Astronomy Chapters 5-6 Flashcards
A ( ) is when one celestial body passes closely by another.
Conjunction
A ( ) occurs when three or more objects come close together in the sky.
Massing
A ( ) ( ) occurs when a planet passes by another celestial object three times in a row.
Triple conjunction
An ( ) is when one celestial object passes directly in front of another, blocking the background object from sight.
occultation
Only ( ) eclipses are true eclipses, where we observe the shadow of one body falling on another.
Lunar
Total ( ) eclipses are far more common than total (
) eclipses.
Lunar, Solar
The ( ) method is a way to safely view the sun during a solar eclipse.
Projection
A meteor, sometimes called a “falling star,” is caused by a small bit of matter falling from space and burning up as it is ( ) by atmospheric resistance.
Heated
The term ( ) refers to the bright streak in the sky.
Meteor
The rock causing the streak is called the what?
Meteoroid
The rock that hits the earth’s surface is called a what?
Meteorite
During a meteor shower they will appear to move away from the same point in space. This point is called the what?
Radiant
A particularly bright meteor is called a what?
Fireball
The visible trail that glows behind a bright meteor is called a what?
Train
A ( ) ( ) is a rare occurrence where the sky appears to be raining meteors.
Meteor Storm
What is the meaning of the word Corona?
Crown
Both ( ) ( ) and ( ) are caused by sunlight reflecting off the dust in the solar system.
Zodiacal light and gegenschein
( ) orbit the earth in about 90 minutes.
Satellites
What is the worst time to view satellites?
Winter
The iridium ( ) is the temporary brightening of a satellite associated with the company Iridium Communications Inc.
Flare
One of the telescope’s most important functions is to make faint things ( ) enough to be seen.
Bright
For the telescope, ( ) power is the ability to “separate” things that are close together.
Resolving
The overall ability of a telescope is determined by the diameter of the primary lens or primary mirror; the “( )”
Aperture
The two kinds of telescopes are what?
Refractors and reflectors
( ) use curved mirrors to reflect and focus incoming light.
Reflectors
( ) use lenses only, no mirrors.
Refractors
”( ) ( )” is when bright objects you view through a refractor are surrounded by a little purple halo.
Chromatic aberration
Reflectors use a curved ( ) instead of a primary lens to bring light to a focus.
Mirror
Newtonians are reflecting telescopes named after who?
Isaac Newton
The ( ) is generally considered to be the best all-around general-use telescope for amateur astronomers.
Schmidt-Cassegrain
( ) is when dew collects on the corrector plate of a telescope.
Dewing
A ( ) ( ) can prevent dew from collecting as you observe the night sky.
Dew shield
Binoculars or a small telescope will allow you to observe the moon, bright stars, open star clusters, and ( ) Galaxy, and some bright comets.
Andromeda
A ( ) allows the telescope to pivot in at least two directions.
Mount
A ( - ) is a motor that slowly rotates the telescope in the opposite direction that Earth rotates.
Clock-drive
Telescope mounts come in two varieties: ( ) mount and ( ) (alt-azimuth) mounts.
Equatorial and horizon
A ( ) telescope is the name of the second small refractor telescope often attached to the larger one.
Spotting
A ( ) adds a laser-produced artificial spot, concentric circles, or crosshairs that indicate exactly where the telescope is pointed.
telrad
If you want to do astrophotography, get a ( - ) system.
Computer-controlled
The most important tip for setting up a telescope for the first time is to set it up ( )
inside
You can begin the alignment of the telescope as soon as it is dark enough to see what?
The North Star
If a telescope is computer controlled, turn it on, and begin the ( - ) program
Auto- alignment
Spotter scopes do what three things to an image?
Invert, magnify, and brighten
