Jump to: A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
1D: One-dimensional
2D: Two-dimensional
2MASS: Two Micron All-Sky Survey
3D: Three-dimensional
A
ABD: Anti-Blooming Drain
AC: ACross scan (direction)
AL: ALong scan (direction)
AP: Astrophysical Parameter
API: Application Programming Interface
arcmin: Arcminute, minute of arc (unit of angle)
arcsec: Arcsecond, second of arc (unit of angle)
ARV: Absolute Radial Velocity
ASA: Astrometric Science Alert
AU, a.u.: Astronomical Unit
B
BP: Blue Photometer
C
CCD: Charge-Coupled Device
CMD: Colour Magnitude Diagram
CTI: Charge-Transfer Inefficiency
CU: Coordination Unit (in DPAC)
D
DPAC: (Gaia) Data Processing and Analysis Consortium
DPACE: (Gaia) Data Processing and Analysis Consortium Executive
DPCI: Data Processing Centre (Institute of Astronomy) Cambridge
DRV: Differential Radial Velocity
E
EADS: European Aeronautic Defence and Space company (EADS Astrium is the Gaia prime contractor)
ESA: European Space Agency
EOP: Early Orbit Phase
ESAC: European Space Astronomy Centre (VilSpa)
ESA: European Space Agency
ESOC: European Space Operations Centre (ESA)
ESO: European Southern Observatory
ESVM: Electrical SerVice Module
F
FITS: Flexible Image Transport System
FLAMES: Fibre Large Array Multi Element Spectrograph
FoV: Field of View (also denoted FOV)
FPA: Focal Plane Assembly (Focal Plane Array)
FP: Focal Plane
G
Gaia: ESA’s Astrometric mission
GB: Giant Branch (star)
Gb: Gigabit
GB: GigaByte
G: Giga; SI units prefix for 1E9
G: Gaia photometric white-light magnitude (SM and AF)
GP: Galactic Plane
GSA: Gaia Science Alerts
GST: Gaia Science Team
H
HDFS: Hadoop Distributed File System
HRD: Hertzsprung-Russell diagram
HR: Hertzsprung-Russell (diagram)
I
ICRF: International Celestial Reference Frame
ICRS: International Celestial Reference System
IFA: Institute for Astronomy (Edinburgh)
IIOC: Initial In-Orbit Calibration
IoA: Institute of Astronomy (Cambridge; also denoted IOA)
IOCA: In-Orbit Calibration Activity
IOC: In-Orbit Commissioning
IOCP: In-Orbit Calibration Procedure
IOCR: In-Orbit Commissioning Review
K
k: Kilo; SI units prefix for 1E3
L
L2I: L2 (orbit) Insertion
L2: Second Lagrange point of the Sun and Earth-Moon system
LEOP: Launch and Early Orbit Phase
LoS: Line of Sight (also denoted LOS)
LU: Leicester University (UK)
LV: Launch Vehicle
M
mas: Milliarcsecond (1E-3 arcsec)
Mb: Megabit (1,000,000 bit)
MB: MegaByte
M: Mega; SI units prefix for 1E6
m: Meter; SI unit of length
m: Milli; SI units prefix for 1E-3
MSSL: Mullard Space Science Laboratory (UK)
µas: Microarcsecond (1E-6 arcsec)
µ: Micro; SI units prefix for 1E-6
N
n: Nano; SI units prefix for 1E-9
N: Newton; SI unit of force
NSL: Nominal Scanning Law
O
O, B, A, F, G, K, M: star spectral-types
OC: Open Cluster
P
PB: PetaByte
PMS: Pre-Main Sequence (star)
PFS: Point Spread Function
Q
QA: Quality Assurance
QC: Quality Control
QSO: Quasi-Stellar Object
R
RA: Right Ascension
RAL: Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (UK)
RGB: Red Giant Branch (star)
RGB: Red Giant Branch (star)
RSL: Reference Scanning Law
RSSD: Research and Scientific Support Department (ESA)
RV: Radial Velocity
RVS: Radial Velocity Spectrometer
S
SC: Spacecraft (also denoted S/C)
SF: Soyuz-Fregat
SOC: Science Operations Centre
SR: Semi-Regular (variable star)
S: Strip (CCD chip along-scan coordinate identifier in focal plane)
STFC: Science and Technology Facilities Council (UK, formed on 1 April 2007 by merging PPARC and CCLRC)
T
TB: TeraByte
TCG: Geocentric Coordinate Time
TG: Gaia proper Time
TOPCAT: Tool for OPerations on Catalogues And Tables
TT: Terrestrial Time
U
UCL: University College London (UK)
UOL: University of Leicester (UK)
UTC: Coordinated Universal Time
UV: UltraViolet
V
V: Johnson photometric V band
VHS: VISTA Hemisphere Survey
VISTA: Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy
VLT: Very Large Telescope (ESO)
VO: Virtual Observatory
Vr: Radial Velocity
VOTable: Virtual Observatory Tabular data format
VPHAS+: The VST/OmegaCam Photometric Hα Survey of the Southern Galactic Plane and Bulge
VST: VLT Survey Telescope
W
WD: White Dwarf (star)
WFAU: (Edinburgh) Wide Field Astronomy Unit
Z
ZAMS: Zero-Age Main Sequence (star)