Defintions Flashcards
What is an apogee?
The point in the orbit of the moon or a satellite at which it is furthest from the earth.
Asteroid
A small rocky body orbiting the sun.
Astronomer
An expert in or student of astronomy.
Astronomy
The branch of science that deals with celestial objects,space, and the physical universe as a whole.
Azimuth
The azimuth of a celestial body is the angle between the vertical plane containing it and the plane of the meridian
Big Bang
The rapid expansion of matter from a state of extremely high density and temperature that according to current cosmological theories marked the origin of the universe.
Binary
A double star system comprising of two stars orbiting around their common centre of mass.
Black hole
Black holes are objects so dense that not even light can escape their gravity.
Celestial
Of or relating to the sky or physical universe as understood in astronomy.
What is a comet?
A celestial object that orbits the sun along an elongated path.
Crater
The cap-shaped depression of cavity on the surface of the earth or other heavenly body marking the office orifice of a volcano
Earth
The planet on which we live. It is the third planet from the sun and the only object in the universe known to harbor life.
Eclipse
An astronomical event that occurs when an astronomical object is temporarily obscured, either by passing into the shadow of another body or by having another body pass between it and the viewer.
What is an equinox?
The time or date (twice each year) at which the sun crosses the celestial equator, when day and night are of equal length. (September 22 March 20)
Flare
A sudden,rapid, and intense variation in brightness. (A solar flare occurs when magnetic energy that has built up in the solar atmosphere is suddenly released.)
Galaxy
A galaxy is a gravitationally bound system of stars,stellar remnants,interstellar gas,dust,planets and dark matter.
Gravity
Gravity is a force which tries to pull two objects toward each other.