MidTerm Flashcards
There are ___ minutes in a degree
60
There are ___ seconds in a minute
60
Imaginary structure surrounding earth, to which the stars are affixed
Celestial Sphere
This point on the celestial sphere is directly above the Earths north pole
Celestial North Pole (CNP)
This point on the celestial sphere is directly above the Earths south pole
Celestial South Pole (CNP)
This great circle on the celestial sphere is directly above Earth’s equator
Celestial Equator (CE)
Instead of latitude, celestial equatorial system coordinates use lines of
declination
Instead of longitude, celestial equatorial system coordinates use lines of
Hours of Right Ascension
This great circle is the boundary between the earth and sky
Horizon
This point is at the top of your sky
Zenith
This line stretches from North through the Zenith, to South___
Meridian
In the horizon system, an angular measurement of height is called
Altitude
In the horizon system, an angular measurement of compass direction is ___
Azimuth
The sun, moon, stars and planets rise in the ___ and set in the ___; this is due to the earths ___
east, west, rotation
There are ___ hours in one solar day
24
The sun is highest in the sky at ___
Culmination
Earth’s orbital path around sun, or sun’s yearly path in our sky
Revolution
Due to earth’s revolution, the sun seems to move ___ against the starry background.
1 degree
The sun, moon and planets are all found on or near this line:____
ecliptic
The ecliptic is also the center line of the ___
Zodiac
During what season do these constellations appear in the mid-evening sky? Orion, Scorpius, Leo, Pegasus
Winter, Summer, Spring, Fall/Autumn
The beginnings of summer and winter are called
solstices
The beginnings of spring and fall are called
equinox
The point in a planet’s orbit when its nearest the sun
perihelion
The point in a planets orbit when its farthest from the sun
aphelion
Month when earth is at perihelion; at aphelion
January / July
When earths northern hemisphere has summer, the southern hemisphere has
winter
The reason why we have seasons on earth:
23.5 degrees of tilt
Roman / Norse god: Sunday
Sol
Roman / Norse god: Monday
Luna
Roman / Norse god: Tuesday
Tiw
Roman / Norse god: Wednesday
Woden
Roman / Norse god: Thursday
Thor
Roman / Norse god: Friday
Freya
Roman / Norse god: Saturday
Saturn
Official, generally mythological grouping of stars
constellations
Number of officially recognized constellations
88
Because the stars are very far away from us, their angular velocities are great; so today’s constellation patterns are very different from those of thousands of years ago - T/F?
False
Unofficial, easier to see star grouping
Asterism
Example of an asterism
Ursa Major = Plough (England) or Chariot (Rome)
Our current North Star, this star lies very near the north celestial pole
Polaris
Constellations typically have ___ names
Greek
Stars typically have ___ names
Arabic
“Betelgeuse” means this:
the armpit of the giant
Why do you think Aldebaran is called “the follower”?
Follows the Hyades Cluster (Head of the Bull)
The Greek alphabet is used for this stellar purpose
measuring brightness
The “name” of Alpha Canis Majoris
Sirius
This stars altitude equals your latitude in earths northern hemisphere
Polaris
Where on earth would you be if you never could see Polaris
southern Hemisphere
Constellation that never sets below the horizon
Circumpolar
Are any constellations circumpolar at the north pole
All
Are any constellations circumpolar at the equator
None
The only circumpolar constellation for our latitude
Ursa Minor
What is our latitude in this part of Florida?
27.5
The carious appearances of the moon, its various apparent shapes, are called
Phases
Due to its revolution of earth, the moon moves ___ against the stars during the month.
13 degrees
Like the planets, the moon shines not by its own light, but by reflected
light
The dark regions on the moon are called
Maria (plural) or Mare (individual)
27.3 day orbit of the moon about the Earth
Sidereal month
29.5 day cycle of moon phases
Synodic month
This line separates night from day on any moon or planet
Terminator
Term to describe sun, earth and moon in a rough aligment
Syzygy
Can you see the new moon?
No
Term to describe when the sun and moon are together in the sky
Conjunction
Term to describe when moon is on the opposite side of sky from sun
Opposition
When the moon appears to grow fuller night after night
Waxing
When the moon appears to diminish night after night
Waning
Phase of moon after new moon
Waning Crescent
Phase of moon one week past new
Quarter
Phase of moon when it appears egg-shaped
Gibbous
Phase of moon when its fully lit
Full
What does a quarter moon look like in the sky?
Half Lit
Because earth revolves about the sun, moonrise is delayed about ___ minutes earch day
50
Rise time for New Moon ___; 1st Quarter ___; Full___; 3rd Quarter
With the sun; Noon (sets at midnight); Sunset (set sunrise); Midnight (set noon)
Why is the synodic month longer than the sidereal month?
Based on position in sky
For every one revolution of the moon about the earth, the moon makes on full rotation on its axis - T/F?
True
This ancient structure in England may have been used to predict the change of seasons and eclipse of the sun and moon
Stonehenge
We don’t know much about ancient megalith builders because they left few ___ records
written
In Mesopotamia, eclipses, comets and the planet appearances were recorded on ___
clay and stone tablets
___ were used by native Americans to record the position of the sun through the year
Medicine Wheels
These Meso-American people made careful observations of the sky and great calendars:
Aztec, Maya, Inca, Toltec, Olmec
An ancient model suggested Earth was on the backs of 4 ___ that stood on a great ___
elephants, turtle
Egyptian sky goddess, often depicted on tomb and sarcophagus paintings:
Nut
Ancient Egyptians measured the length of the ___ and knew it was about ___ days long
year, 365.25
To ancient Egyptians, the most important star was ___ known to them as Isis or Sothis
Sirius
When a star rises just before the sun comes up, its known as a ___ rising.
heliacal
___ stars were bright stars, spread out about every 10 degrees across the sky
Decanal
The rising of decanal stars through the summer night established our time period of the ___.
hours
The sun’s eastward movement through the background of stars is about ___ degree a day.
1
Egyptian ___ included hippopotamuses, alligators, jackals, and heroes.
constellations
Of the Seven Wonders of the World, only this one remains standing
The Great Pyramid (of Khufu)
The Great Pyramid is oriented toward the four main or ___ directions.
cardinal
To ancient Egyptians, Orion represented the god of the afterlife
Osiris
