a line passing through the center of curvature of a lens or spherical mirror and parallel to the axis of symmetry
a straight rigid bar, typically marked with a scale, to which lenses, light sources, and other optical components can be attached
the distance of the path that in a vacuum would contain the same number of wavelengths as the actual path taken by a ray of light traveling through a medium
of, relating to, or employing both optical and magnetic phenomena or technology
the degree to which a refractive medium retards transmitted rays of light
two stars that are in the same line of sight as seen from the earth, but that may be at far different distances
each of two or more forms of a compound that have the same structure but are mirror images of each other and typically differ in optical activity
a device that performs optical character recognition and produces coded signals corresponding to the characters identified
the property (displayed by solutions of some compounds, notably many sugars) of rotating the plane of polarization of plane-polarized light
a fluorescent substance added to detergents in order to produce a whitening effect on laundry
an experience of seeming to see something that does not exist or that is other than it appears
a microscope using visible light, typically viewed directly by the eye
the rotation of the plane of polarization of plane-polarized light by an optically active substance
an access control system without barriers in which those attempting to enter are evaluated by closed-circuit television or other visual means
a device that uses light from a low-wattage laser to manipulate individual molecules within cells
the identification of printed characters using photoelectric devices and computer software
an information storage device for a computer in the shape of a round flat plate that can be rotated to give access to all parts of the surface. The data may be stored either magnetically (in a magnetic disk) or optically (in an optical disk such as a CD-ROM)
a form of abstract art that gives the illusion of movement by the precise use of pattern and color, or in which conflicting patterns emerge and overlap. Bridget Riley and Victor Vasarely are its most famous exponents
an imaginary ellipsoidal surface whose axes represent the refractive indices of a crystal for light following different directions with respect to the crystal axes
an information storage device for a computer in the shape of a round flat plate that can be rotated to give access to all parts of the surface. The data may be stored either magnetically (in a magnetic disk) or optically (in an optical disk such as a CD-ROM)
an imaginary ellipsoidal surface whose axes represent the refractive indices of a crystal for light following different directions with respect to the crystal axes