Standard Candle

In astronomy, an object whose real luminosity is known. By comparing this luminosity to its apparent luminosity seen from Earth, we can calculate its distance.

Cepheid

Type of variable star that pulses its luminosity at a very regular rhythm. Henrietta Leavitt's discovery proved that the rhythm is linked to its luminosity.

Human Computers

Term designating female mathematicians, employed by NASA, also nicknamed Pickering's Harem before the era of electronic computers. Their work consisted of manually calculating complex trajectories, launch windows, and atmospheric reentries for the first space missions, including those of the Apollo project.

Cosmos

Word of Greek origin meaning order or world. It is used in astronomy to designate the Universe as a whole, considering it as an ordered and structured system.

DNA

Acronym for Deoxyribonucleic Acid. It is the molecule that contains all the genetic information of a living being. DNA is the blueprint that determines how our body functions. Chromosomes, like chromosome 21 involved in trisomy, are made of DNA.