CH 8 astronomy vocab

Celestial object

Any object in space (eg, moon, stas, etc)

Universe

Everything that physically exists is part of what we call the _.

Astornomy

The scientific study of what is beyond Earth

A star

Is a massive celestial body composed of hot gases that radiates large amounts of energy. (light, heat, etc)

Luminous

Creates and produces their own light

Non-luminous

Objects that don’t create their own light, they reflect light.

Planet

A celestial body that orbits the sun.

Solar system

A space that holds celestial bodies

Satellite (Not man made)

A celestial body that orbits a dwarf planet or planet.

Orbit

Turning a 360 on a celestial object continually.

Galaxy

A big place that holds planets, dust, starts, etc.

Milky way

Our galaxy we live in.

He discovered/ invented:

1. The telescope

2. Jupiter has 4 moons

3. There’s mountains on the moon

4. The milky way is made of stars

What did Galileo invent/discover?

Why did Galileo invent the telescope?

He invented the telescope while looking for boats at sea.

Light year

The distance the light travels in 1 year.

Fusion

It is a type of nuclear reaction in which two atoms fuse, to make a larger atom.

Core of the sun

It is the hottest, densest inner region of the sun, where fusion happens.

Photosphere of the sun

It’s the “surface” where we can see the sun.

Corona

It’s the outermost layer of its sun

Sunspots

They are the “cooler” parts of the sun, and look darker.

Solar flares

sudden, intense bursts of radiation from the Sun,

Solar prominences

Low-energy gas eruptions from the Sun’s surface that extend into space

Solar maximum

It is the peak time of the 11 year sun cycle.

Solar winds

Are a flow of particles (ions) that come off the sun, and travel through the solar system.

Electromagnetic (EM) radiation

Energy emitted from matter, consisting of electromagnetic waves that travel at the speed of light.

Electromagnetic (EM) spectrum

The range of electromagnetic radiation, extending from radio waves, and visible lights.

Auroras

They are natural light displays in Earth's sky caused by charged particles from the Sun interacting with the atmosphere around the poles.

Meteoroids

Are pieces of metal or rock that are in the solar system.

When they are pulled into earth’s gravity, friction causes them to burn up. This produces the bright light.

What causes meteoroids to become a meteor? (“shooting stars”)

Meteories

If the meteor is large enough to hit the ground before totally burning up, it’s called meteories.

Comets

Made of ice, dust, and rock.

Meteor shower

A number of meteors flying down towards the ground.

Sublimate

Changing states from a solid to a gas

Pluto does not dominate it’s orbit (it shares a orbit with Nepture)

Why is pluto a dwarf planet?

Summe solstice

The day with the most sunlight (June 21)

Equinox

When the sun rises exactly on the axis, resulting in equal sun and night time. (Mar 21 & Sep 22)

Winter solstice

The day with the least amount of daylight.

Meteor

When a meteoroid enters earth’s atmosphere, becoming a meteor.

Elliptical

“Oval” shape

Rotation

The motion of spinning on a axis (eg, the earth rotates on it’s axis everyday)

Revolution

The motion of one body around another (eg, Earth revolves around the sun once a year)

Geocentric model

Where earth is the center of the solar system, and everything revolves around it, (including stars).

Retrograde

Motion of a celestial body that is unusual to its regular orbit.

Heliocentric model

The sun is at the center of the the solar system, and celestial bodies orbit the sun.