History of Astronomy

Astronomical Units

100

This unit is equal to the distance light travels in a year

Light-year (ly)

200

Shortest unit for distance used in astronomy, useful for distances between the Earth and the moon or the size of moons and planets.

Kilometer (km)

300

The distance between the Earth and the sun, useful for distances within the solar system

Astronomical Unit (AU)

400

Useful for measuring distance between stars and galaxies (there are two units that work here)

Light-year (ly), parsec (pc)

500

Is equal to 3.26 light years

Parsec (pc)

Scientific Notation

100

Convert the following to Scientific Notation:

1300

1.3 x 10³

200

Convert the following to Scientific Notation:

1,030,000

1.03 x 10⁶

300

Convert the following to Scientific Notation:

0.0056

5.6 x 10^-3

400

Write the following number in regular/standard notation.

7.78 x 10¹

77.8

500

Write the following number in regular/standard notation.

9.8 x 10⁰

9.8

Ancient Astronomy

100

Polaris is also known as

The North Star

200

A collection or group of stars that appear to form a picture

Constellation 

300

Stone henge alignes with the sun during what time of year?

Summer solstice

400

What time of year would the two sun daggers sit on both sides of the main Spiral?

Winter Solstice

500

What star would you be unable to see from the Earth's southern hemisphere because the Earth itself would block it from view?

Polaris

Greek Astronomy

100

The geo-centric model has what at its center?

Earth

200

Observed that the bottoms of ships would disappear first over the horizon suggesting that the earth was round

Aristotle

300

Measured the angles of sunlight coming in at two Egyptian cities, concluded that the Earth was a sphere and used his measurement to calculated the circumference of the Earth 

Eratosthenes 

400

Created extensive star catalogues of 850 stars and recorded their relative brightness and magnitude

Hipparchus 

500

Came up with an advanced geocentric model of the universe, including epicycles and planetary motion

Ptolemy

Famous Astronomers

100

Came up with the heliocentric model of the universe

Copernicus

200

Acquired a telescope and refined and improved it for precise and detailed astronomical observations.

Galileo

300

Known for his work in measuring and calculating the relationship between gravity, mass, and the distance of objects.

Newton

400

Came up with the 3 laws of planetary motion and realized that the orbits of planets were elliptical and not perfect circles 

Kepler

500

Was a mathematician of significant influence and created advanced and precise astronomical measuring devices. 

Tycho