Astrophysics
that branch of astronomy which deals with the physical condition, temperature, and chemical properties of the celestial bodies. The temperature, chief instruments employed are the spectroscope, the bolometer, the photometer, and the camera. The most important of these is the SPECTROSCOPE (q. v.).
ASTURIAS (as-tö'rē-az), or OVIEDO, a northern province of Spain, washed on the N. by the Bay of Biscay; area 4,207 square miles; pop. about 700,000. The low hills of Leon and Old Castile rise gradually to the mountain-chain which forms the S. boundary, and which is but a prolongation of the Pyrenean system. The N. slopes are broken by steep and dark valleys or chasms, which are among the wildest and most picturesque in Spain. The chief rivers are the Nalon, Navia, and Sella. Agriculture is the chief industry. The coasts have good fisheries, but poor harbors. The chief minerals of the province are copper, iron, lead, cobalt, arsenic, antimony, and coal of excellent quality. The chief towns are Gijon, Aviles, Llanes, and Luarca.
Oviedo, the capital, has, since 1833, given its name to the whole province.
The heir-apparent of the Spanish King ATAHUALPA has the title of Prince or Princess of Asturias. The Romans had great difficulty in subduing Asturias, about 22 B. C. Later it offered an asylum to the Goths, whose prince, Pelayo, bravely withstood the Arabs (718 A. D.) his successors carried on the contest successfully, and became Kings of Leon in the 10th century.
ASTYAGES (as-tī'a-jēz), son of Cyaxares, the last King of Media, reigned 594-559 в. c. In the latter year he was dethroned by Cyrus, who, according to Herodotus, was his grandson.
ASUNCION (as-ön'shōn), or ASSUMP- TION, the capital of the Republic of Paraguay; on a terrace skirting the left bank of the Paraguay river. It has a cathedral (1845) and a college. The principal articles of commerce are leather, tobacco, sugar, manioc, and maté or Paraguay tea. It was founded on Aug. 15, 1537, the feast of the Assumption. Pop. about 120,000. ATACAMA (at-a-kä'ma), the name, formerly, of two provinces, (1) Chilean and (2) Bolivian; now entirely belonging to Chile. Area 30,728 square miles; pop. about 70,000.
The Saline of Atacama is a salt morass, mostly dried up, 1,074 square miles in extent, on an elevation of 7,000 feet.
The province is very rich in minerals, especially copper and silver.