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Cosmological Terms
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Redshift
Redshift refers to the increase in the wavelength of light from an object moving away from the observer, indicative of the expansion of the universe.
Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB)
The CMB is the thermal radiation left over from the time of recombination in Big Bang cosmology, providing evidence for the Big Bang theory.
Dark Energy
Dark energy is a hypothetical form of energy that permeates all of space and accelerates the expansion of the universe.
Dark Matter
Dark matter is a form of matter thought to account for approximately 85% of the matter in the universe. It does not emit light or energy.
Big Bang Theory
The Big Bang Theory is a cosmological model that describes the early development of the Universe, which began from a hot and dense singularity.
Hubble's Law
Hubble's Law states that the speed at which a galaxy recedes from us is proportional to its distance from us, implying the universe is expanding.
Singularity
In cosmology, a singularity is a point of infinite density thought to have contained all the mass of the universe before the Big Bang.
Event Horizon
The event horizon is the boundary surrounding a black hole beyond which no radiation or matter can escape.
Supermassive Black Hole
A supermassive black hole is the largest type of black hole, with masses ranging from millions to billions of solar masses, usually found at the center of galaxies.
Cosmological Constant
The cosmological constant is a term in Einstein's field equations of general relativity that represents a constant energy density filling space homogeneously.
Neutron Star
A neutron star is the compact, incredibly dense remnant left behind after a massive star undergoes a supernova explosion, composed mostly of neutrons.
White Dwarf
A white dwarf is a small, dense star that is the leftover core of a low-mass star which has exhausted its nuclear fuel and shed its outer layers.
Supernova
A supernova is a powerful and luminous stellar explosion that occurs during the last evolutionary stages of a massive star or when a white dwarf is triggered into runaway nuclear fusion.
Quasar
A quasar is an extremely luminous active galactic nucleus, powered by a supermassive black hole that is accreting material at a high rate.
Cosmic Inflation
Cosmic inflation is a theory that proposes a period of extremely rapid (exponential) expansion of the universe during its first few moments of existence.
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