Space Flashcards
prime meridian
cuts earth from top to bottom (sagittal plane)
Early theory of space:
Earth is central, everything else revolves around it
Earth centered model
for 2000 years, this geocentric concept was worked on by Ptolemy. It could not explain why MARS, JUPITER, and SATURN would switch direction.
Sun-centered/ heliocentric model.
The theory of the sun being the center of the universe. In early 1500, Nicholas Copernicus proposed this.
sky coordinates
altitude/azimuth
altitude
the measure of a celestial body’s angle above the horizon
how to measure altitude
astrolabe (kinda like a protractor)
azimuth
the measure of a celestial body clockwise from north
how to measure azimuth
compass
altitude/azimuth assuptions
Earth is fixed in space
optical telescope
collects visible light rays
radio telescope
collects radio waves invisible to our eyes
objective lens
lens at the end of the telescope
ocular lens
eyepiece
when was the telescope invented
1608
how to increase telescope strength
increase resolving power by increasing the diameter of the objective lens
whats resolving power
ability to see finer objects from far away/magnification
How to calculate resolving power/magnification
M = objective focal length/eyepiece focal length
What is the magnification if the objective focal length is 60cm and the eyepiece focal length is 2cm?
30
Refracting telescope
uses a lens to take in lots of light and focus it to our eye at the end of the barrel
reflecting telescope
a concave mirror at the end of the barrel focuses incoming light onto another mirror which focuses the image into our eye.
combination telescope
a correcting lens lets in the light which reflects off of other mirrors, sending the image to our eye.
radio telescopes: how do they work?
radio waves supply energy and are reflected into an antenna which transmits info to our computers.
interferometry
combining input from several telescopes to increase resolution
light is only one form of electromagnetic radiation: name the others
radio waves, infrared waves (heat), ultraviolet waves, gamma rays, x rays
electromagnetic spectrum
shows all of the different electromagnetic waves/rays
spectroscopy
combining bigger, better telescopes, receiving maximum light.
nebula
an interstellar cloud of dust, hydrogen, helium + other ionized gassed
nebula particles can collect to form…
stars, planets an galaxies
nebulae other term
interstellar nursury
sun composition
plasma
how is the sun held together
self gravity
define solar system
a star and all the objects which orbit around it
can solar systems have more than 1 star?
yes
planet mnemonic
My Very Excited Mother Just Served Us Noodles
types of planets
terrestrial and gaseous
terrestrial planets
mercury, venus, earth, mars
gaseous planets
jupiter, saturn, neptune, uranus
terrestrial planet qualities
close to the sun
small
rock/metal
dense
slow rotation
no rings
few/no moons
weak/no magnetic field
gaseous planet qualities
far from sun
big
gas
low density
fast rotation
rings
many moons
strong magnetic field
gravitational force rule
larger planet = larger gravitational force
length of day rule
closer to sun = longer day
length of year rule
further from sun = longer year
comet
chunk of ice/rock from outer solar system with coma and tail
asteroid
a rock in orbit between jupiter and mars
meteoroid
bigger than a speck of dust, smaller than an asteroid.
meteor
the light seen as a rock burns up entering the atmosphere
meteorite
space rock that doesn’t fully burn up in the atmosphere
lunar eclipse
when the earth is between moon/sun
when the moon is between earth/sun
solar eclipse.
which planets have rings
the gaseous planets
newton’s 3rd law
action/reaction principle: for ever action there is an equal and opposite reaction
define exhaust velocity
the speed at which the exaust leaves the rocket
rocket range
how high or far a rocket goes
payload
device/material the rocket is carrying
rocket og use
fireworks/weaponry
do liquid or solid fuels have higher velocity
liquid
define multistage rocket
sections of rocket are dropped as their fuel is used up.
staged rocket benefits
less weight over time, dropping stage give extra propelling
2 types of satellites
natural and artificial
natural satellite examples
moon, earth
satellite definition
something that orbits something else
artificial satellite uses
communication, research, radio, mapping, observation
two types of satellite orbits
geosynchronous and low earth orbit (leo)
the name of the science for measuring earth from space.
remote sensing
remote sensing examples
monitoring air pollution, monitoring water quality, vegetation analysis
gps
global positioning system
why do satellites need to know the time
The time information is placed in the codes broadcast by the satellite so that a receiver can continuously determine the time the signal was broadcast. The signal contains data that a receiver uses to compute the locations of the satellites and to make other adjustments needed for accurate positioning
geo orbit satellites go around…
the equator
geo orbit length
24hrs
leo length
~1.5 hrs
leo - one position or multiple?
multiple
geo orbit distance from earth
36k km
what calculates/controls spacecraft orbit?
COMPUTERS
are the comps on the ground or in the ship
in the ship. Space base on earth has communication and monitoring
define gravitational assist
a method of acceleration which enables a spacecraft to gain extra speed by using the gravity of another planet
canadarm use
deploys, maneuvers and captures payloads
ballistic missile
launched and not controlled. angle is directed at target
cruise missile
controlled their entire journey
V2s were…
ballistic
