coronagraph
Solar disk masker
A coronagraph is an instrument designed to block out the bright disk of the sun so that the much fainter solar corona—the sun's outer atmosphere—can be observed and photographed.
Without this artificial eclipse, the corona's delicate structure would be overwhelmed by the sun's glare.
Astronomers also use coronagraphs to study objects near other bright sources, such as planets orbiting distant stars, by blocking the star's light to reveal what surrounds it.
Star's light-emitting surface
- chromosphereStellar atmospheric zone
- solar windContinuous stellar particle emission
- prominencesParts that stick out
- sunspotsDark patches on star
solar flares · heliosphere · space weather · magnetosphere · plasma · eclipse · totality
Waves spreading past obstacles
- interferometryMeasurement using wave combination patterns
- spectroscopyStudy of light-matter interaction
- wavefrontSurface of equal phase
- aberrationDeviation from the norm
beam · collimation · imaging · resolution · scattering · reflection · refraction · pupil
Device measuring illumination levels
- spectrographWavelength-separating recording instrument
- interferometerInstrument measuring wave interference
- detectorDevice that senses
- apertureAdjustable optical inlet
filter · imager · CCD · focal plane · collimator · baffle · mask · vignetting
Region allowing liquid water
- biosignaturesDetectable signs of life
- contrast ratioBrightest-to-darkest luminance measurement
- circumstellarSurrounding a star
- nullingSetting to zero
photosphere
Star's light-emitting surface
- chromosphereStellar atmospheric zone
- solar windContinuous stellar particle emission
- prominencesParts that stick out
sunspots · solar flares · heliosphere · space weather · magnetosphere · plasma · eclipse · totality
diffraction
Waves spreading past obstacles
- interferometryMeasurement using wave combination patterns
- spectroscopyStudy of light-matter interaction
- wavefrontSurface of equal phase
aberration · beam · collimation · imaging · resolution · scattering · reflection · refraction · pupil
photometer
Device measuring illumination levels
- spectrographWavelength-separating recording instrument
- interferometerInstrument measuring wave interference
- detectorDevice that senses
aperture · filter · imager · CCD · focal plane · collimator · baffle · mask · vignetting · throughput
habitable zone
Region allowing liquid water
- biosignaturesDetectable signs of life
- contrast ratioBrightest-to-darkest luminance measurement
- circumstellarSurrounding a star
- sunsol, solar, sunlight, sunspots, sunshine
- sensorsbiosensors, temperature sensor, pressure sensors, heat sensor, ammeter
- telescopesrefractor, reflector, Newtonian, Gregorian, space telescope
- solar instrumentssolar filter, heliograph, heliostat, solar tower, solar tracker
- coronal
- Astrophotographyastrophotography, star trails, eclipse photos, Hubble images, deep sky
coronation, corona, coronet, coronal, coronary, coronas, solar corona