| As terminology" Space" is used in multiple ways. | | | | phenomenon. |
| Space can be the vacuum surrounding the earth, in a | | | | • HR – Hertzsprung-Russell diagram that |
| room, at some location, in a document, and even in | | | | charts the colour and luminescence of the stars. |
| abstract sense like breathing space in a speech | | | | • IAU – International Astronomical Union – |
| delivered. In commercial terms also one usually comes | | | | the professional astronomers group worldwide. |
| across concepts of space economy and space | | | | • JPL – Jet Propulsion Laboratory. |
| utilization. | | | | • LMC = Large magellanic Clouds- that represents |
| However in the modern age dominated by science | | | | a dwarf galaxy near the Milky Way. |
| and technology, its most pertinent use is in the field of | | | | • MACHO – Massive Compact Halo Object |
| Astronomy and Aeronautics. Scientifically space is | | | | – component of dark matters. |
| always related to the universe beyond the planet | | | | • NASA – National Aeronautics and Space |
| earth. Over hundred billion galaxies constitute the | | | | Administration of United States. |
| universe. Milky Way in our own galaxy is around | | | | • NEO – Near Earth Object, such as the |
| 120,000 light years across and has around 200-400 | | | | asteroids. |
| billion stars. Both astronomy and aeronautics deal with | | | | • PHA – Potentially Hazardous Asteroid; |
| various aspects of the universe in their respective | | | | • QUASAR – QUASI Stellar Radio Source |
| ways. | | | | • SDSS – Sloan Digital Sky Survey – the |
| Since these two are highly technical zones; | | | | program for searching redshifts in Sky. |
| understanding the common acronyms for space used | | | | • UT – Universal Time. |
| in them would be helpful. Acronyms are the words that | | | | • WIMP – Weakly Interacting Massive Particle |
| are constructed using the first letter(s) of the words in | | | | that is a candidate for the dark matters. |
| the phrase or name. | | | | • ZHR – Zenith Hourly Rate- indicating the |
| Some common space acronyms are – | | | | number of meteors seen during the meteor showers |
| • AAS – American Astronomical Society. | | | | peak. |
| • APOD – Astronomical Picture of the Day. | | | | While there are many other acronyms related to |
| • CCD – Charged Coupled Device. | | | | space , these are some of the most widely used ones. |
| • ESA – European Space Agency. | | | | Memorizing these common acronyms will help one |
| • FOV- Field of View, with reference to | | | | understand the concept of space in astronomy as well |
| telescopes and binoculars. | | | | as aeronautics quite convincingly. |
| • GRB- Gama Ray Bursts, a very high energetic | | | | |