Solar System Flashcards
What are the regions of the electromagnetic spectrum?
Gamma rays, x-rays, ultra violet, visible light, infra red, microwave, radio wave
wavelengths, frequencies, and energies on the spectrum
gamma- shortest wavelength, high frequency, high energy- radio wave- long wavelength, low frequency, low energy
Distinguish between refracting and reflecting telescopes
refracting: uses lenses that sends light through the objective lens and through a focus to the eyepiece, where the magnifying happens.
Reflecting; uses curved mirrors to reflect the light bounces off of a primary mirror which hits a secondary mirror and then through a focal point to the eyepiece.
What type of light can the Hubble telescope observe?
near ultraviolet, visible, infrared
Why is the Hubble telescope so magnificent?
images not blocked by atmosphere and turbulence reduces the resolution in images
Earths day- night cycle
As the earth rotates, it also orbits around the sun so when the rotation completes, the sun is in a different part of the sky.
Earths solstices
The tilt of the earths axis also accounts for having shorter days and longer days. For example the June solstice is when the north rotational pole is facing the sun and the northern side of the hemisphere faces the longest day of the year whereas the southern side faces the shortest.
Earths seasons
The tilt of the earth also accounts for the earths seasons and why when the northern pole is facing the sun in the rotational orbit, Canada experiences summer, where Australia experiences their colder winter months.
Earths tides
The gravitational pull of the sun and the moon actually create tides. since the moon is much closer, it exerts a stronger gravitational pull and the earths oceans will bulge and dip as the moon orbits.
Earths equinoxes
Happens twice a year when the sun passes earths equator. On these days, night and day are both equal all over the planet.
What is a solar eclipse?
Blocking of the suns light by the moon passing between the earth and the sun.
What is a lunar eclipse?
When the moon passes through the earths shadow
What are the phases of the moon?
Full moon, waxing gibbous, first quarter, waxing crescent, new moon, waning crescent, third quarter, waning gibbous,
How did the moon form?
It is said that the earth collided with a large asteroid that took a chunk of earth off and formed to the asteroid. The gravity and orbit formed it to be round do to its large mass like other planets.
What are lunar highlands?
Light colored, mountainous regions.
What is mare?
Dark smooth plains on the moon.
What are craters?
impacts formed on the moon from things crashing into it.
What is regolith?
Loose material covering the moon, containing dust, soil broken rock.
What is ejecta?
Material that falls back to the moon after an impact blast.
What are lunar rays?
Long trails of ejecta on the moons surface.
What are rills?
Valley like features on the moon.
Why is there a far side of the moon?
The tidal forces from the earth slowed down the moon so only one side faces the earth at all times.