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Astronomy > The Cosmic Perspective: Discovering the Universe for Yourself (Chapter 2) > Flashcards

The Cosmic Perspective: Discovering the Universe for Yourself (Chapter 2) Flashcards

1
Q

The angular east-west distance between the prime meridian (which passes through Greenwich, England) and a location on Earth’s surface

A

Longitude

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2
Q

Refers both to the point on the celestial sphere where the ecliptic is farthest south of the celestial equator and to the moment in time when the Sun appears at that point each year (around December 21st) - People living in the Northern Hemisphere

A

Winter Solstice

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3
Q

An event that occurs when the Moon passes through Earth’s shadow, which can only occur at a full moon

A

Lunar Eclipse

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4
Q

The imaginary sphere in which objects in the sky appear to reside when observed from Earth

A

Celestial Sphere

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5
Q

The phase of the Moon that occurs one-quarter of the way through each cycle of phases, in which precisely half of the visible face is illuminated by sunlight

A

First-Quarter Moon Phase

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6
Q

The two points in the Moon’s orbit where it crosses the ecliptic plane

A

Nodes (Of Moon’s Orbit)

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7
Q

The apparent motion of a planet during the period of a few weeks or months when it moves westward relative to the stars in our sky

A

Apparent Retrograde Motion

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8
Q

A star that always remains above the horizon for a particular latitude

A

Circumpolar Star

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9
Q

1/60 of 1 Degree

A

Arcminute

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10
Q

One of the two coordinates needed to pinpoint an object in the local sky

A

Direction (in local sky)

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11
Q

The point on the celestial sphere directly above Earth’s South Pole

A

South Celestial Pole

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12
Q

A solar eclipse during which the Sun becomes only partially blocked by the disk of the moon

A

Partial Solar Eclipse

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13
Q

The set of phases in which more of the visible face of the Moon is becoming illuminated; the phases that come after the new moon but before the full moon

A

The Waxing Phases

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14
Q

Refers both to the point on the celestial sphere where the ecliptic is farthest north of the celestial equator and to the moment in time when the Sun appears at that point each year (around June 21st) - People living in the Northern Hemisphere

A

Summer Solstice

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15
Q

The phase of the Moon (or a planet) in which just a small portion (less than half) of the visible face is illuminated by sunlight

A

The Crescent Moon Phases

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16
Q

The imaginary sphere on which objects in the sky appear to reside when observed from Earth

A

Celestial Sphere

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17
Q

A half-circle extending from your horizon (altitude 0 degrees) due south, through your zenith, to your horizon due north

A

Meridian

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18
Q

A region of the sky; 88 official constellations cover the celestial sphere

A

Constellation

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19
Q

A solar eclipse during which the Moon is directly in front of the Sun, but its angular size isn’t large enough to fully block the Sun; thus a ring (or annulus) of sunlight is still visible around the Moon’s disk

A

Annular Solar Eclipse

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20
Q

The phase of the Moon that occurs three-quarters of the way through each cycle of phases, in which precisely half of the visible face is illuminated by sunlight

A

Third-Quarter Moon Phase

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21
Q

The lighter, outlying regions of a shadow

A

Penumbra

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22
Q

Periods during which lunar and solar eclipses can occur because the nodes of the Moon’s orbit are aligned with Earth and the Sun

A

Eclipse Seasons

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23
Q

An object that orbits a planet

A

Moon

24
Q

The angular distance between the horizon and an object in the sky

A

Altitude (above horizon)

25
Q

A boundary that divides what we can see from what we can’t see

A

Horizon

26
Q

The apparent shift in the position of a nearby star (relative to distant objects) that occurs as we view the star from different positions in Earth’s orbit of the Sun each year

A

Stellar Parallax

27
Q

The portion of a total lunar eclipse during which the Moon is entirely within Earth’s umbral shadow or a total solar eclipse during which the Sun’s disk is entirely blocked by the Moon

A

Totality (Eclipse)

28
Q

A lunar eclipse in which the Moon becomes fully covered by Earth’s umbral shadow

A

Total Lunar Eclipse

29
Q

1/60 of an arcminute, or 1/3600 of 1 Degree

A

Arcsecond

30
Q

The meridian of longitude that passes through Greenwich, England; is defined to be longitude 0 Degrees

A

Prime Meridian

31
Q

The gradual wobble of the axis of a rotating object around a vertical line

A

Precession

32
Q

The extension of Earth’s equator onto the celestial sphere

A

Celestial Equator (CE)

33
Q

The period over which the basic pattern of eclipses repeats, which is about 18 years and 11 1/3 days

A

Saros Cycle

34
Q

The phase of the Moon in which more than half but less than all of the visible face is illuminated by sunlight

A

The Gibbous Moon Phases

35
Q

The set of phases in which less and less of the visible face of the Moon is illuminated; the phases that come after the full moon but before the new moon

A

The Waning Moon Phases

36
Q

The sky as viewed from a particular location on Earth (or another solid object)

A

Local Sky

37
Q

The point directly overhead, which has an altitude of 90 Degrees

A

Zenith

38
Q

One of the two coordinates (the other is altitude) is needed to pinpoint an object in the local sky

A

Direction (in local sky)

39
Q

The point on the celestial sphere directly above Earth’s North Pole

A

North Celestial Pole (NCP)

40
Q

Motion that’s backward compared to the norm

A

Retrograde Motion

41
Q

A solar eclipse during which the Sun becomes fully blocked by the disk of the Moon

A

Total Solar Eclipse

42
Q

A lunar eclipse during which the Moon passes only within Earth’s penumbral shadow and doesn’t fall within the umbra

A

Penumbral Lunar Eclipse

43
Q

Direction around the horizon from due north measured clockwise in degrees

A

Azimuth

44
Q

A measure of the angle formed by extending imaginary lines outward from our eyes to span an object (of the space between two objects)

A

Angular Size/Angular Distance

45
Q

The angular north-south distance between Earth’s equator and a location on Earth’s Surface

A

Latitude

46
Q

The rotation of an object that always shows the same face to an object that it’s orbiting because its rotation and orbital periods are equal

A

Synchronous Rotation

47
Q

The Sun’s apparent path among the constellations

A

Ecliptic

48
Q

A lunar eclipse during which the Moon becomes only partially covered by Earth’s umbral shadow

A

Partial Lunar Eclipse

49
Q

The state is determined by how atoms or molecules are held together; the common phases are solid, liquid, and gas

A

Phases of Matter

50
Q

An event that occurs when the Moon’s shadow falls on Earth, which can occur only on a new moon (May be total, partial, or annular)

A

Solar Eclipse

51
Q

The state is determined by the portion of the visible face of the Moon (or a planet) that is illuminated by sunlight

A

Phase (of the Moon or a planet)

52
Q

The apparent shifting of an object against the background due to viewing it from different positions

A

Parallax

53
Q

The constellations on the celestial sphere through which the ecliptic passes

A

Zodiac

54
Q

The dark central region of a shadow

A

Umbra

55
Q

Refers both to the point in Virgo on the celestial sphere where the ecliptic crosses the celestial equator and to the moment in time when the Sun appears (around September 21st) - People living in the Northern Hemisphere

A

Fall Equinox

56
Q

Refers to the point in Pisces on the Celestial Sphere where the ecliptic crosses the celestial equator and to the moment in time when the Sun appears (around March 21st) - People living in the Northern Hemisphere

A

Spring Equinox

Astronomy (6 decks)

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