Astronomy

Definition of ionosphere

The first step we are going to take to know the meaning of the term ionosphere is to discover its etymological origin. In this case, we can establish that it derives from Greek, since it is the result of the sum of two lexical components of said language: -The element "ion", which is the present participle of the verb "ienai" and that […]

Definition of weightlessness

Weightlessness is the state reached when gravitational forces no longer exert influence. The term is also used to describe the characteristic or condition of weightlessness (not subject to gravity). The attraction of bodies according to their mass is known as gravitation or gravity. […]

Definition of heliocentrism

The concept of heliocentrism alludes to the theory that, in the 16th century, the Polish Nicholas Copernicus postulated. According to this astronomer and religious, the Sun is the center of the universe. The first heliocentric ideas were postulated by Aristarchus of Samos in the 3rd century BC. At that time, the philosopher and […]

Definition of halo

The Greek word hálōs derived from the Latin word halos, which came to Spanish as halo. The concept has several uses according to the context. The first meaning mentioned by the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) in its dictionary refers to the meteor that consists of a luminosity that appears around the Moon and […]

Definition of gravitation

Gravitation is the act and consequence of gravitating. In the field of physics, gravitation is the attraction of bodies according to their mass. It can be said that gravitation or gravity is a phenomenon of nature through which bodies with mass attract each other. It is […]

Definition of geocentrism

Geocentrism is an ancient theory of astronomy that held that the planet Earth was the center of the universe. The Greek mathematician and astronomer Claudius Ptolemy was its main promoter in the 2nd century. According to the foundations of geocentrism, the sun and the rest of the stars revolve around the Earth. […]

Definition of firmament

The term firmamentum came to Spanish as firmament. It is a concept that alludes to the celestial vault: the apparent sphere that surrounds the surface of our planet. Firmament, celestial vault and even sky are notions that can be used synonymously in certain contexts. Generally, we speak of the firmament regarding […]

Definition of exosphere

The first thing to do to know the meaning of the term exosphere is to discover its etymological origin. In this case, we can state that it is a word that derives from Greek, since it is the result of the sum of several components of said language: -The prefix “exo-”, which means “outside”. -The noun “sphaira”, […]

Definition of stratosphere

The stratosphere, also mentioned as stratosphere (with an accent on the syllable -fe), is one of the layers of the atmosphere: the gaseous mantle that surrounds planet Earth. This is the sector that extends between 12 and 50 kilometers in height. Together with the troposphere and the mesosphere, the stratosphere forms the […]

Definition of spectrum

The first thing we are going to do is know the etymological origin of the term spectrum before entering fully into its definition. In this case, we can state that it is a word that derives from Latin, specifically from “spectrum”, which means “image” and that it is the result of the sum of two lexical components clearly […]