Astronomy Flashcards
Order of planets (and asteroid belt) from sun
Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, asteroid belt, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
What is the difference between outer and inner planets?
The four inner planets have shorter orbits, slower spin, no rings, and they are made of rock and metal. The four outer planets have longer orbits and spins, a composition of gases and liquids, numerous moons, and rings. The outer planets are made of hydrogen and helium, so they are called gas giants.
“Gas giants are made of mostly gas, are heavier, colder, and have more moons than inner planets”
What planets are inner/terrestrial?
Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars
What planets are outer/gas giants
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
How long does the Earth’s revolution take to make one full orbit?
One year, 365 days
How long does the Earth’s rotation take to fully rotate?
1 day, 24 hours
Which is the largest planet?
Jupiter
Which is the smallest planet?
Mercury
Which planet rotates on its side?
Uranus
Which planet appears blue due to methane?
Neptune
Which planet has the most notable rings?
Saturn
What planet has the greatest gravity?
Jupiter
What planet has the largets temperature swings?
Mercury
Which planet is the hottest?
Venus
Which planet is known as the red planet or rust?
Mars
What is three differences of a planet and a star?
Planets are smaller, colder, and non-luminous
What is the distance from the Earth to the Sun?
1 AU (Astronomical unit) or 1.49 x 10^11
How old is the universe?
~1.38 billion years
How long does it take for the light from the sun to reach us?
8 minutes
Why are images of deep space is looking back in time?
Light takes time to travel
Life cycle of a small star
Stellar nebula, average star, red giant, planetary nebula, white dwarf
Life cycle of a big star
Stellar nebula, massive star, red supergiant, supernova, neutron star
Whats the life cycle of a largest star?
Stellar nebula, massive star, red supergiant, supernova, black hole
What is the difference between the apparent magnitude and the absolute magnitude of a star?
Apparent magnitude measures how bright a star appears in the night sky. Absolute magnitude measures the brightness of stars if they were all the same distance away from us (~33 ly)
