The Solar System
Which model of the universe places the Sun at the center of the solar system?
Heliocentric model
Name the 4 gaseous planets
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
Which type of telescope uses both mirrors and lenses?
A combination telescope
What is a satellite?
Any object that orbits (moves around) a larger object in space, due to gravity
Explain or draw the difference between a lunar and a solar eclipse
Lunar - the earth is between the sun and the moon, causing the moon to be in the Earth's shadow Solar - the moon is between the earth and the sun, causing the shadow of the moon to fall on the Earth
True or False: Terrestrial Planets have more moons than Gaseous planets
False
Where are stars born?
Nebulae
What does spectral analysis tell us about stars?
Their composition
Name the method that uses triangulation to determine the distance to an object in space
Parallax
What is the shape of the Earth's orbit around the sun?
An Ellipse
What is the difference between a meteor, meteorite, and a meteroid?
meteor - meteoroid that burns up after colliding with Earth's atmosphere meteoroid - piece of rock moving through space meteorite - meteoroid large enough to pass through Earth and lands on ground without burning up.
What is the difference between a constellation and an asterism
Constellation = official star group.
Asterism = a familiar star pattern that might be part of a constellation.
Name a type of technology that helps astronauts survive in space
Life-support systems (recycling air and water), space suits, pressurized cabins
Describe redshift
Redshift is a way that astronomers figure out if something in space, like a star or galaxy, is moving away from us. When a light source moves away from you, the light waves get stretched out, making them look more red.
What are the benefits to putting telescopes in space?
Clearer images because they are beyond the atmosphere
Name the 4 inner (terrestrial) planets
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars
Think about the Hertzsprung-Russel Diagram:
Where do stars spend most of their life?
The Main Sequence
Describe the risk of microgravity
Microgravity is the condition in space where there is very little gravity, so objects and astronauts appear to float. Microgravity in space can weaken muscles and bones, shift body fluids, affect balance, and reduce the immune system, making astronauts more vulnerable to health problems.
Explain the doppler effect
What happens to waves when the source of the waves is moving relative to an observer.
If the source is moving toward you, the waves get compressed.
If the source is moving away from you, the waves get stretched out.
What causes day and night on Earth?
Earth's rotation on its axis
What did Galileo see through his telescope that helped prove the geocentric model was not correct?
"stars" orbiting around Jupiter, proving that not everything orbits around the Earth
What happens to a medium star after it leaves the main sequence?
Expands into a red giant
What was the name of the craft that orbited the Earth with the first human being in space?
Vostok 1
What is the purpose of artificial satellites?
Communication, GPS, weather observation, remote sensing
What was recording the movement of stars in the night sky used for by early sky watchers?
Allows them to predict weather patterns, location of herds, and use for navigation