Space and Solar Definitions - L

Lagrange points - Five points with respect to an orbit which a body can stably occupy. Designated L1 through L5.

LAN - Local area network for inter-computer communications.

Large Magellanic Cloud - LMC, the larger of two small galaxies orbiting nearby our Milky Way galaxy, which are visible from the southern hemisphere.

Laser - Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. Compare with Maser.

Latitude - Circles in parallel planes to that of the equator defining north-south measurements, also called parallels.

LCP - Left-hand circular polarization.

Leader Spot - In a magnetically bipolar or multipolar sunspot group, the western part precedes and the main spot in that part is called the leader.

Leap Year - Every fourth year, in which a 366th day is added since the Earth's revolution takes 365 days 5 hr 49 min.

LECP - Low-Energy Charged-Particular Detector onboard a spacecraft.

LEO - Low Equatorial Orbit.

LGA - Low-Gain Antenna onboard a spacecraft.

Light - Electromagnetic radiation in the neighborhood of 1 nanometer wavelength.

Light Bridge - Observed in white light, a bright tongue or streaks penetra- ting or crossing sunspot umbrae. The appearance of a light bridge is frequently a sign of impending region division or dissolution.

Light speed - 299,792 km per second, the constant c.

Light time - The amount of time it takes light or radio signals to travel a certain distance at light speed.

Light year - The distance light travels in a year.

Limb - The edge of the solar disk.

Limb Flare - A solar flare seen at the edge (limb) of the sun.

LMC - Link Monitor and Control subsystem at the SPCs within the DSN DSCCs.

LNA - Low-noise amplifier in DSN, either a maser or a HEMT.

Local time - Time adjusted for location around the Earth or other planets in time zones.

Longitude - Great circles that pass through both the north and south poles, also called meridians.

Loop Prominence System (Lps) - A system of loop prominences associated with major flares.

LOS - Loss Of Signal, used in DSN operations.

Low Frequency (Lf) - That portion of the radio frequency spectrum from 30 to 300 khz.

LOX - Liquid oxygen.