Rayleigh disk — Acoustics, Mech. a small circular disk, usually of mica, that is suspended from a fiber and tends to be deflected at right angles to a stream of air, indicating by its deflection the intensity of a sound wave. [1910 15; named after J. W. S.… … Universalium
Rayleigh disc — /rāˈlē disk/ noun A small light disc hung by a fine thread at an angle to a progressive sound wave, its deflection being used to measure the intensity of the sound ORIGIN: Ety as for ↑Rayleigh criterion … Useful english dictionary
Rayleigh disc — /ˈreɪli dɪsk/ (say raylee disk) noun a small disc hung by a fine thread in the path of a soundwave so that the extent to which the disc is deflected is a measure of the intensity of the soundwave. {See Rayleigh criterion} …
Airy disk — Computer generated image of an Airy disk. The gray scale intensities have been adjusted to enhance the brightness of the outer rings of the Airy pattern … Wikipedia
optics — /op tiks/, n. (used with a sing. v.) the branch of physical science that deals with the properties and phenomena of both visible and invisible light and with vision. [1605 15; < ML optica < Gk optiká, n. use of neut. pl. of OPTIKÓS; see OPTIC,… … Universalium
analysis — /euh nal euh sis/, n., pl. analyses / seez /. 1. the separating of any material or abstract entity into its constituent elements (opposed to synthesis). 2. this process as a method of studying the nature of something or of determining its… … Universalium
Depth of field — The area within the depth of field appears sharp, while the areas in front of and beyond the depth of field appear blurry … Wikipedia
Optics — For the book by Sir Isaac Newton, see Opticks. Optical redirects here. For the musical artist, see Optical (artist). Optics includes study of dispersion of light. Optics is the branch of … Wikipedia
star — starless, adj. /stahr/, n., adj., v., starred, starring. n. 1. any of the heavenly bodies, except the moon, appearing as fixed luminous points in the sky at night. 2. Astron. any of the large, self luminous, heavenly bodies, as the sun, Polaris,… … Universalium
Accretion disc — An accretion disc (or accretion disk) is a structure (often a circumstellar disk) formed by diffuse material in orbital motion around a central body. The central body is typically either a young star, a protostar, a white dwarf, a neutron star,… … Wikipedia
