| Lacerta |
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proper noun
- (constellation) An inconspicuous autumn constellation of the northern sky, said to resemble a lizard. It lies between the constellations of Cygnus and Andromeda.
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| last quarter |
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noun
- the waning lunar phase half way between full moon and new moon.
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| Leo Minor |
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proper noun
- (constellation) A spring constellation of the northern sky, said to resemble a small lion. It lies north of the constellation Leo and south of Ursa Major.
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| leonid |
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noun
- one of a shower of meteorites which fall from the area of sky around the constellation Leo in November
- 1974: I wrote my first story about the ghost of a horse leaping from a cascade of flame just after the leonids had been more torrential than men had remembered them for centuries. " Guy Davenport, Tatlin!
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| Lepus |
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proper noun
- (constellation) A winter constellation of the northern sky, said to resemble a rabbit. It lies south of the constellation Orion.
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| Libra |
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proper noun
- (constellation): A constellation of the zodiac, supposedly shaped like a set of scales.
- (astrology): The astrological sign for the scales, covering September 23 - October 22.
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| light curve |
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noun - (astronomy) a graph of the intensity of radiation from an astronomical object as it changes with time
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| light-year |
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noun (Plural: light-years)
- An alternative spelling of light year.
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| limb |
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noun
- A major appendage of human or animal, used for locomotion (such as an arm, leg or wing)
- A branch of a tree.
- (archery) The part of the bow, from the handle to the tip.
verb
- To remove the limbs of an animal or tree.
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| Little Dipper |
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proper noun
- (constellation) A bright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky, said to resemble a ladle or cart. It is part of the constellation Ursa Minor and includes the northern pole star Polaris.
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| loadstar |
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noun - A star used as a navigation reference (particularly a pole star such as Polaris).
- A guiding tenet.
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| Local Group |
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noun local, Local group, Group
- (astronomy) the small cluster of galaxies that contains the Milky Way galaxy; includes Andromeda, Triangulum, the Large Magellanic Cloud, Small Magellanic Cloud and others
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| lodestar |
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noun - A star used as a navigation reference (particularly a pole star such as Polaris.
- A guiding tenet.
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| Lucifer |
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proper noun
- A name of the Christian devil, referring to him before his fall into sin.
- The planet Venus as the daystar.
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| luminary |
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noun
- one that is an inspiration to others : one who has achieved success in his chosen field : a leading light
- played host to a huge gathering of international luminaries -- Edmund Stevens
- an artificial light : an illumination
- a body that gives light; especially : one of the heavenly bodies
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| luminosity |
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noun
- the state of being luminous, or a luminous object; brilliance or radiance
- the ratio of luminous flux to radiant flux at the same wavelength; the luminosity factor
- (star) the rate at which a star radiates energy in all directions
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| lunar |
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adjective
- Pertaining to the moon.
- Crescent shaped, lunate.
- Of, or relating to silver.
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| lunar eclipse |
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noun
- (astronomy) A phenomenon occuring when the Earth casts a shadow over the Moon
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| lunar month |
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noun
- a period from one new moon until the next.
- a synodic month of approximately 29.53 days, measured from a lunar phase until the return of that same phase.
- a sidereal month of approximately 27.32 days, the length of time taken by the moon in its orbit about the Earth to return to the same point as viewed against the background of stars.
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| lunar year |
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noun
- a year determined by a certain number of phases of the moon, as opposed to the passage of the earth around the sun
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| lunation |
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noun
- a month of approximately 29.53 days, measured from a lunar phase until the return of that same phase. On average, the number of days between Full Moons is about 29.5306 days. The actual number of days may differ from the average number by more than a half day. From one Full Moon to the next, the number of days in one lunation can vary between 29.272 and 29.833 days.
- The name or term given the irregular period from one new moon until the next.
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| Lupus |
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proper noun
- (constellation) A summer constellation of the northern sky, said to resemble a wolf. It lies south of the constellation Libra.
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