Earth and Space Science UNIT 5 Vocab

Big Bang

the theory that explains that the universe was created by an expansion of space 13.8 billion years ago from a very hot condensed state

light year

6 trillion miles

spectrograph

Analyzing a light using a prism or diffraction grating to show the frequencies of visible light it contains. 

Hertzsprung-Russell diagram

A graph of a star's brightness and temperature that predicts characteristics of stars at different life stages

old stars

contain only hydrogen, were formed when the universe was formed

doppler effect

A change in frequency due to motion between an object  and an observer

matter

anything that has mass and takes up space

apparent magnitude

the brightness of a star as seen from earth

magnetosphere

  the area around the earth that deflects the solar wind

red shift

the stretching of light causing a decrease in frequency due to an object moving away from earth.

thermal spectrum

a spectrum of colors unique to the temperature of a hot object

spectral analysis

Comparing an observed spectrum with a known spectrum in order to identify the source

nuclear fusion

two or more atomic nuclei combining to form a larger nucleus

magnetic fields

Regions where magnetic forces can be detected

continuous spectrum

A spectrum containing a wide range of frequencies without any dark or light lines within the fuzzy colors

blue shift

the compressing of light causing an increase in frequency due to an object moving away from earth

exoplanet

Planets around other stars

spectrum

A representation of an object's light, separated by frequency

frequency

The number of wave peaks passing a point in each amount of time

cosmic wave background

a mysterious microwave signal coming from all of space, let over from the first light emitted after the big bang

absolute magnitude

the brightness of a star due to its temperature and type

supernova

the explosion and shock wave that follows the collapse of a massive star's iron core

sunspot

a darker area on the photosphere with lower temperature caused by magnetic fields

absorption spectrum

 When a glowing gas gives off a spectrum containing dark lines within fuzzy colors.

young stars

-contain heavier elements as evidence of forming after at least one supernova

parallax

Apparent shift in an object's position when viewed from different locations. 

solar wind

Charged particles flowing outward from the sun

plasma

the state of matter that is made of hot particles rather than neutral atoms

emission spectrum

When a glowing gas gives off a spectrum containing bright lines within fuzzy colors.

interstellar medium

matter found in space between stars

photon

a particle without mass  of electromagnetic radiation

orion spur

the arm of the Milky Way where earth is

auroras

light in the earth's atmosphere caused by interaction between: solar wind, earth's atmosphere, the magnetosphere