Glossary of astronomical terms -visual

[cajen2]

A novice to astronomy must be extremely confused when reading some of the threads on here, so I thought this might help.

This is just an introduction to the kind of language people use here: short forms, acronyms and so on. It's NOT a comprehensive list of technical terms; these are easily looked up.

 

First and most important:

SGL - Stargazers Lounge: this site! 😉

(Auntie) FLO - First Light Optics. Sponsors of this site and excellent retailers.

 

General

AP - Astrophotography (strange deviant behaviour that costs ££££)

BAA - British Astronomical Society

CA - Chromatic aberration. False colours on an image

CN - Cloudy Nights: an American astro website in some ways similar to SGL 😉

DSO - Deep-sky object: galaxy, star cluster, nebula, etc. See also PN, Glob.

EEVA - Electronically Enhanced Visual Astronomy (another good way to spend excess money! 😉)

Glob - globular star cluster 

OTA - Optical tube assembly. The scope without mount or accessories

LP - Light pollution 

PN - Planetary nebula 

 

Telescopes and accessories 

BIns / binos - binoculars (also sometimes binoviewers)

EP - Eyepiece: the bit you look into

Frac - refractor. Type of scope using only lenses 

Newt / dob - Newtonian reflector/ Dobsonian. Types of scope using mirrors. A dob is a Newtonian scope mounted on an easy-to-use base

Cat / Mak / SC / RC - types of scope using  mirrors and lenses 

Alt/az - altitude and azimuth (= up and down, left and right). Often used for a type of telescope mount.

EQ - Equatorial. Also used for a type of mount.

GoTo / go-to - computerised mount that automatically finds targets for you

RDF - Red dot finder. A non- magnifying tube with a red dot for locating objects and pointing the scope 

Manufacturers

ES - Explore Scientific 

SL - StellaLyra

SW - Skywatcher 

Tak - Takahashi

TV - Televue 

WO - Williams Optics 

 

 

I'm sure there are plenty more that I've missed. All we need now is an AP user to do the same (I'm not qualified!).

Edited December 29, 2022 by cajen2

[cajen2]

Doh! I've just noticed that Ant compiled a similar list back in 2011. His is more comprehensive.....😆

[Guest]

CN is more of a warzone.  SGL is far more dignified lol. 

[cajen2]

42 minutes ago, Mike Q said:

CN is more of a warzone.  SGL is far more dignified lol. 

I was trying to be polite, Mike! 😉😆

[Guest]

17 minutes ago, cajen2 said:

I was trying to be polite, Mike! 😉😆

I dont have that problem lol

[Clarkey]

15 hours ago, cajen2 said:

AP - Astrophotography (strange deviant behaviour that costs ££££)

I object! ( But not about the £££ bit🤣)

However, if you work out £ per image you are probably right.....

Ok. I withdraw my injection.... You are right.

[jjohnson3803]

On 29/12/2022 at 17:14, Mike Q said:

CN is more of a warzone. 

Very true.  Lots of old goats over there - "Nahh, nahhh, nahhh, nahhhhhh!"  

However, some gemstones can be found in the fog of oral flatulence if you have the patience to search a bit.

Edited January 4, 2023 by jjohnson3803

[ollypenrice]

On 30/12/2022 at 00:57, cajen2 said:

I was trying to be polite, Mike! 😉😆

Nobody on CN has thought of that...

lly

[DaveS]

CN might be Cloudy Nights, but HCN is hydrogen cyanide. Hmm...

[The Lazy Astronomer]

How does CN seem to have such a bad reputation? I'm not a member of it or anything, but I visit occasionally when I google a question (usually PI related). Sure, I've seen a number of - shall we say - curt posts on there, but I've seen a fair number on here too!