Terms and Definitions
Solar system
Celestial phenomena
Earthly phenomena
Misc.
100
Define the term "revolution."
The time it takes for an object to orbit another
100
Name all 8 planets
mercury, venus, earth, mars, jupiter, saturn, uranus, neptune
100
What is a constellation?
group of stars in the sky that form a specific pattern
100
What are tides?
The rising and falling of ocean water due to the pull of the moon
100
What is the apparent magnitude of the sun?
-26
200
An eclipse is a phenomenon in which one celestial object moves directly behind another object.
True or False. If false, provide the correct statement.
An eclipse is a phenomenon in which one celestial object moves directly in front of another object.
200
Which is closer to the sun? Kuiper belt or Oort cloud
Kuiper belt
200
The brighter the star, the higher the apparent magnitude.
True or false. If false, correct the statement
The brighter the star, the lower the apparent magnitude
200
How do we have seasons?
Because of the tilt of earth's axis which causes differences in exposure to sunlight
200
Who names the constellations and how many are there?
The International Astronomical Union, 88
300
What is the difference between umbra and penumbra?
Umbra: inner shadow
Penumbra: outer shadow
300
What is the Kuiper belt and who found it?
The Kuiper belt is a disc-shaped group of millions of small objects orbiting around the sun.
Founded by Gerard Kuiper
300
Name 5 major constellations.
Big dipper, Little dipper, Orion, Ursa major, Cassiopeia
300
Why do ships seem to disappear as they go off into the horizon?
Because of the curvature of the earth
300
Why are comet tails called ion tails?
Because the gases have been ionized by the sun's radiation
400
What is retrograde motion? Why does this motion looks as it is?
Retrograde motion: when an object like a planet seems to move in the direction opposite to other celestial bodies
Cause: difference in orbital speeds
400
What is an orbital radius? Which planet has the greatest and the smallest orbital radius?
The average distance from the center of an object to the center of the object that it orbits.
Largest: Jupiter
Smallest: Mercury
400
Why does the moon look red during a total lunar eclipse?
Only red light can reach it because of its long wavelength and because it's behind earth so earth's shadow falls on it.
400
What is a meteor shower and when does it happen?
A celestial event where numerous meteors are observed to radiate from a single point in the night sky.
Occurs when Earth passes through streams of cosmic debris, known as meteoroids, which enter the atmosphere at high speeds.
400
What are saturn rings made up of?
Ice particles
500
Compare asteroids to meteoroids.
A meteoroid is a small piece of an asteroid or a comet, typically pebble-sized, while an asteroid is a larger rocky object that orbits the Sun.
500
Name the inner and outer planets: what is the difference between the two?
Inner: mercury, venus, earth, mars
Outer: jupiter, saturn, uranus, neptune
inner planets are earth like with solid corners and rocky crusts but outer planets are made of gases
500
What language did the word asterism come from and what does it mean?
Greek, star
500
Who were the philosophers who hypothesized that Earth is spherical?
Eratosthenes and Aristarchus
500
Which planet has the hottest surface?
Venus