Stars Lecture Notes

This set of flashcards covers key vocabulary terms and concepts related to stars, their properties, and the techniques used to study them.

Doppler shift

The change in wavelength (or frequency) of light or sound waves from an object moving relative to the observer.

Radial Velocity

The component of a star's velocity that is directed along the line of sight to the observer, usually measured through Doppler shift.

Binary Stars

A system where two stars orbit around a common center of mass.

Eclipsing Binary

A type of binary star system where one star passes in front of the other, causing periodic dips in brightness.

Spectral Lines

Dark or bright lines in a spectrum, resulting from the absorption or emission of light at specific wavelengths by material.

Luminosity

The total amount of energy emitted by a star per second.

Fusion

The process in which two lighter atomic nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus, releasing energy.

Parallax

The apparent shift in position of an object viewed from different angles, used to measure distances of nearby stars.

Proper Motion

The apparent motion of a star across the sky, measured in angular units.

Absorption Lines

Features in a spectrum where specific wavelengths of light are absorbed by elements in a star's atmosphere.

Spinning Velocity

The speed at which a star rotates around its axis.

Mass Determination in Stars

The process of calculating a star's mass, often achieved through observations of binary star systems.

Brightness Change in Stars

The variation in the light emitted by a star, often due to its physical changes or eclipsing by another star.

Temperature of Stars

A property that affects the color and luminosity of a star; hotter stars emit more energy.

Chemical Composition of Stars

The elements that make up a star, affecting its characteristics and evolution.

Distance Measurement of Stars

Determining how far a star is from Earth, typically using methods like parallax.

Energy Emission from Stars

The process by which stars release energy into space, primarily through nuclear fusion.

Star Clusters

Groups of stars that are close to each other in space and share a common origin.