Astronomy Basics

This set of flashcards covers fundamental astronomy concepts, including definitions of key terms related to celestial navigation, observation techniques, and deep sky objects.

Astronomy

The study of celestial objects, space, and the universe as a whole.

Constellations

Recognizable patterns of stars typically used in navigation and mythology.

Polaris

The North Star, which remains fixed in position in the night sky, indicating true north.

Right Ascension (RA)

A measure of the angle of celestial objects eastward along the celestial equator, calculated in hours, minutes, and seconds.

Declination (Dec)

The angular distance of a point north or south of the celestial equator, measured in degrees.

Magnitude

A measure of the brightness of a celestial object; lower numbers indicate brighter objects.

Seeing

The quality of the atmosphere at a given time, affecting the clarity and sharpness of celestial observations.

Ecliptic

The apparent path of the Sun across the sky, which represents the plane of Earth's orbit around the Sun.

Angular Separation

The angle measured between two objects in the sky, expressed in degrees, arcminutes, and arcseconds.

Deep Sky Objects (DSOs)

Celestial objects outside of our solar system, including galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters.