Telescopic Astronomy (wip) Flashcards
What four ‘types’ of object are in our solar system?
- Sun
- Planets
- Dwarf planets
- Small Solar System Objects (SSSOs)
What counts as a SSSO?
Asteroids, meteroids and comets.
What characterises the four innermost planets, the terrestrial planets?
Terrestrial planets are relatively small and rocky, with an iron core.
What characterises the four outermost planets, the gas giants?
- relatively large
- liquid interior
- complex ring systems
- substantial atmosphere (hydrogen, helium, methane, ammonia)
- many natural satellites
Name four dwarf planets in the solar system.
Ceres, Pluto, Haumea, Eris.
Where is Ceres found in the solar system?
Ceres is found in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
It is the only known dwarf planet in the asteroid belt, and by far the largest object in the asteroid belt.
Why is Ceres considered a dwarf planet?
Ceres has sufficient mass to round itself into a spherical shape, however it cannot ‘sweep its orbit’ clear of debris.
What is the proper name for when an object is spherical from its own gravity?
Hydrostatic equilibrium
What are comets made of?
Comets are made of compated rock, dust, and ice.
Where is the Kuiper belt?
On the outskirts of the solar system, past Neptune.
What’s the difference between a short-period comet and a long-period comet?
Short-period comets have an orbiting period of less than 200 years.
Where do short-period comets originate?
Short-period comets originate from the Kuiper belt.
Where do long-period comets originate?
Long-period comets originate from the Oort cloud.
They have very unpredictable orbits.
What is the Oort cloud?
The Oort cloud is a spherical layer of icy objects surrounding the solar system.
What causes short-period comets to have extremely elliptical orbits?
The gravitational force created by Neptune causes extremely elliptical orbits in short-period comets.
