31.1 & 31.2 Flashcards
a group of stars forming a recognizable pattern that is named after a mythological figure
constellation
an instrument used to detect radio emissions from the sky8
radio telescope
a unit of astronomical distance equivalent to the distance that light travels in one year (nearly 6 trillion miles).
light-year
an instrument for forming and examining spectra especially in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum
spectroscope
a cloud of gas and dust in outer space, visible in the night sky either as an indistinct bright patch or as a dark silhouette against other luminous matter.
nebula
a series of star types to which most stars belong
main sequence
A giant star is a star with substantially larger radius and luminosity than a main-sequence (or dwarf) star of the same surface temperature
giant star
a small very dense star that is typically the size of a planet
white dwarf
a star that suddenly increases greatly in brightness because of a catastrophic explosion that ejects most of its mass
supernova
a celestial object of very small radius and very high density, composed predominantly of closely packed neutrons
neutron star
a region of space having a gravitational field so intense that no matter or radiation can escape.
black hole
the luminous envelope of a star from which its light and heat radiate.
photosphere
a spot or patch appearing from time to time on the sun’s surface, appearing dark by contrast with its surroundings.
sunspots
how did constellations get there names
characters in stories, animals and tools
what are the names of the big and small dogs
Canis Minor, Canis Major
what constellation was named after a great hunter
Orion
how many basic types of optical telescopes are there
2
what are the names of the optical telescopes
Refracting and reflecting
what is a refracting telescope
it uses convex lenses
what do radio telescopes use
radio waves
why are space telescopes better telescopes to use
not very much to effect the image
what are the two space telescopes
Chandra X-Ray Observatory and the Spitzer Space Telescope
how fast does light travel
300,000 km/sec
how do stars form
a nebula
