Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia)  CE5 Structure of the sun sun, intensely hot, self-luminous body of gases at the center of the solar system. Its gravitational attraction maintains the planets, comets, and other bodies of the sola...

(Encyclopedia) Draco [Lat.,=the dragon], northern constellation lying SE of Ursa Minor and N of Lyra and Hercules. It is traditionally depicted as a dragon. Draco contains the bright star Eltanin (Gamma Draconis). T...

(Encyclopedia) Mimosa or Beta Crucis bāˈtə kro͞oˈsĭs [key], bright star in the constellation Crux (Southern Cross); 1992 position R.A. 12h47.3m, Dec. −59°39′. It is sometimes called Becrux, from its Bayer...

(Encyclopedia) Pollux, brightest star in the constellation Gemini; Bayer designation Beta Geminorum; 1992 position R.A. 7h44.8m, Dec. +28°03′. An orange giant of spectral class K0 III, it is the nearest giant sta...

(Encyclopedia) Regulus rĕgˈyələs [key], brightest star in the constellation Leo; Bayer designation Alpha Leonis; 1992 position R.A. 10h08m, Dec. +12°00′. A bluish-white main-sequence star of spectral class B7...

(Encyclopedia) Algol ălˈgŏl [key], famous variable star in the constellation Perseus; Bayer designation β Persei; 1992 position R.A. 3h07.7m, Dec. +40°55′. Algol's variation in apparent magnitude, from 2.06 t...

(Encyclopedia) atlas, in geography, collection of maps or charts. It usually includes data on various features of a country, e.g., its topography, natural resources, climate, and population, as well as its agricultu...

(Encyclopedia) Hadar or Beta Centauri bāˈtə sĕntôrˈē [key], bright star in the constellation Centaurus; 1992 position R.A. 14h01.7m, dec. −60°13′. A bluish-white giant of spectral class B1 II, it has an ...

(Encyclopedia) Castor kăsˈtər [key], bright star in the constellation Gemini; Bayer designation α Geminorum; 1992 position R.A. 7h34.1m, Dec. +31°54′. Slightly dimmer than Pollux, with which it forms the Twin...

(Encyclopedia) corona, luminous envelope surrounding the sun, outside the chromosphere. Its density is less than one billionth that of the earth's atmosphere. The corona is visible only at the time of totality durin...