The Cosmic Perspective: The Science of Astronomy (Chapter 3)

Question 1

Any way of searching for knowledge that makes no claim to follow the scientific method, such as seeking knowledge through intuition, tradition, or faith

Answer 1

Nonscience

Question 2

Plural of Focus

Answer 2

Foci

Question 3

The 19-year period, discovered by the Babylonian astronomer Meton, over which the lunar phases occur on the same dates

Answer 3

Metonic Cycle

Question 4

The region on Earth surrounding the equator and extending from the Tropic of Capricorn (Latitude 23.5S) to the Tropic of Cancer (Latitude 23.5N)

Answer 4

Tropics

Question 5

A measure of how much an ellipse deviates from a perfect circle; is defined as the center-to-focus distance divided by the length of the semimajor axis

Answer 5

Eccentricity

Question 6

Law states that the orbit of each planet about the Sun is an ellipse with the Sun at one focus

Answer 6

Kepler’s First Law

Question 7

The principle that, as a planet moves around its orbit, it sweeps out equal areas in equal times; a planet moves faster when it’s closer to the Sun than when it’s farther from the Sun

Answer 7

Kepler’s Second Law

Question 8

The principle that the square of a planet’s orbital period is proportional to the cube of its average distance from the Sun; more distant planets move slowly in their orbits

Answer 8

Kepler’s Third Law

Question 9

Motion that’s backward compared to the norm

Answer 9

Retrograde Motion

Question 10

The point at which an object orbiting the Sun is farthest from the Sun

Answer 10

Aphelion

Question 11

A model of some aspect of nature that has been rigorously tested and has passed all tests to date

Answer 11

Scientific Theory

Question 12

A principle utilized in science maintains that scientists should prefer simpler two models that agree equally well with observations

Answer 12

Occam’s Razor

Question 13

One of two particular points within an ellipse that lie along the central axis; is the points around which we could stretch a pencil and string to draw an ellipse. When one object orbits a second object, the second object lies at one focus of the orbit

Answer 13

Focus (of an ellipse)

Question 14

Navigation on the surface of the Earth accomplished by observations of the Sun and stars

Answer 14

Celestial Navigation

Question 15

The point at which an object orbiting the Sun is closest to it

Answer 15

Perihelion

Question 16

Something that may appear to be scientific but doesn’t stick to the testing and verification requirements of the scientific method

Answer 16

Pseudoscience

Question 17

Three laws discovered by Kepler describes the motion of the planets around the Sun

Answer 17

Kepler’s Law of Planetary Motion

Question 18

Direction around the horizon from due north measured clockwise in degrees

Answer 18

Azimuth

Question 19

A tentative model proposed to explain some set of observed facts but hasn;t yet been rigorously tested and confirmed

Answer 19

Hypothesis

Question 20

A type of oval that happens to be the shape of bound orbits

Answer 20

Ellipse

Question 21

Half the distance across the long axis of an ellipse; usually referred to as the average distance of an orbiting object

Answer 21

Semimajor Axis

Question 22

Proposed the Geocentric model of the solar system based on his observations

Answer 22

Copernicus

Question 23

Improved on Copernicus’ estimates of celestial events by recording the movement of celestial objects

Answer 23

Tycho

Question 24

Discarded the idea of circular orbits and discovered that the planets have elliptical orbits with the sun at one of the ellipsis’ foci

Answer 24

Keppler

Question 25

His Physicist’s laws provided the mechanism through which Keppler’s Laws worked while his laws explain the reason why things transpire the way they do

Answer 25

Newton

Question 26

The formula of the Universal Law of Gravitation

Answer 26

F = G * M1 * M2 / d^2