Unit 1 Astronomy

Astronomy

The study of objects beyond Earth and the processes by which they interact.

Big Bang

The event that marks the birth of the universe.

Progress Report

A constantly changing account of scientific knowledge as new techniques and instruments are developed.

Evolves

The cosmos changes in profound ways over long periods of time.

Scientific Method

A systematic method of studying the natural world through observations, experiments, and models.

Hypotheses

Proposed explanations in science that can be tested.

Peer Review

The examination of research and proposals by other scientists in the same field.

Scientific Laws

Rules derived from many observations, hypotheses, and experiments that apply uniformly throughout the universe.

Scientific Notation

A method of writing numbers that are either very large or very small in a concise form using powers of ten.

Light-Year

The distance light travels in one year, used to measure astronomical distances.

A.U. (Astronomical Unit)

The average distance from the Earth to the Sun, approximately 150 million kilometers.

Quasars

Bright centers of galaxies that emit tremendous energy.

Dark Matter

A type of matter that does not emit light or energy, detectable only through its gravitational effects.

Molecules

The smallest particles that retain the chemical properties of a substance, composed of bonded atoms.

Interstellar Dust

Tiny solid particles in space that can obstruct our view of the stars and other celestial objects.

Galaxy

A massive system of stars, stellar remnants, interstellar gas, dust, and dark matter.

Milky Way Galaxy

The galaxy containing our Solar System.

Local Group

A collection of over 50 galaxies, including the Milky Way and Andromeda.

Virgo Supercluster

A large group of galaxies, including the Local Group.

Black Holes

Regions of space with gravitational pull so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape from them.

Cosmic Calendar

A way to visualize the history of the universe condensed into one year.