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astronomy test 1
chapters 1,2,3,5
49
Astronomy
Undergraduate 1
09/29/2011

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Term
waxing crescent
Definition
moon getting bigger from right to left
Term
waning crescent
Definition
smallest moon
Term
When will a full moon rises?
Definition
at sunset
Term
when will full moon set?
Definition
at sunrise
Term
3rd quarter moon rises
Definition
at midnight
Term
3rd quarter moon sets at
Definition
noon
Term
1st quarter moon
Definition
rises at noon, sets at midnight
Term
precession
Definition
rotations of earth's axis itself: makes one complete circle in about 26,000 years
Term
Equinox
Definition
equal amount of day and night hours
Term
Solstices
Definition
either longer day and shorter night or shorter day longer night
Term
vernal equinox
Definition
spring, march 21
Term
autumnal equinox
Definition
summer sept. 21
Term
summer solstice
Definition
june 21
Term
winter solstice
Definition
dec 21
Term
What comprises(makes) a constellation?
Definition
group of stars
Term
Motion of Sun through constellations
Definition
the zodiac
Term
declination
Definition
degrees north or south of celestial equator
Term
right ascension
Definition
measured in hours, minutes, and seconds eastward from position of Sun at vernal equinox
Term
parallax
Definition
apparent motion of object against distant background from two vantage point
Term
lunar eclipse
Definition
full moon
Term
solar eclipse
Definition
new moon
Term
for an eclipse to be occur what has to be in a straight line?
Definition
sun, earth and moon
Term
Kepler’s first Law of Planetary Motion
Definition
The orbital paths of the planets are elliptical (not circular), with the Sun at once focus
Term
Kepler’s second Law of Planetary Motion
Definition
an imaginary line connecting the Sun to any planet sweeps out equal areas of the ellipse in equal interval of time
Term
Kepler’s third Law of Planetary Motion
Definition
the square of a planets' orbital period is proportional to the cube of its semimajor axis
Term
Newton’s first Law of Motion
Definition
object at rest will stay at rest, object moving will keep moving unless an external force acts on it
Term
Newton’s second Law of Motion
Definition
when a force is exerted on an object, its acceleration is inversely proportional to its mass
Term
Newton’s third Law of Motion
Definition
for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction
Term
Galileo’s Observations
Definition
found sun spots, discover planets orbit the sun, earth is not center of all things, moon has mountains and valleys, venus has phases, jupiter has moons
Term
Temperature Scales
Definition
Celsius, Fahrenheit, kelvin
Term
convert C to K or K to C
Definition
add 273 to 100, subtract 273 if from K to C
Term
coldest temperature of K
Definition
absolute zero
Term
water freezes at
Definition
273 K, 32 F, 0 C
Term
Wave Properties
Definition
Velocity, Wavelength, Frequency
Term
Frequency
Definition
number of wave crests passing any given point per unite time
Term
Velocity
Definition
displacement (distance plus direction) per unit time
Term
Wavelength
Definition
number of meters needed for the wave to repeat itself at a given moment in time
Term
Electromagnetic Radiation
Definition
another term for light, transfers energy and information from one place to another without physical contacts
Term
Electromagnetic waves:
Definition
Oscillating electric and magnetic fields
Term
Blackbody spectrum
Definition
Radiation emitted by an object depending only on its temperature
Term
Blackbody Curves
Definition
The blackbody, or Planck, curve represents the spread of the intensity of radiation emitted by any object over all possible frequencies. The arrow indicates the frequency of peak emission.
Term
Stefan’s Law
Definition
total energy emission ~ temperature
Temp.^4
Term
Doppler Effect
Definition
motion-induced change in the observed frequency of a wave
Term
Reflecting Telescopes
Definition
Reflection of light from a flat mirror occurs when light is deflected. A curved mirror can be used to focus to a single point all rays of light
Term
Refracting Telescopes
Definition
Refraction by a prism changes the direction of a light ray. A lens can be thought of as a series of prisms. A light ray traveling along the axis of a lens is undeflected as it passes through the lens. Parallel rays arriving at progressively greater distances from the axis are refracted by increasing amounts in such a way that they all pass through a
single point—the focus.
Term
Resolution
Definition
proportional to wavelength and inversely proportional to telescope size—bigger is better!
Term
Diffraction
Definition
an intrinsic property of waves, and limits telescope resolution depending on wavelength and size
Term
Radio Telescope
Definition
Similar to optical reflecting telescopes, 105-m-diameter device at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Green Bank, West Virginia, is 150 m tall—taller than the Statue of Liberty, can observe 24 hrs a day: clouds rain ans snow dont interfere, diff. frequency, get diff information
Term
The Hubble Space Telescope
Definition
main mirror is 2.4 m in diameter and is designed for visible, infrared, and ultraviolet radiation
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