astronomers Flashcards
Ptolemy
came up with the earth was the center of it all
Copernicus
Renaissance-era mathematician and astronomer who formulated a model of the universe that placed the Sun rather than the Earth at the center of the universe
Tycho Brahe
devising the most precise instruments available before the invention of the telescope for observing the heavens and made his observations from Uraniborg, on an island in the sound between Denmark and Sweden called Hveen
johannes kepler
defining laws regarding planetary motion and he was the first to determine that refraction drives vision in the eye, and that using two eyes enables depth perception
galileo
used his invented telescope to discover four of the moons circling Jupiter, to study Saturn, to observe the phases of Venus, and to study sunspots on the Sun his observations strengthened his belief in Copernicus’ theory that Earth and all other planets revolve around the Sun.
isaac newton
developed the three laws of motion which form the basic principles of modern physics. His discovery of calculus led the way to more powerful methods of solving mathematical problems.
edwin hubble
realization that the Milky Way is only one of many galaxies forever changed the way astronomers viewed our place in the universe. 1929, when he determined that the farther a galaxy is from Earth, the faster it appears to move away.
ursa major
constellation in the northern sky, whose associated mythology likely dates back into prehistory. Its Latin name means “greater she-bear”, standing as a reference to and in direct contrast with nearby Ursa Minor, the lesser bear.
orion
constellation located on the celestial equator and visible throughout the world, It is one of the most conspicuous and recognizable constellations in the night sky. It was named after Orion, a hunter in Greek mythology
canis major
known as the Great Dog. In Greek myth, it is said that this constellation, along with Canis Minor, are Orion’s hunting dogs. Canis Major was one of the most important constellations in ancient times because the brightest star in the sky is part of it Sirius is the nose of the dog.
casseiopia
constellation in the northern sky, named after the vain queen Cassiopeia in Greek mythology, who boasted about her unrivalled beauty
red giant
luminous giant star of low or intermediate mass in a late phase of stellar evolution the outer atmosphere is inflated and tenuous
white dwarf
a degenerate dwarf, is a stellar core remnant composed mostly of electron-degenerate matter. very dense: its mass is comparable to that of the Sun, while its volume is comparable to that of Earth
main-sequence star
fuse hydrogen atoms to form helium atoms in their cores. About 90 percent of the stars in the universe, including the sun, are main sequence stars
supernova
a star that suddenly increases greatly in brightness because of a catastrophic explosion that ejects most of its mass.
