Space Exploration Section 1 + 2

Solstice

The Shortest & Longest Day Of Year (Winter & Summer)

Equinox

Where Day & Night are equal (Fall & Spring)

Geocentric Model

Earth Centered Theory (Aristotle)

Heliocentric Model

Sun Centered Theory (Copernicus)

Elliptical

Oval patterns for planets to revolve around the sun (Kepler)

Astronomical Units (AU)

Describe planets in relation to the sun (Equal to the average distance between the centre of the earth to the centre of the sun)

Light Years

Distance that light travels in one year (Distances outside of solar system)

Hertzsprung and Russell

compared surface temperature of stars to how bright they are (luminosity)

Star Temperatures

Blue color is hottest, red coolest

Life Cycle of Sun-like star

Nebula → Protostar → Sun-like star → Red Giant → White Dwarf → Black Dwarf

Life Cycle of Massive Star

Nebula → Massive Star → Red Supergiant → Supernova → Neutron Star → (possibly) Black Hole

Constellations / Asterisms

• Groupings of stars, patterns in the night sky

• Unofficial groupings of stars (Big Dipper)

Inner Planets

The terrestrial planets, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars (Earth like, Smaller, Rocky, No rings)

Outer Planets

The Jovian planets, Jupiter, Saturn Uranus, Neptune (Jupiter-like, Gas giants, Have rings)

Asteroids

Small metallic or rocky bodies travelling in space

Comets

“dirty snowballs” Made of dust and ice, travel through space (Long tails and bright glow only appear when they are close to the sun

Meteoroids / Meteor / Meteorite

• Small pieces of rock flying through space with no particular path

• Pulled into Earth’s gravity, heat of the atmosphere causes it to give off light

• What’s left once it hits earth’s surface

To Find a Star in the Sky

How high is it in the sky? and In which direction?

Azimuth

compass direction (Due north is 0o you measure degrees going clockwise)

Altitude

Degree the object is above the horizon

Zenith

Highest Point Directly Overhead

Launched Satellites

• Russians (1957) Called Sputnik

• Dog named Laika (First time any living creature orbited the Earth, Started the path for human space travel)

Newtons 3rd Law

For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction

Basic Parts Of A Rocket

• Structural and Mechanical Elements

• Fuel

• Payload (materials needed for flight)

Ion Drives / Solar Sail

• Engines that use xenon gas

• Similar idea to sails on a boat, Harness the sun’s light, Uses electromagnetic energy of photons to move

Micro-gravity

When little or no gravity is acting on a body.

Electrolysis

Splitting water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen using electricity

Natural Satellites / Artificial Satellites

• Objects that orbit planets

• Built and sent into orbit by humans

Rotation → an object spinning on it’s own axis \n Revolution → An object travelling around another object

• an object spinning on it’s own axis

• An object travelling around another object

Global Positioning System (GPS)

let’s you know exactly where you are (74 satellites have been launched, only need 24 for GPS to work correctly, Must have sightlines to 4 satellites to find your position)