There are so many astronomical objects out there behaving in mysterious ways that astronomers are still trying to figure out. A brand new set of words and language has to be invented every time something is discovered and that is part of what makes the study of space so interesting. There’s so much out there that is waiting to be found.
The use of mythological and ancient names to name all the objects that are in space has also always given astronomy an air of mystery and wonder that attracts all kinds of people and incentivizes them to look at the sky every night.
There are so many space-related words and terms that it is hard to keep up.
This is why below, we have compiled a list of space words that start with D so you can learn more about the study of the universe. These are words that are related to astronomy and space, if what you are looking for is specifically for name ideas or the names of objects, check out our lists of star names, planets, or constellations. You will also find those sorted by letter.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| DSO (Deep-Sky Object) | Astronomical object outside our Solar System, including galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters. |
| Dark Energy | Hypothetical form of energy causing the universe’s expansion to accelerate, counteracting gravitational attraction. |
| Dark Matter | Hypothetical form of matter that doesn’t emit or interact with electromagnetic radiation but affects gravitational forces. |
| Dark Nebula | Cloud of dense interstellar dust that blocks light from passing through. |
| Dark Sky Preserve | An area designated to protect the natural darkness of the night sky from light pollution. |
| Declination | Celestial equivalent of latitude, measured in degrees north or south of the celestial equator. |
| Deep Space Network | Network of radio antennas used to communicate with and track spacecraft throughout the Solar System. |
| Deimos | One of the two small moons of Mars. |
| Delta Cephei | A variable star used to establish the period-luminosity relation, aiding in distance measurements. |
| Deneb | The brightest star in the constellation Cygnus, part of the Summer Triangle. |
| Diamond Ring Effect | Phenomenon during a total solar eclipse, creating a bright “diamond ring” appearance. |
| Differentiation | The process by which denser materials sink to the center and lighter materials rise to the surface of a planet during its formation. |
| Diffraction | Bending of light waves around obstacles or edges, leading to phenomena like starlight distortion. |
| Direct Imaging | A technique of observing exoplanets by capturing their light directly rather than inferring their presence through other methods. |
| Disk | Flattened and rotating structure, such as the disk of a galaxy, protoplanetary disk, or accretion disk. |
| Doppler Effect | Change in frequency or wavelength of waves due to relative motion between the source and observer. |
| Dorado | A southern constellation containing the Large Magellanic Cloud and the Tarantula Nebula. |
| Double Cluster | A pair of star clusters, such as the h and ? Persei clusters in the constellation Perseus. |
| Double Star | Two stars that appear close together in the sky. |
| Draco | Constellation in the northern sky, known for containing the North Star (Polaris) and the Cat’s Eye Nebula. |
| Draco Dwarf Galaxies | Group of dwarf galaxies orbiting the Milky Way in the Draco constellation. |
| Dumbbell Nebula | A planetary nebula in the constellation Vulpecula, also known as Messier 27. |
| Dwarf Planet | Celestial body that orbits the Sun and shares characteristics with both planets and asteroids, but has not cleared its orbit of other debris. |
| Dwarf Star | A small, dim star, often referred to as a red dwarf, white dwarf, or brown dwarf, depending on its characteristics. |
| Dyson Sphere | Hypothetical megastructure that surrounds a star, capturing its energy output for advanced civilizations. |
Find more space words that start with other letters: