Terms
The central part of the sun that is the hottest region
Core
The distance light travels in one year (about 5.9 trillion miles)
Light year
What is a group of two stars that circle around each other; a double star?
In what constellation is the star Pollux?
Gemini
Darker spots or blotches that slowly move across the face of the sun as the sun rotates
A faint "wind" of high-speed particles that stream from the sun
Solar wind
What is a tremendous burst of energy on sun caused by sudden changes in the sun's magnetic field?
Solar flare
In what constellation is the star Alpha Centauri?
Centaurus
The sun's visible surface ("sphere of light")
Photosphere
The hottest region of the sun's atmosphere; a haze of very hot gases that extends hundreds of thousands of miles from the surface of the sun
Corona
What is the actual explosion of a star called?
Supernova
In what constellation is the star Sirius?
Canus Major
An event that occurs when the earth's moon passes in front of the sun, blocking the sun's light
Solar eclipse
An occurrence when a star suddenly flares up to many times its original brightness
Nova
What is the distance from the earth to the sun?
93 million miles
In what constellation is the star Rigel?
Orion
An imaginary line that stretches from pole to pole through the interior of the earth, around which the earth rotates
Axis of rotation
The part of the sun's atmosphere closest to the sun's surface, has a delicate pink or orange color ("sphere of color")
Chromosphere
Not including the sun, what is the closest star to Earth?
Proxima Centauri (part of Alpha Centauri)
In what constellation is the star Aldebaran?
Taurus