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Openstax Astronomy Chapter 04
Vocabulary
15
Astronomy
Undergraduate 1
03/05/2022

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Term
apparent solar time
Definition
time as measured by the position of the Sun in the sky (the time that would be indicated by a sundial)
Term
declination
Definition
the angular distance north or south of the celestial equator
Term
great circle
Definition
a circle on the surface of a sphere that is the curve of intersection of the sphere with a plane passing through its center
Term
International Date Line
Definition
an arbitrary line on the surface of Earth near longitude 180° across which the date changes by one day
Term
lunar eclipse
Definition
an eclipse of the Moon, in which the Moon moves into the shadow of Earth; lunar eclipses can occur only at the time of full moon
Term
mean solar time
Definition
time based on the rotation of Earth; mean solar time passes at a constant rate, unlike apparent solar time
Term
phases of the Moon
Definition
the different appearance of light and dark on the Moon as seen from Earth during its monthly cycle, from new moon to full moon and back to new moon
Term
right ascension
Definition
the coordinate for measuring the east-west positions of celestial bodies; the angle measured eastward along the celestial equator from the vernal equinox to the hour circle passing through a body
Term
sidereal day
Definition
Earth’s rotation period as defined by the positions of the stars in the sky; the time between successive passages of the same star through the meridian
Term
sidereal month
Definition
the period of the Moon’s revolution about Earth measured with respect to the stars
Term
solar day
Definition
Earth’s rotation period as defined by the position of the Sun in the sky; the time between successive passages of the Sun through the meridian
Term
solar eclipse
Definition
an eclipse of the Sun by the Moon, caused by the passage of the Moon in front of the Sun; solar eclipses can occur only at the time of the new moon
Term
solar month
Definition
the time interval in which the phases repeat—say, from full to full phase
Term
synchronous rotation
Definition
when a body (for example, the Moon) rotates at the same rate that it revolves around another body
Term
tides
Definition
alternate rising and falling of sea level caused by the difference in the strength of the Moon’s gravitational pull on different parts of Earth
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