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 L 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 |
|---|---|
| La Superba | A red giant star in the constellation Canes Venatici, known for its deep red color. |
| LaGrange Cloud | A region around a Lagrange point where dust and small objects can accumulate due to gravitational forces. |
| Lacerta | A small constellation representing a lizard. |
| Lagoon Nebula | An emission nebula in the constellation Sagittarius, named for its resemblance to a lagoon. |
| Lagrange Points | Five points in a two-body system where gravitational forces produce enhanced regions of attraction and repulsion. |
| Large Magellanic Cloud | A satellite galaxy of the Milky Way, visible from the southern hemisphere. |
| Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) | A telescope designed to conduct a ten-year survey of the entire visible sky, producing a comprehensive map of the universe. |
| Late Heavy Bombardment | A period of intense asteroid and comet impacts on the inner planets of the solar system around 4 billion years ago. |
| Le Verrier | A large main-belt asteroid named after the French mathematician Urbain Le Verrier. |
| Leda | A small moon of Jupiter, named after the mythological mother of Helen of Troy. |
| Lenticular Galaxy | A type of galaxy with a disk-like structure but lacking distinct spiral arms. |
| Lenticular Nebula | A type of nebula with a lens-like shape, often caused by the winds of a dying star. |
| Leo (Constellation) | One of the constellations of the zodiac, resembling a lion. |
| Leo II (Galaxy) | A dwarf spheroidal galaxy located in the Leo constellation and a satellite of the Milky Way. |
| Leo Minor | A small constellation located near Leo, representing a small lion. |
| Leo Triplet | A group of three interacting galaxies (M65, M66, and NGC 3628) located in the constellation Leo. |
| Libra (Constellation) | One of the constellations of the zodiac, representing scales. |
| Lick Observatory | An astronomical observatory located on Mount Hamilton in California, known for its contributions to astrophotography and spectroscopy. |
| Light Echo | The phenomenon where light from a transient event, like a supernova, reflects off dust and is observed later as an “echo” of the original event. |
| Light Echo Spectrum | The spectrum of light observed in a light echo, providing information about the properties of the illuminating object. |
| Light Pollution | The excessive or misdirected artificial light that hinders the observation of celestial objects in the night sky. |
| Light-year | The distance light travels in one year, used to measure astronomical distances. |
| Limb Darkening | The phenomenon where the edges of a celestial body, such as the Sun or a planet, appear darker than the center when observed from a distance. |
| Liquid Mirror Telescope | A type of telescope that uses a rotating liquid mirror to focus light, typically used for observing a specific region of the sky. |
| Little Dipper | An asterism (a small group of stars) part of the Ursa Minor constellation. |
| Little Ghost Nebula (NGC 6369) | A planetary nebula in the constellation Ophiuchus, resembling a faint ghostly figure. |
| Little Hercules Cluster | A compact star cluster located in the constellation Hercules. |
| Lobster Nebula (NGC 6357) | A large emission nebula located in the constellation Scorpius, resembling a lobster. |
| Local Group | A group of galaxies that includes the Milky Way and its neighboring galaxies. |
| Local Interstellar Cloud | A region of space that contains a relatively high density of interstellar gas and dust within the Local Bubble. |
| Local Standard of Rest (LSR) | The average motion of stars near the Sun, used as a reference frame for measuring the motion of objects in our galaxy. |
| Local Supercluster | A region of space containing multiple galaxy clusters, including the Virgo Supercluster to which the Milky Way belongs. |
| Long Period Variable (LPV) | A type of variable star with a long and irregular period of brightness variation. |
| Long-Period Comet | A comet with an orbital period greater than 200 years, often originating from the Oort Cloud. |
| Long-Tailed Comet | A comet with a distinct tail that points away from the Sun due to solar wind and radiation pressure. |
| Loop Nebula (NGC 2024) | A bright emission nebula located in the Orion Molecular Cloud Complex. |
| Low Earth Orbit (LEO) | An orbit with an altitude typically ranging from about 160 kilometers (100 miles) to 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles) above Earth’s surface. |
| Lowell Observatory | An astronomical observatory in Arizona, USA, known for its observations of Mars and its canals. |
| Luhman 16 | A binary star system consisting of two brown dwarfs, located in the constellation Vela. |
| Luminosity | The total amount of energy radiated by a star per unit of time. |
| Luminous Efficiency | The ratio of the total energy emitted by a light source to the energy consumed, often used in studies of artificial lighting. |
| Lunar Eclipse | When the Earth passes between the Sun and the Moon, causing the Earth’s shadow to be cast on the Moon. |
| Lutetia | A large main-belt asteroid, visited by the Rosetta spacecraft in 2010. |
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