The Universe Flashcards
A brightness scale used to measure of how a bright star would be if it were scene from a standard distance
Absolute Magnitude
The brightness of a star as scene from Earth
apparent magnitude
A large collection of stars, dust, and gas bound together by gravity
Galaxy
Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, a graph that shows the relationship between a star’s surface tempature and absolute magnitude
H-R DIagram
The distance light travels through space in one year; about 9.46 trillion kilometers
Light year
The actual brightness of an object such as a star
Luminosity
the region on the diagram where stars spend most of their lives; it has a diagonal pattern
Main Sequence
A large cloud of dust and gas in interstellar space; a region in space where stars are born
Nebula
The core of a supernova that has collapsed under gravity to the point that the electrons and protons have smashed together to form neutrons
Neutron Star
A relatively large spherical body that orbits a star
Planet
A highly magnetized, rotating neutron star that emits a beam of electromagnetic radiation
Pulsar
The motion of a body that travels around in space; one trip along an orbit
Revolution
the spin of a body on its axis
Rotation
The collection of large and small bodies that orbit our central star, the sun.
Solar System
A large celestial body that is composed of gas and that emits light; the sun is a typical star
Star
The distance between two adjacent troughs or crests of a wave.
Wavelength
A gigantic explosion in which a massive star throws its outer layers into space, but its core remains
Supernova
Space and all the matter and energy inside of it
Universe
The hot, dense, dim core of matter that remains from the collapse of a low-mass star
white dwarf
A galaxy shaped like a pinwheel, with a bulge in the center and spiral arms extending outwards.
Spiral Galaxy
A spherical or elongated galaxy with a bright center and very little dust or gas.
Ellipitcal Galaxy
A galaxy with an irregular shape that doesn’t fit into any other category.
Irregular Galaxy
All the different wave lengths and frequencies of electromagnetic radiation, from radio waves to gamma rays.
Electromagnetic Spectrum
The theory that all matter and energy in the universe are compressed into an extremely small volume that 13 billion to 15 billion years ago exploded and began expanding in all directions.
Big Bang Theory
CMB; The electromagnetic radiation left over from the formation of the universe.
Cosmic Microwave Background
A phenomenon which occurs when a star or galaxy is moving away from the Earth and its…
Red Shift
An observed change in frequency or wavelength when the source is moving with respect to the observer.
Doppler Effect
A tool used to collect light from stars and separate the colors in the light.
Spectroscope
