astro

Question 1

What is the ecliptic?

Answer 1

The plane of Earth’s orbit around the sun.

Question 2

What are the equinoxes?
Name the two.

Answer 2

The two points where the Earth’s projected equator crosses the ecliptic.
1. Vernal - southern
2. Autumnal - northern

Question 3

What is the 0 hour line?

Answer 3

The celestial sphere line running over the 0 longitude line.

Question 4

What is the parallax?

Answer 4

Objects that are closer appear to move against the objects far away when the observer moves a long distance.

Question 5

What is declination?

Answer 5

The angular distance of an object perpendicular to the celestial equator. It is positive to the north and negative to the south.

Question 6

What is right ascension?

Answer 6

The angular distance from the vernal equinox to the place where hour line crossing the object crosses the celestial equator.

Question 7

What is one hour of RA in degrees?

Answer 7

360’/24h = 15’

Question 8

1. Where are solar systems made?
2. What are young planets called?

Answer 8

1. in nebulae
2. planetesimals

Question 9

1. What is the disk shape of our solar system like?
2. In which direction do planets rotate?
3. I which direction do planets revolve?

Answer 9

1. Planets orbit on nearly the same plane.
2. Counter-clockwise
3. Counter-clockwise (except Venus, Uranus, Pluto)

Question 10

What are the two planetary types? Give examples.

Answer 10

1. Terrestrial - Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars
2. Jovian - Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune

Question 11

Name 3 types of space debris

Answer 11

1. Commets
2. Meteors
3. Astroids

Question 12

What is a galaxy?

Answer 12

A huge group of stars.

Question 13

Give 4 points on planet Mercury.

Answer 13

1. Closest planet to the sun.
2. Is the fastest orbiting planet.
3. Weight on Mercury is 38% of the weight on Earth.
4. The temperature on one side can be as high as 400’C, while the other side can be as low as -170’C.

Question 14

Give 5 point on Venus.

Answer 14

1. The pressure is 90% as that on Earth.
2. The weight is 91% as that on Earth.
3. Has volcanoes.
4. Used to have oceans, they have boiled away.
5. Rotates clockwise.

Question 15

Give 4 points on Earth.

Answer 15

1. Warm enough to keep the water from freezing, cold enough to keep the water from boiling.
2. Temperature is between 13 - 37’C
3. Earth day = 23hrs 56mins
4. Earth year = 365 days

Question 16

Give 4 points on Mars.

Answer 16

1. Air pressure is similar to that of 30km above Earth’s.
2. Water is in the form of ice.
3. Has a volcanic history.
4. Tallest mountain is x3 higher than Mt. Everest.

Question 17

Give 4 points on Jupiter.

Answer 17

1. The largest planet on the solar system.
2. Has a Giant Red Spot, which is a storm system that is about 400 years.
3. Has the shortest day (10hrs).
4. Pressure is very high.

Question 18

Give 4 points on Saturn.

Answer 18

1. The second largest planet on the solar system.
2. Is 95 times bigger than Earth.
3. Has the largest set of rings that are made of icy particles.
4. Has the most moons(83).

Question 19

Give 2 points on Uranus.

Answer 19

1. Is tilted 90’
2. Appears blue-green in color.

Question 20

Give 2 points on Neptune.

Answer 20

1. Has visual belts of clouds.
2. The internal system releases thermal energy to its outer layers.

Question 21

What is a comet? 2points

Answer 21

1. Comets are made out of rock, dust, gas and ice.
2. The come from the outer region of the solar system.

Question 22

What are the 4 parts of a comet?

Answer 22

1. The nucleus
2. The coma
3. The ion tail
4. the dust tail

Question 23

What is an astroid? 2points

Answer 23

1. Large pieces of irregular space rock.
2. Planetoids orbiting the Sun.

Question 24

1.What is a meteoroid? 1points
2. What is a meteor?
3. What is a meteorite?

Answer 24

1. Pieces of space rock that are smaller than an astroid.
2. A meteoroid that enters the Earth’s atmosphere.
3. A meteor that lands on the Earth.

Question 25

What is Kepler's first law?

Answer 25

Planets follow elliptical orbits with the Sun at one focus.

Question 26

1. What is Kepler's second law? 2. What can be taken from it?

Answer 26

1. A planet covers an equal area in an equal amount of time as it moves in its orbit. 2. A planet moves faster when it is closer to the Sun.

Question 27

What is Kepler's third law?

Answer 27

The square of the periodic time, is directly proportional to the cube of the average distance to the planet from the Sun.

Question 28

1.What is a geosynchronous satellite? 2. Uses?

Answer 28

1.A satellite with a period of 1 day. 2. - Space communication - Internet - Voice communication - TV and radio broadcasting

Question 29

1.What is a geostationary satellite? 2.Uses?

Answer 29

1. A satellite that orbits above Earth's equator and rotates in the same direction as Earth, with a period of 1 day. 2. - Communication - Weather forecasting - Mapping