 (Zwicky 3146): nearby large galaxy cluster
Zw I 18 (I Zwicky 18): blue compact galaxy with low metallicity
ZwCl: see Catalog of Galaxies and Clusters of Galaxies
ZwCl 1021.0+0426 (Zwicky 3146): nearby large galaxy cluster
Zwicky 3146: nearby large galaxy cluster
- galaxy cluster: large group of galaxies gravitationally-bound to the group
Zwicky Catalog (Catalog of Galaxies and Clusters of Galaxies): list of galaxies/clusters assembled in 1960s
Zwicky Transient Facility: survey designed to find transients
- Palomar 48 Inch Telescope: 48 inch Schmidt telescope at Palomar Observatory
- Palomar 60-inch Telescope: 60 inch telescope at Palomar Observatory
- Palomar Transient Factory: survey designed to find transients
ZZ Ceti variable

pulsating star: variable star that varies through energy pulses

ZZ Piscium (Giclas 29-38): white dwarf variable star of interest

Index