Space Flashcards
Get gud at space
Red Giant
a large star cooler than our sun, e.g. 3000k
White dwarf
Small hot star, e.g. 10000k
Blue supergiant
very large very hot star, e.g. 25000k
luminosity
the rate at which energy of all types is radiated by an object in all directions, measured in watts
Stefan-Boltzmann law
the power output of a black body is proportional to its surface area and the fourth power of its temperature in Kelvin, L=σAT^4
Wein’s Law
that the relationship between the peak output wavelength and temperature for a black body radiator is given by the equation λmaxT=2.898*10^-3mK
Hurtzsprung-Russell diagram
a plot of stars showing luminosity/absolute magnitude on the y-axis and temperature/spectral class on the x-axis
main sequence
a rough diagonal line from top left to bottom right of a Hurtzsprung-Russell diagram which marks stars that are in a generally stable phase in their existence
protostar
dust and gas clumping together under the force of gravity, prior to the start of nuclear fusion in its core, which will go on to become a star
neutron star
one of the possible conclusions to the life of a large mass star, small and very dense, composed of neutrons
black hole
one of the possible conclusions to the life of a large mass star, a region of space-time in which gravity is so strong that it prevents anything from escaping, including EM radiation
planetary nebula
the remnants of an explosion at the end of the life cycle of a low-mass star; material which may eventually agglomerate into new planets
black dwarf
the final stage of the life cycle of a small mass star, when nuclear fusion has ceased and it has cooled so that it no longer emits visible light
supernova
the explosion of a large mass star at the end of its lifetime, when it becomes extremely unstable
light year
the distance light can travel in one year, which is about 10^16 m
