Science Chapter 4: Astronomy Flashcards
Constellations
a group of stars that forms a pattern resembling a familiar object, character, or animal, and that changes position throughout the year because the earth moves.
Circumpolar constellations vs zodiac
Circumpolar constellations are visible year round because of their unique position. Well zodiac constellations come into view and disappear because of earth’s rotation around the sun.
Facts about the sun
The sun is an average star, it is not very hot and not very cold. It is a main sequence star, and is yellow.
Be able to label the sun’s layers
go to the google doc and do it
Prominence
Huge arching columns of gas.
Sunspot
An area of the Sun that is cooler and not as bright as the surrounding areas and that is caused by the Sun’s intense magnetic field.
Flare
Sudden brightening of gasses shooting outwards.
How to sort stars
You sort stars based off of their color to find their temperature. And based off their brightness.
Absolute vs Apparent magnitude
Absolute magnitude is a measure of the amount of light that a star actually emits. Apparent magnitude is a measure of the amount of light from a star that is received from earth.
Be able to draw the HR diagram
go to the google docs and draw it
What percent of stars are main sequence stars
90%
Compare giants and dwarfs
They both are caused by the core using up all of the stars hydrogen. Dwarfs outer layers escape into space, leaving behind a small dense core. Well giants core contracts, its outer layers expand and cool.
How do stars generate energy
They fuse hydrogen into helium in their core
Nebula
a large cloud of dust and gas that can break apart into smaller pieces and form stars.
Supergiant
life cycle stage of a massive star where the core reaches extremely high temperatures, heavy elements form by fusion, and the star expands