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ASTRONOMY 101
CHAPTER 1
12
Astronomy
Undergraduate 1
08/23/2007

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Term
SCIENTIFIC NOTATION
Definition
A SIMPLE WAY TO WRITE NUMBERS WITHOUT WRITING A GREAT MANY ZEROS.
Term
FIELD OF VIEW
Definition
WITHIN THE UNIVERSE THAT IS 100 TIMES WIDER THAN THE PRECEDING PICTURE. IT HAS INCREASED IN SIZE BY A FACTOR OF 100.
Term
SOLAR SYSTEM
Definition
CONSISTS OF THE SUN, ITS FAMILY OF PLANETS, AND SOME SMALLER BODIES, SUCH AS MOONS, ASTEROIDS, AND COMETS.
Term
PLANET
Definition
SMALL, NONLUMINOUS BODY THAT SHINES BY REFLECTING SUNGLIGHT.
Term
STAR
Definition
A SELF-LUMINOUS BALL OF HOT GAS THAT GENERATES ITS OWN ENERGY.
Term
ASTRONOMICAL UNIT (AU)
Definition
THE AVERAGE DISTANCE FROM EARTH TO THE SUN.
Term
LIGHT YEAR (ly)
Definition
THE DISTANCE THAT LIGHT TRAVELS IN 1 YEAR.
Term
GALAXY
Definition
A GREAT CLOUD OF STARS, GAS, AND DUST BOUND TOGETHER BY THE COMBINED GRAVITY OF ALL THE MATTER.
Term
MILKY WAY
Definition
A GREAT CLOUDY BAND OF STARS RINGING THE SKY.
Term
MILKY WAY GALAXY
Definition
OUR GALAXY'S NAME
Term
SPIRAL ARMS
Definition
OUR GALAXY CONTAINS OVER 100 BILLION STARS WINDING OUTWARD THROUGH THE DISK.
Term
SUPERCLUSTER
Definition
THESE ARE LINKED TO FORM LONG FILAMENTS AND WALLS OUTLINING VOIDS THAT SEEM NEARLY EMPTY OF GALAXIES. THESE ARE THE LARGEST STRUCTURE IN THE UNIVERSE.
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