Astronomy Flashcards
What is the definition of Astronomical Unit?
The distance between the Earth and the sun.
What is Light Year?
Distance light goes in one year.
How is nebula defined?
A cloud of gas and dust.
How would you describe constellation?
A recognizable pattern of a grouping of stars in the night sky.
What does parsec mean?
Describes large distances.
What is a planetestimal?
One of the small bodies.
What is the definition of protoplanetary?
The core of a developing solar system surrounded by a rotating disk of dust and gas.
What is nuclear fusion?
an atomic reaction when multiple atoms combine to form a single, more massive atom.
What would the definition of terrestrial planets be?
An inhabitant of the Earth.
How is gas giant planets defined?
A type of planet characterized by being composed almost entirely of gas.
What is the definition of comet?
A celestial body, observed only in that part of its orbit that is relatively close to the sun, having a head consisting of a solid nucleus.
How do you define asteroid?
Any of the thousands of small bodies in diameter that revolves about the sun in orbits lying mostly between Mars and Jupiter.
What is cosmologist?
The branch of astronomy that deals with the structure/evolution of the universe.
What does angular velocity means?
The time rate of change of angular position of a rotating body, usually expressed in radians per second or minute.
What is the definition of orbit?
The curved path, usually elliptical, described by a planet, satellite, spaceship, etc., around a celestial body.
How is revolve defined?
To move in a circular or curving course or orbit.
What is sidereal day?
Being about 4 minutes shorter than a mean solar day.
How is solar day defined?
The 24-hour interval from one midnight to the following midnight.
