The Solar System

Question 1

The scientific study of the universe which is the totality of all matter, energy, space, and time

Answer 1

Astronomy

Question 2

A complex system of moving masses held together by gravitational forces, consisting of the sun, eight major planets and their satellites, dwarf planets, the asteroids, comets, meteoroids, and interplanetary dust

Answer 2

Solar System

Question 3

The old false theory of the solar system, which placed the earth at its center

Answer 3

Geocentric Model

Question 4

The model of the solar system that places the sun at its center

Answer 4

Heliocentric Model

Question 5

All planets move in elliptical orbits around the sun with the sun at one focus of the ellipse

Answer 5

Law of Elliptical Orbits

Question 6

The average distance between the earth and the sun which is 1.5x10^8 km

Answer 6

Astronomical Unit

Question 7

An imaginary line joining a planet to the sun sweeps out equal areas in equal periods of time during the orbit

Answer 7

Law of Equal Areas

Question 8

The square of the sidereal period of a planet is proportional to the cube of its semimajor axis

Answer 8

Harmonic Law

Question 9

The four inner planets in our solar system

Answer 9

Terrestrial Planets

Question 10

The four outer planets in our solar system

Answer 10

Jovian Planets

Question 11

Orbital or rotational motion in the primary direction. In the solar system this is west to east or counterclockwise as viewed from above the north pole

Answer 11

Prograde Motion

Question 12

Orbital or rotational motion opposite the primary direction. In the solar system, this is east to west or clockwise as viewed from the north pole

Answer 12

Retrograde rotation

Question 13

The time it takes a planet to make one full orbit around the sun relative to a fixed star

Answer 13

Sidereal Period

Question 14

When two planets are lined up with respect to the sun

Answer 14

Conjunction

Question 15

The time at which one of the superior planets is on the opposite side of the earth from the sun in the sky

Answer 15

Opposition

Question 16

The fraction of incident sunlight reflected by a celestial object

Answer 16

Albedo

Question 17

The spinning of an object about an internal axis

Answer 17

Rotation

Question 18

The movement of one object around another

Answer 18

Revolution

Question 19

A pendulum that is used to demonstrate the rotation of the earth

Answer 19

Foucault Pendulum

Question 20

The apparent motion that occurs between two fixed objects when the observer changes positions

Answer 20

Parallax

Question 21

The apparent displacement in the direction of light coming from a star because of the orbital motion of the earth

Answer 21

Aberration of Starlight

Question 22

A new class of planets including Pluto, Ceres, Eris, Haumea, and Makemake

Answer 22

Dwarf Planets

Question 23

A large spherical cloud of cold gases and dust that contracted under the influence of its own gravity began rotating and then flattened into a swirling disk of gas and dust

Answer 23

Solar Nebula

Question 24

A process of solar system formation in which interstellar dust grains act as condensation nuclei to facilitate the growth of protoplanets

Answer 24

Condensation Theory

Question 25

Planets that orbit stars other than our own sun

Answer 25

Extrasolar Planets