Planetary System Flashcards
(23 cards)
A photograph of Earth taken alongside the Family Portrait of Solar System
Pale Blue Dot
The process of comparing and contrasting different planetary characteristics
Comparative Planetology
When was the “Pale Blue Dot” first taken?
February 14, 1994
Refers to the rotation and revolution of a planet going towards the same direction.
Prograde
Rotation and revolution move in opposite directions
Retrograde
TERRESTRIAL OR JOVIAN: Solid Surface
Terrestrial planet
TERRESTRIAL OR JOVIAN: Slow revolution
Jovian planet
TERRESTRIAL OR JOVIAN: Many moons
Jovian planet
TERRESTRIAL OR JOVIAN: Slow rotation
Terrestrial planet
TERRESTRIAL OR JOVIAN: Less dense, massive
Jovian planet
These celestial bodies are typically located in a belt between Mars and Jupiter.
Asteroids
Bodies of ice and rock that originate from the Kuiper belt or from the Oort cloud
Comets
Smaller bodies of rock and dust that were once part of a asteroid, comet, or other solid clump of space rocks
Meteoroids
Also called a shooting star, the state of a meteoroid when entering the atmosphere
Meteor
The left over material of a meteor crashing down into the ground
Meteorite
Formed from the solar winds; elongated shape due to the Sun’s movement through interstellar space
Heliosphere
Outer region of the heliosphere; solar winds slow abruptly while pushing against interstellar winds
Heliosheath
A region in space where solar winds and interstellar winds reach an equilibrium in pressure
Heliopause
A wave front where solar winds pile up against interstellar winds as the Sun moves
Bow shock
Has self sustaining fusion; is able to surpass the hydrogen burning limit (0.075 solar masses)
Star
Has little to no fusion
Stellar remnant
Substellar object; substantial deuterium fusion; unable to surpass the hydrogen burning limit
Brown Dwarf
Negligible fusion; orbits a star and/or remnant
Planet
