Astronomy Unit Vocabulary Flashcards
Luminosity, objective, constant distance temperature & size determine the brightness of a star.
absolute magnitude
How bright an object looks from Earth, photometer measure, Hipparchus scale
apparent magnitude
microwave radiation that is a remnant of the big bang
background radiation
A theory for the end of the universe. The universe will expand so much that it will separate and not be able to continue forming since everything is separated. More widely accepted/proven theory.
Big chill
the theory for the end of universe that says universe will collapse back into a singularity.
big crunch
the name given to the mysterious force that’s causing the rate of expansion of our universe to accelerate over time, rather than to slow down.
dark energy
New moon and full moon cause maximum tide heights.
spring tide
1st quarter and 3rd quarter moons that create 90 degree angles cause minimum tide heights.
neap tides.
time between high and low tide. water level is decreasing
ebb tides
a type of figure that is similar to a circle but has two foci instead of one focus. an orbit takes this path.
ellipse
a planet that orbits a star that is not the sun
exoplanet
when the sea level is increasing.
flood tides
high tide- max height
ebb tides- decreasing
low tides- min. height
flood tides- increasing
ok
a system of millions or billions of stars, together with gas and dust, held together by gravitational attraction. might include other heavenly bodies.
galaxy
when water levels reach their highest
high tide
nuclear fusion balances pressure with gravity
Hydrostatic equilibrium
the resistance to change in velocity e.g. earth rotation
inertia
space between stars; the space where sun stops affecting things
interstellar space
a planet’s orbit is an ellipse
Kepler’s first law
objects go at different speeds at different points in their orbit
kepler’s 2nd law
orbits that are closer move/orbit faster
Kepler’s 3rd law
min height
Low tide
earth’s natural satellite. reflects sun’s light. one of the causes of tides.
moon
hydrogen atoms combine to become helium atoms and so on and forth.
Nuclear fusion
the path that something takes when it moves around something else.
orbit
a scale that goes from 0-1 that represents the shape of an orbit. 0: circle
1: straight line
orbital eccentricity
balance between momentum and gravity
orbital equilibrium
a celestial body
planet
a moon, planet or machine that orbits a planet or star.
satellite
huge amt.(infinite) of matter in a small amt (almost zero) of volume
singularity
gravitation-bound system of the Sun and the objects that orbit it. It formed 4.6 billion years ago from the gravitational collapse of a giant interstellar molecular cloud.
solar system
robotic spacecraft that has no ppl. doesn’t orbit earth
space probe
spreads light into different wavelengths. exposes the composition.
spectroscope
a fixed luminous point in the night sky which is a large, remote incandescent body like the sun.
star
an explosion of a star that releases high energy such as gamma rays.
supernova
the theory that a singularity exploded and created the universe through expansion.
the big bang
vertical difference between high and low tide (double the amplitude)
tidal range
rise and fall of the sea level
tides
common way to discover exoplanets dip in light of stars by exoplanets blocking our view of it.
transit photometry
time space matter
includes space matter and energy
universe
