Place and Time Flashcards
A two dimensional coordinate system in which two number lines are drawn perpendicular to each other and the origin is assigned at the point of intersection. A third dimension may be taken in the z direction
Cartesian Coordinate System
Imaginary lines encircling the Earth parallel to the equator
Parallels
Imaginary lines drawn along the surface of the Earth running from the geographic North Pole to the geographic South Pole perpendicular to the equator
Meridians
Any circle on the surface of a sphere. It applies especially to imaginary circles in the Earths surface that pass through both the north and south pole
Great Circle
The angular measurement in degrees north or south of the equator for a point on the surface of the earth
Latitude
The angular measurement in degrees east or west of the reference meridian, known as the prime meridian for a point on the surface of the earth
Longitude
The reference meridian of longitude, which passes through the old royal Greenwich observatory near London
Prime Meridian
The elapsed time between two successive crossings of the same meridian by the sun
Solar Day
The elapsed time between two successive crossings of the same meridian by a star other than the sun.
Sidereal Day
The time at the central prime meridian
Greenwich Mean Time
The international time standard based on time kept by atomic clocks
Coordinated Universal Time
The meridian that is 180 degrees east or west of the Prime meridian
International Date Line
Time advanced one hour from standard time adopted during the spring and summer months to take advantage of longer evening daylight hours and save electricity
Daylight Saving Time
The angle measured from the horizon to a celestial object in the sky a above
Altitude
The complementary angle of the altitude; it is the angle between the zenith and an object in the sky
Zenith Angle
The farthest point of the suns latitude north of the equator around June 21
Summer Solstice
The farthest point of the suns latitude south of the equator, around December 22
Winter Solstice
The point where the sun crosses the celestial equator from north to south, around September 22
Autumnal equinox
The point where the sun crosses the celestial equator from south to north around march 21
Vernal equinox
The time interval from one vernal equinox to the next
Tropical Year
The time interval for the earth to make one complete revolution around the sun with respect to any particular star other than the sun
Sidereal Year
The reformed Julian calendar or our present day calendar
Gregorian Calendar
The slow rotation of the axis spin of the earth around an axis perpendicular to the ecliptic plane. The rotation is clockwise as observed from the north celestial pole
Precession
