31.1 / 31.2 Flashcards
names given to groups of stars
constellations
collects and amplifies radio waves
radio telescope
uses a prism or diffraction grating to separate light into it’s component wave lengths
spectroscope
stars form from a large cloud of gas, ice, and dust
nebula
includes the broad band of stars from the hot, bright stars in the upper left corner pf the diagram to the cool, dim stars in the lower right corner
main sequence stars
as the equilibrium ends, the star’s core contracts, the temperature increases, and the star evolves into
giant star
forms as the core of a giant star no longer supports fusion, and the star’s outer layers escape into space, leaving a hot dense core
white dwarf
an area in space where it is so dense that nothing can escape its gravitational pull
black hole
layer of sun that emits light into space
photosphere
dark, cool spots in the photosphere where the sun’s magnetic field has weakened
sunspots
gigantic explosion in which the temperature within the collapsing star is 10 billion K and the atomic nuclei in the core splits into neutrons and protons
supernova
the star explodes, it leaves behind a ball of neutrons
neutron star
the distance light travels in one year
light year
How do constellations get their names?
characters from stories, animals, tools
What constellation represents the great hunter?
Orion’s belt