Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. A double, eclipsing variable star in the constellation Perseus, almost as bright as Polaris.
Wiktionary
- n. astronomy An eclipsing binary star in the constellation of Perseus; Beta (β) Persei. It represents the eye of Medusa, whose head is being held by Perseus.
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. (Astron.) A fixed star, in Medusa's head, in the constellation Perseus, remarkable for its periodic variation in brightness.
Etymologies
- From Arabic الغول (al-ghūl, "the ghoul"). (Wiktionary)
- Arabic al-ġūl : al-, the + ġūl, ghoul; see ġwl in Semitic roots. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)
Examples
“The name Algol is only a variation of Al-ghúl, the monster or demon, and it cannot be doubted that the demoniac, Gorgonian character assigned to this star was suggested by its ominous change, as though it were the eye of some fierce monster slowly winking amid the gloom of space.”
“Certain stars, called Algol stars, vary in light at regular intervals when partially eclipsed by the interposition of a large dark satellite.”
“The most celebrated of all the variable stars is that known as Algol, whose position in the constellation of Perseus is shown in Fig. 83.”
“A star system called Algol has been intriguing scientists for more than 300 years.”
“Algol, which is located about 96 light-years away from us, happens to be a member of a multi-star system.”
“He states that "... the star Algol, which is located in Taurus ....”
“For example, the star Algol, which is located in Taurus, is given in many dictionaries as descending from al-ghāla, ` the destroyer, 'but its more likely origin is the more familiar form from the same root: ghul ` a woodland demon' from which we got our word ghoul, ` a defiler of graves. ”
“Advanced general computer languages, such as Algol or Fortran, had not been developed, so that all programmes had to be written in specific machine code.”
“My plan is this: It is well known that many variable stars, such as Algol, [sigma] Librae, U Coronae, and the remarkable variable D.M. + 1. 3408°, discovered by Mr. E.F. Sawyer, fluctuate at regular intervals.”
“' 'Algol' '', also known as '' 'Beta Persei' '', is a triple star system located 92.8 light years away in the constellation of [[Perseus]].”
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