jansky

¹

[ jan-skee ]

noun

, Astronomy.

, plural jan·skies.

1. a unit of flux density for electromagnetic radiation, used chiefly in radio astronomy. : Jy

Jansky

²

[ jan-skee ]

noun

1. Karl Guthe, 1905–50, U.S. engineer: pioneer in radio astronomy.

Jansky

¹

/ ˈdʒænskɪ /

noun

1. JanskyKarl Guthe19051950MUSTECHNOLOGY: engineer Karl Guthe 1905–50, US electrical engineer. He discovered a source of radio waves outside the solar system (1932) and pioneered radio astronomy

jansky

²

/ ˈdʒænskɪ /

noun

1. a unit of flux density equal to 10 ^–26W m ^–2Hz ^–1, used predominantly in radio and infrared astronomy Jy

Word History and Origins

Origin of jansky¹

After K. Jansky

Word History and Origins

Origin of jansky¹

C20: named after K. G. Jansky

Example Sentences

He improved upon Jansky’s antenna — a bunch of metal tubes held up by a pivoting wooden trestle — and fashioned a parabolic metal dish for focusing incoming radio waves to a point, where an amplifier boosted the feeble signal.

From Science News

His efforts were wildly successful, reproducing Jansky’s observations and then creating the first radio map of the sky.

From Quanta Magazine

In fact, the very first radio astronomy experiment can be traced back before Jansky to August of 1924, when Mars made its closest pass to Earth in nearly a century.

From Quanta Magazine

Ironically, Jansky’s original goal — to filter out natural sources of radio waves and make way for communication technology — is now reversed for radio astronomers trying to study the universe in the age of modern electronics.

From Quanta Magazine

Jansky’s discovery was mostly met with mild curiosity by the astronomy community.

From Quanta Magazine

Later observers, for example Jansky and Moss, established four groups.

From Project Gutenberg