Vocab Flashcards
A measure of the amount of light that is received on earth
Apparent magnitude
A measure of the amount of light that a star actually admits
Absolute magnitude
A star system that contains two stars
Binary star
A gaseous layer of the suns atmosphere that is visible during a total eclipse of the sun
Chromosphere
A group of stars that form a pattern in the sky
Constellation
The outer most region of the suns atmosphere
Corona
The splitting of atoms that release a tremendous amount of energy and is used to start the chain reaction of an atomic explosion
Fission
A nuclear reaction and which nuclei combine to form more massive nuclei with the simultaneous release of energy
Fusion
A graph relating the temperature and brightness of stars
HR diagram
The distance light travels in one year
Light year
The amount of energy radiated by a star per second
Luminosity
A diagonal area on an HR diagram that includes more than 90% of all stars
Main sequence
A cloud of interstellar gas and dust
Nebula
The small dense remains of a high dense supernova
Neutron star
The apparent change in position of an object when seen from different places
Parallax
3.26 light years
Parsec
Lowest layer of the suns atmosphere and the layer that gives off light
Photosphere
A loop of gas the protrudes from the suns surface linking parts of sunspot regions
Prominence
A rapidly spinning neutron start hat produces radio waves
Pulsar
An eruption of gas from the suns surface that occurs when loops and sunspot regions suddenly connect
Solar flares
Continuous stream of high energy particles released into space in all directions from the suns corona
Solar winds
Particles from flares brought by solar wind cause auroras
Northern lights
A ball of gas that produces energy by fusing hydrogen into helium average middle aged average brightness
Sun
