Module 4 - Astronomy Flashcards
What is the brightest star (‘the heart’) of Scorpios and what is special about it?
Antares; It is a Supergiant Red Star.
What is the brightest star in the sky?
Sirius.
What is the name of our galaxy and what is in its center?
Our galaxy is the milky way. In its center is a black hole, called Sagittarius A.
Why does the color and size change of the moon when rising up the horizon?
The moon changes color and appears more yellow-relish at the horizon, because atmosphere bending the color by dust and pollution, so the light breaks through more atmosphere. The size of the moon is always the same, it is an optical illusion that the moon looks bigger at the horizon as we tend to compare it to the Landscape.
Can you name the Moon Phases?
- New Moon;
- Waxing Crescent;
- First Quarter;
- Waxing Gibbous;
- Full Moon;
- Waning Gibbous;
- Last Quarter;
- Waning Crescent
Name a meteorite site in SA.
Vredefort Crater is the largest visible meteorite crater in SA
Explain lunar and solar eclipse.
Solar Eclipse: Sun is not visible, as moon is direct in one line with earth.
Lunar Eclipse: Moon is not visible, as earth is direct in on line with sun.
How many stars are visible with the naked eye and name the visible planets
Stars: 2500
Planets: Venus, Jupiter, Mercury, Mars, Saturn
What is Spring Tide?
- Full or new moon
- Sun, earth and moon in line
- Higher tides due to gravitational pull
What is Neap Tide?
- 1st or Last Quarter Moon
- Earth, moon and sun at 90° Angle
- Gravitational pul more evenly distributed
What is a Galaxy
A large collection of stars and interstellar material that interact gravitationally and rotate around a common centre.
What is the Coal Sac?
dark Nebula in Southern Cross between Alpha and Beta Crucis
What other galaxies can we see?
Large and Small Magellanic Cloud
What is the Jewel Box?
A star nursery around Beta Crux in the Southern Crux
Closest star to Earth?
Sun
