Chapter 0 Terms

Question 1

Planet

Answer 1

One of eight major bodies that orbit the Sun, visible to us by reflected sunlight.

Question 2

Star

Answer 2

A glowing ball of gas held together by its own gravity and powered by nuclear fusion in its core.

Question 3

Galaxy

Answer 3

Gravitational bound collection of a large number of stars. The Sun is a star in the Milky War Galaxy.

Question 4

Universe

Answer 4

The Totality of all space, time, matter, and energy

Question 5

Astronomy

Answer 5

Branch of science dedicated to the study of everything in the universe that lies above Earth’s atmosphere.

Question 6

Constellation

Answer 6

A human grouping of stars in the night sky into a recognizable pattern.

Question 7

Celestial sphere

Answer 7

Imaginary sphere surrounding Earth to which all objects in the sky were once considered to be attached.

Question 8

Rotation

Answer 8

Spinning motion of a body about an axis

Question 9

north celestial pole

Answer 9

Point on the Celestial sphere directly above Earth’s North Pole

Question 10

South celestial pole

Answer 10

Point on the celestial sphere directly above Earth’s South Pole.

Question 11

Celestial equator

Answer 11

The projection of Earth’s equator onto the celestial sphere

Question 12

celestial coordinates

Answer 12

Pair of qualities-right ascension and declination-similar to longitude and latitude on Earth, used to pinpoint locations of objects on the celestial sphere

Question 13

Declination

Answer 13

Celestial coordinate used to measure latitude above or below the celestial equator on the celestial sphere.

Question 14

Right ascension

Answer 14

Celestial coordinate used to measure longitude on the celestial sphere. The zero point is the position of the Sun at the vernal equinox.

Question 15

Solar day

Answer 15

The period of time between the instant when the Sun is directly overhead (i.e., noon) to the next time it is directly overhead.

Question 16

Diurnal motion

Answer 16

Apparent daily motion of the stars caused by Earth’s rotation.

Question 17

Sidereal Day

Answer 17

The time needed between successive risings of a given star.

Question 18

Ecliptic

Answer 18

The apparent path of the Sun, relative to the stars on the celestial sphere, over the course of a year.

Question 19

Phase

Answer 19

Appearance of the sunlit face of the Moon at different points along its orbit, as seen from Earth.

Question 20

New Moon

Answer 20

Phase of the moon during which none of the lunar disk is visible.

Question 21

Quarter moon

Answer 21

Lunar phase in which the Moon appears as a half disk.

Question 22

Full moon

Answer 22

Phase of the Moon in which it appears as a complete circular disk in the sky

Question 23

Sidereal

Answer 23

Time required for the Moon to complete one trip around the celestial sphere

Question 24

Synodic month

Answer 24

Time required for the Moon to complete a full cycle of phases.

Question 25

Eclipse

Answer 25

Event during which one body passes in front of another, so that the light from the occulted body is blocked

Question 26

Lunar eclipse

Answer 26

Celestial event during which the moon passes through the shadow of Earth, temporarily darkening its surface.

Question 27

Partial eclipse

Answer 27

Celestial event during which only a part of the occulted body is blocked from the view

Question 28

Total eclipse

Answer 28

Celestial event during which one body is completely blocked from view by another

Question 29

Solar eclipse

Answer 29

Celestial event during which the new Moon passes directly between Earth and the Sun, temporarily blocking the Sun's light.

Question 30

Umbra

Answer 30

Central region of the shadow cast by an eclipsing body. The central region of a sunspot, which is its darkest and coolest part

Question 31

Penumbra

Answer 31

Portion of the shadow cast by an eclipsing object in which the eclipse is seen as partial. The outer region of a sunspot, surrounding the umbra, which is not as dark and not as cool as the central region.

Question 32

Annular eclipse

Answer 32

Solar eclipse occurring at a time when the Moon is far enough away from Earth that it fails to cover the sun completely, leaving a ring of sunlight visible around its edge.

Question 33

Triangulation

Answer 33

Method of determining distance based on the principles of geometry. A distance between the two locations and the angle between the line joining them and the line joining them and the line to the distant object are all that are necessary to ascertain the object's distance.

Question 34

Cosmic distance scale

Answer 34

Collection of indirect distance-measurement techniques that astronomers use to measure distances in the universe.

Question 35

Baseline

Answer 35

The distance between two observing locations used for the purposes of triangulation measurements. The larger the baseline, the better the resolution attainable.

Question 36

Parallax

Answer 36

The apparent motion of a relatively close object with respect to a more distant background as the location of the observer changes.

Question 37

Science

Answer 37

A step-by-step process for investigation the physical world based on natural laws and observed phenomena

Question 38

Theory

Answer 38

A framework of ideas and assumptions used to explain some set of observations and make predictions about the real world.

Question 39

Theoretical model

Answer 39

An attempt to construct a mathematical explanation of a physical process or phenomenal within the assumptions and confines of a given theory. In addition to providing an explanation of the observed facts, the model generally also makes new predictions that can be tested by further observation or experimentation.

Question 40

Scientific method

Answer 40

The set of rules used to guide science, based on the idea that scientific "laws" be continually tested and modified or replaced if found inadequate.