• Rules for an object to be classified as a planet 

It must orbit a star

It must be spherical

It much have cleared its orbit of smaller objects

• Our cosmic address

Earth, solar system, milky ways, universe

• Light Pollution 

Light pollution is scattered man made light which outshines dim light from celestial objects.

• Right Ascension and Declination 

Right Ascension is the east to west movement of the vernal equinox

Declination measures the north and south of the celestial equator

Vernal Equinox is the point where the path of the sun crosses the celestial equator

• Why do we have seasons? 

B/c of the tilt of the Earth

• Newton’s Second Law (F=ma) (will be given, just know how to use it) 

f=ma, force = mass * acceleration

• Perihelion and Aphelion 

Perihelion is the point of the orbit which is closest to the sun

Aphelion the point which is furthest away

• Eccentricity 

Eccentricity is the measure of an object's shape. If e=1 then an object is more oval or unbound and if e=0 it is more round. 

• Retrograde motion 

Since earth is closer to the sun than mars, it moves faster in its orbit than mars. The Retrograde motion refers to mars slowing down and moving backward as the earth passes or catches up to it in orbital movement.

• Heliocentric model 

Sun is the center of the solar system but not the center of the galaxy or universe

• Astronomy vs Astrology 

Astronomy - Actual science

Astrology - Speculation 

• V=d/t (will be given, just know how to use it)

Velocity = Distance/ Time 

• Why do we see colors? (what’s going on with light?) 

We see color b/c it is being reflected off of different materials, different materials have different wavelengths of light. For some material the wavelength is absorbed hence why we don't see it.

• How are wavelength and frequency related? 

Wavelength and frequency are inversely related. As wavelength goes up, frequency goes down.

• Why do stars twinkle 

b/c of stuff flying around in the atmosphere.

• Phases of the moon 

New Moon, Waxing Crescent, First quarter, Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon, Waning Gibbous, Third Quarter, Waning Crescent

• What causes eclipses? 

Moon’s Orbital Tilt

• Differences between types of solar eclipses 

Total, Patrial, Annular

• Structure of the terrestrial planets 

Solid Core, Liquid Mantle/Layer, Solid Crust

• What are the names of the 4 terrestrial planets? 

Mercury, Venus Earth, Mars

• What are the 4 ways surfaces are reshaped? 

Tectonics, Volcanism, Erosion, Impacts

• Which terrestrial bodies have (or had) water on them? 

Earth and Mars

• What are the names of the 4 jovian planets? 

Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune

• Interior structure of the jovian planets 

Solid Core, Liquid Mantle, Gaseous Surface

• What are the names of the 4 Galilean Moons 

IO, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto

• Saturn floats in water 

YEs

• Titan and it’s methane lakes 

Thick Atmosphere, Methane Lakes

• What are Enceladus’ Tiger Stripes? 

Tiger Stripes near the south pole are warmth on the surface.

• Uranus’ rotational tilt 

Uranus' tilt is caused by a giant impact that knocked it on its side.

• Jupiter’s massive magnetic field 

Jupiter has the largest Magnetic Field

•Saturn’s ring structure 

Not one solid ring, but in fact numerous bunch of solid rings or ringlets that are in one area.

• 4 Basic steps of the Nebular Theory 

Gas Cloud beings collapsing

Spins Faster and Heats up as it collapses 

Particle Collisions form a disk 

Creates a flat disk with more mass and hotter temperatures at the center

• Exceptions to solar system formation theories (6 of them) 

Uranus Tilt, Earth large Moon, Venus Retrograde Spin], Mercury's huge iron core, Earth's water came from comets, Moons with retrograde orbit

• Why does the Sun shine

Nuclear fusion

• How does convection work? 

Boiling Motion

Hot Material Rises

Releases its heat 

Cooler Material sinks back down

Collects heat again

•What are Auroras (the northern lights) caused by? 

Changed particles from the sun funnel down magnetic field lines and interact with atmosphere particles to cause glow

• Why do comets have 2 tails 

One tail is made of dust 

One tail is made of gas 

They interact with solar and wind differently 

• Most abundant element in the Universe 

Hydrogen

• 2nd most abundant element in the Universe 

Helium

• In regards to the photons and electrons 

• How are absorption lines made 

Electron absorbs photon

This would reduce the flux we see at that wavelength

Extra energy from photon lets electron jump up one or more energy levels

• How are emission lines made 

An electron cant stay in the elevated energy state anymore 

Falls down one or more energy levels

Emits a photon with the same energy difference b/w the initial state and the end state

• Colors of light that are higher or lower energy 

Red is lower energy and blue is higher energy

• Wien's Law (will be given, just know how to use it) 

Speed of light/ temperature 

Speed of light = 3,000,000

• Types of stars (OBAFGKM) 

Hottest and massive > o b a f g k m < Smallest coolest 

• Why are there more low mass stars in the Universe? 

They don't burn through the material they have as quickly so they last longer

• Why are low mass stars limited to only fusing up to (and not including) Carbon 

They don't get hot enough to fuse carbon

• The future of our Sun 

Red Giant, planetary nebula, white dwarf

• What are white dwarfs held up by? 

Electron degeneracy pressure

• Why do high mass stars have shorter lives than low mass stars?

They burn hotter so they burn through their material faster

 • Most elements are made by? 

High mass stars and supernovae 

• Why do high mass stars stop fusing elements at Iron (Fe)? 

No energy is released from the fusion of iron

• What are neutron stars held up by? 

Neutron Degeneracy Pressure 

• What’s the difference between a neutron star and a pulsar? 

Pulsars are neutron stars, Pulsars just have a beam of radiation along their magnetic field axis

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