Stars and Galaxies Flashcards
What are constellations?
A group of stars forming a recognizable pattern that is traditionally named after its apparent form or identified with a mythological figure. Also a group or cluster of related things.
What do constellations represent?
They are suppose to honor and represent, not to potray.
How many constellations were named by early, modern astronomers?
About 8
What are circumpolar constellations?
Constellations that never set from the viewers perspective. Considered a very important effect in astronomy, it is different from seasonal constellations. Circumpolar constellations stay in the sky.
Why do the constellations appear to move?
Because of the earth revolving around the sun.
Why do other constellations come into view from earth, while others disappear?
The earth is revolving around the sun.
Why can’t Orion be seen in the summer from Earth?
If you live in the Southern Hemisphere but is blocked from the Northern Hemisphere by the glare of the sun.
What is the absolute magnitude of a star?
The measure of a celestial object’s intrinsic brightness.
What is the apparent magnitude of a star.
The apparent magnitude of a celestial body is a measure of its brightness as seen by an observer on Earth, adjusted to the value it would have in the absence of the atmosphere. The brighter of the object appears, the lower the value of its magnitude.
If 2 stars are the same distance away, what might cause one of them to be brighter than the other one?
The closer the star the brighter it is.
How is parallax used?
Can be used to measure the distance to the few stars which are close enough to the Sun to show a measurable Parallax.
Distances between stars and galaxies are measured in what?
They are measured in light years.
What is a light year?
A unit of astronomical distance equivalent to the distance that light travels in one year.
About how many km are in a light year?
10 Trillion
What does the color of a star indicate?
It represents the temperature. The blue stars are the hottest.
