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Astronomy 3 > Second Midterm > Flashcards

Second Midterm Flashcards

1
Q

The best way to study young stars hidden behind interstellar dust clouds would be to use

A

infrared light

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2
Q

For a wave of constant velocity, wavelength is ___ to frequency

A

inversely proportional

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3
Q

Radio telescopes would NOT represent a good choice for astronomical study of

A

ordinary stars

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4
Q

Longest to shortest wavelength

A

radio, microwave, infrared, visible, UV, x-ray, gamma

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5
Q

What is the primary advantage of techniques of radio interferometry?

A

an increase in resolving power

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6
Q

Space zone observations

A

far-infrared, far-UV, x-ray, gamma

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7
Q

Surface zone observations

A

visible and radio

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8
Q

At radio and infrared wavelengths, it is necessary to build telescopes with very large ___ to obtain sufficient sensitivity to faint cosmic signals.

A

light-collecting areas

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9
Q

At radio and infrared wavelengths, it is necessary to build telescopes with a very large signal sensing ___ to obtain maps of sufficient detail.

A

baselines

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10
Q

Radio astronomers have pioneered the use of multiple telescopes working in concert that can produce maps of radio emission as detailed as optical images. These arrays of multiple telescopes are known as ___

A

interferometers

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11
Q

Astronomical observations at radio and infrared wavelengths can be obtained even during ___

A

storms

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12
Q

What do you need to obtain a successful x-ray image of a high-energy source?

A

1) a telescope designed and built to be launched into space 2) a cosmic source of high temperature

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13
Q

T or F: Radio telescopes are large in part to improve their angular resolution, which is poor because of the long wavelengths at which they are used to observe the skies

A

True

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14
Q

T or F: Gamma ray telescopes employ the same basic design that optical instruments use

A

False

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15
Q

True statement about the used of infrared telescopes

A

the detector and telescope must be cooled to very low temperatures

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16
Q

As telescopes become larger and larger, astronomers favor ___

A

reflecting telescopes, in part because large lenses and mirrors sag under their own weight, and it is easier to support a mirror along its entire back side than it is to support a lens only around its edge

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17
Q

What property of a telescope influences it resolving power?

A

the size of the main mirror or lens

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18
Q

Which of the following is an advantage of the Hubble Space Telescope has over ground-based telescopes?

A

there is no blurring due to atmosphere

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19
Q

What fraction of the entire electromagnetic spectrum is spanned by visible light?

A

visible light covers a tiny fraction of the electromagnetic spectrum

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20
Q

When multiple radio telescopes are used for interferometry, resolving power is most improved by increasing

A

the distance between telescopes

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21
Q

Which of the following is true about observations at wavelengths other than optical or radio?

A

Space-based

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22
Q

What is meant in astronomy by the phrase “active optics?”

A

Rapid modifications are made to the tilt and location of the elements of a telescope to correct for the effects of atmospheric and instrumental distortion.

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23
Q

Surface figures of the optical elements themselves are controlled

A

adaptive optics

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24
Q

The time it takes for a wave to travel from crest to crest

A

wave period

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25
Q

The distance of a wave from crest to crest

A

wavelength

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26
Q

Half the distance between a wave’s crest and trough

A

amplitude

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27
Q

If you throw a rock into a pond, it creates a wave in the water. What is responsible for creating an electromagnetic wave?

A

a vibrating charged particle

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28
Q

Electromagnetic waves consist of co-oscillating electric and magnetic ___

A

fields

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29
Q

The wave amplitudes are directed ___ to the direction of wave motion.

A

perpendicular

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30
Q

Energy and information flows ___ to the direction of wave motion.

A

parallel

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31
Q

Electromagnetic waves are able to travel through a ___

A

vacuum

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32
Q

Electromagnetic waves travel at a speed of

A

300,000 km/s

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33
Q

T or F: The energy of a photon is inversely proportional to the wavelength of the radiation

A

True

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34
Q

EM radiation penetrates the atmosphere of Earth at what portions of the electromagnetic spectrum?

A

invisible, radio, and some IR

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35
Q

Which of the following is true about the Spitzer Space Telescope?

A

it orbits the Sun a little behind Earth

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36
Q

Most commonly used by professional astronomers today

A

reflecting

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37
Q

World’s largest optical telescope

A

reflecting

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38
Q

The HBT is what type of optical telescope

A

reflecting

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39
Q

Galileo used what type of optical telescope

A

refracting

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40
Q

what type of optical telescope: incoming light passes through glass

A

refracting

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41
Q

what type of optical telescope: very large telescopes become “top-heavy”

A

refracting

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42
Q

what type of optical telescope: the world’s largest 1-meter in diameter

A

refracting

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43
Q

The number of waves that pass a point each second measures ___

A

frequency

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44
Q

T or F: The term “seeing” is used to describe how faint an object can be detected by a telescope

A

False

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45
Q

If we double the diameter of a telescope’s mirror, what happens to its light-gathering ability?

A

it quadruples

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46
Q

What is the main reason that UV astronomy must be done in space?

A

earth’s atmosphere absorbs most UV wavelengths

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47
Q

Which of the following photons is most energetic?

A

gamma ray

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48
Q

A star much cooler than the Sun would appear

A

red

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49
Q

In non-ionized hydrogen, for instance, what does a higher orbital state have more of than a lower orbital state?

A

energy

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50
Q

Wien’s law states that the wavelength of the peak radiation emitted by a blackbody is ___ the temperature of a blackbody

A

inversely proportional to

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51
Q

Rank from farthest to closest to Sun: Mercury, Saturn, Earth, Mars, Pluto, Jupiter

A

Pluto, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Earth, Mercury

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52
Q

Rank from highest to lowest mass: Earth, Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, Pluto, Sun

A

Sun, Jupiter, Earth, Mars, Mercury, Pluto

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53
Q

Rank from largest to smallest radius: Earth, Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, Pluto, Sun

A

Sun, Jupiter, Earth, Mars, Mercury, Pluto

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54
Q

An object with a temperature of 1000 K emits mostly

A

IR light

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55
Q

When an electron goes from a higher energy level back down to the ground state, what is the most accurate way to describe the light it emits?

A

One or more photons, equal in total energy to the energy the electron absorbed to move up to the higher level

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56
Q

About a trillion comets are thought to be located far, far beyond Pluto in the ___

A

Oort cloud

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57
Q

The bright spherical part of a comet observed when it is close to the Sun is the ___

A

coma

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58
Q

A comet’s ___ stretches directly away from the Sun

A

plasma tail

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59
Q

A comet’s ___ is the frozen portion of a comet

A

nucleus

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60
Q

Particles ejected from a comet can cause a ___ on Earth

A

meteor shower

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61
Q

The ____ extends from about beyond the orbit of Neptune to about twice the distance of Neptune from the Sun

A

Kuiper belt

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62
Q

T or F: Imagine an emission spectrum produced by a container of hydrogen gas. Changing the amount of hydrogen in the container will change the colors of the lines in the spectrum.

A

False

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63
Q

Black background with specific lines

A

emission spectrum

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64
Q

Colorful background with black lines

A

absorption spectrum

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65
Q

A hot, high-density light source (hot bulb)

A

continuous spectrum

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66
Q

A hot, low-density light source (heated hydrogen gas)

A

emission spectrum

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67
Q

A hot, high-density light source shining through a cool, low-density medium (hot bulb behind a cool gas)

A

absorption spectrum

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68
Q

A cloud of hot, interstellar gas glowing as a result of one or more nearby young stars that ionize gas

A

emission nebula (emission spectrum)

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69
Q

A glowing cloud of hot, low-density gas that is ejected from a red-giant star

A

planetary nebula (emission spectrum)

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70
Q

a glowing ball of extremely dense gas powered by nuclear fusion in its core, but surrounded by a low-density, cooler atmosphere

A

Sun (absorption spectrum)

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71
Q

layer of cool, low density gas confined close to the surface of Titan

A

atmosphere on Titan (absorption spectrum)

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72
Q

visible light meets clear glass

A

transmission

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73
Q

cell phone signal passes through walls

A

transmission

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74
Q

visible light does not pass through a black wall

A

absorption

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75
Q

blue light hits a red sweatshirt

A

absorption

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76
Q

white light hits a white piece of paper

A

reflection or scattering

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77
Q

red light hits a red sweatshirt

A

reflection or scattering

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78
Q

light comes from a light bulb

A

emission

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79
Q

light comes from your computer screen

A

emission

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80
Q

T or F: Imagine an emission spectrum produced by a container of hydrogen gas. Changing the gas in the container from hydrogen to helium will change the colors of the lines occurring in the spectrum.

A

true

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81
Q

Astronomers analyze starlight to determine a star’s

A

motion, composition, temperature

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82
Q

T or F: An electron moves to a higher energy level in an atom after absorbing a photon of a specific energy.

A

true

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83
Q

Form a coma when near the sun

A

comets

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84
Q

visible in the sky as a fuzzy patch of light that rises and sets with the stars

A

comets

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85
Q

most are located either in the Kuiper belt or Oort cloud

A

comets

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86
Q

dust particles entering the Earth’s atmosphere at high speed

A

meteors

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87
Q

visible in the sky as a bright streak of light for only a few seconds

A

meteors

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88
Q

compositions similar to that of terrestrial planets

A

asteroids

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89
Q

typically orbit the sun at approximately 3 Au

A

asteroids

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90
Q

What kind of spectrum does the Sun have?

A

absorption

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91
Q

length of comet’s tail depends on

A

the distance of the comet from the sun, longer when it is closer to the sun

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92
Q

What will happen to the absorption and/or emission spectral lines of an object moving away from Earth at high speed?

A

they will be shifted to the red end of the spectrum

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93
Q

Stefan’s law states that the total energy radiated by a blackbody depends on the ________ power of the temperature of the blackbody.

A

fourth

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94
Q

The effect of a cool, dilute gas between an observer and a continuous hot source is that ________.

A

dark absorption lines will appear in the spectrum

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95
Q

Rank from closest to farthest from the sun (shortest to longest orbital period): Kuiper belt object, trojan asteroid, Oort cloud object, asteroid in asteroid belt

A

asteroid in asteroid belt, trojan asteroid, Kuiper belt object, Oort cloud object

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96
Q

formed nearest to farthest from sun: asteroid in asteroid belt, Kuiper belt object, Oort cloud object

A

asteroid in asteroid belt, Oort cloud object, Kuiper belt object

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97
Q

Which of the planets below has the greatest tilt of its rotation axis?

A

uranus

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98
Q

Greatest to least gravitational tidal forces exerted on the moon by Earth (Moon’s near side, midway, and far side)

A

near side, midway, far side

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99
Q

Gravitational forces from Earth causes the Moon to have

A

a deformation of its shape known as a tidal bulge and tidal locking (Moon’s rotation and orbital periods are synchronized, one side of the Moon’s tidal bulge faces the earth as it orbits)

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100
Q

Rank from longest to shortest period: Earth’s orbital period, Earth’s rotation period, Moon’s orbital period, Moon’s rotation period

A

Earth’s orbital period, Moon’s orbital period = moon’s rotation period, Earth’s rotation period

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101
Q

Rank from highest to lowest average surface temperature: Earth, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Neptune, Venus

A

Venus, Mercury, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Neptune

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102
Q

Rank from longest to shortest orbital period:Earth, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Neptune,

A

Neptune, Jupiter, Mars, Earth, Mercury

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103
Q

Kepler’s third law

A

orbital period increases with distance from the Sun

104
Q

Rank from highest to lowest number of orbiting moons: Earth, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter

A

Jupiter, Mars (2), Earth, Mercury

105
Q

In relation to the density of Earth’s Moon, Mercury’s density suggests that the planet

A

has a dense metal core

106
Q

Jupiter is noticeably oblate (flattened) rather than spherical primarily because of which of the following physical effects?

A

rapid motion (turn into a pancake if not for its strong gravitational field)

107
Q

What is the primary component of the atmosphere of Jupiter?

A

hydrogen

108
Q

The wide variation in the lunar surface temperature is due to its lack of which of the following?

A

an atmosphere

109
Q

What effect has the greenhouse effect had on the surface environment of Venus?

A

It has raised the surface temperature by hundreds of degrees

110
Q

What material is rare in the atmosphere of Earth, but common in the atmospheres of Mars and Venus?

A

carbon dioxide

111
Q

Kepler’s second law

A

planets move faster when closer to the Sun

112
Q

Kepler’s first law

A

planets have elliptical orbits with the sun at one focus

113
Q

Ice age periods of heavier ice __ and less ice ___

A

glacial and interglacial

114
Q

What appears at its highest level at present in past 500,000 years based on ice cores and is historically correlated with high surface temperatures

A

CO2

115
Q

Climate has many systems affect by ___ and is difficult to model

A

nonlinear feedback

116
Q

A possible outcome of the melting of Arctic ices

A

abrupt climate cooling in N. Atlantic (glaciation, 10 years)

117
Q

Earth’s atmosphere composition

A

78% N2, 21% O2 + trace other, composition linked to life O2, oceans lack CO2

118
Q

Moderate greenhouse effect is ___, due to ___ absorption

A

good, water

119
Q

Climate is affected b y

A

oceans and solar energy

120
Q

Earth’s mean density

A

5.5

121
Q

Earth’s crust density

A

3.3

122
Q

Earth layered structure

A

dense core, mantle, less dense crust

123
Q

Earth has a ___ surface

A

young

124
Q

plate tectonics and evolving “young surface” is driven by

A

convection by hot core (hot from radioactive decay and heat formation)

125
Q

source of magnetic fields

A

conducting currents in molten core + earth’s rotation

126
Q

Protects Earth against solar wind; causes van Allen belts and aurorae

A

magnetic field

127
Q

Moon size in relation to Earth

A

1/81 M and 0.3 R (relatively large moon compared to the size of earth

128
Q

Because the moon has no atmosphere

A

can see stars in the day, large day/night temperature variations

129
Q

Moon’s “old surface”

A

craters from meteor impacts and micrometeorites.

no plate tectonics, no volcanoes

130
Q

Maria is __ than highlands, but still > 3 Gyr

A

younger

131
Q

like the moon except denser and warmer

A

Mercury

132
Q

NASA’s Messenger space probe discovered that Mercury’s surface

A

is old and cratered like our moon but some evidence of other tectonic processes (cooling)

133
Q

Rembrandt crater with scarp

A

shriveling due to cooling

134
Q

Hesiod crater: pyroclastic vents

A

outgassing

135
Q

Where the sun doesn’t shine (Mercury’s south pole)

A

has ice brought may comets

136
Q

1989 NASA’s Magellan visits Venus

A

radar mapping of Venus to see beneath the clouds

137
Q

Venus surface

A

is young about 500 million years no obvious activity now, because of hot core, volcanoes

138
Q

interior heating by

A

radioactive decay and residual heat from formation

139
Q

core of Earth and Venus

A

6000K

140
Q

core of Mercury and moon

A

fairly cool/cold since they are small

141
Q

a frozen world but not unlike our own

A

Mars

142
Q

Mar’s atmosphere and surface

A

THIN atmosphere (1% of earth’s) water ice, ice clouds, no liquid water at present

143
Q

A planet’s atmosphere has to do with its

A

temperature and escape velocity

144
Q

It is easier to planets and moons to hang onto

A

heavier, more slowing moving molecules (CO2, O2, N2) than light fast molecules (H2 or He)

145
Q

more massive and/or cold planets hang on gases

A

much more easily

146
Q

the molecules in warmer atmospheres move

A

faster and gases can escape the pull of gravity

147
Q

lighter and/or warmer planets will have atmospheres with

A

heavy molecules

148
Q

Valles Marineras

A

scarp? 2 Gyr

149
Q

Olympus Mons

A

biggest volcano in the solar system 25 km in height nonmoving crust

150
Q

Mars appears to have lost

A

most of its atmosphere and its liquid water (planets evolve)

151
Q

NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter finds

A

buried glaciers on Mars (radar imaging: 3 times larger than LA)

152
Q

Like the moon, no air, 100/700K, rotation 58.6 d, no geology, old surface

A

Mercury

153
Q

earth-sized, thick CO2 atmosphere, very hot 735K, old volcanoes but no plate tectonics, newish surface (500Myr), rotation retrograde 243d

A

Venus

154
Q

N2/O2 atmosphere, 185/331 K, water, weather, erosion, active geology, magnetic field, young surface, life

A

Earth

155
Q

thin CO2 atmosphere, 186/268K, some geology, no plate tectonics, water ice evidence for previous liquid water, 24.6h rotation

A

Mars

156
Q

getting to the planets

A

Hohmann transfer orbits

157
Q

Rocket leaves Earth at transfer orbit aphelion

A

transfer orbit perihelion coincides with other planet’s orbit

158
Q

Voyagers 1 and 2 used

A

gravity assist

159
Q

Jupiter’s atmosphere

A

thick 90% H2, He

160
Q

Jupiter’s clouds

A

ammonia, methane, water

161
Q

light bands

A

zones

162
Q

redder layers, deeper into atmosphere and warmer

A

belts

163
Q

Jupiter’s core

A

rocky metallic H, pressures are very high = interior is very hot

164
Q

What did Galileo spacecraft discover on Jupiter?

A

gale force winds 400mph

165
Q

formed by coagulation of planetesimals

A

terrestrial planets

166
Q

formed by like stars, inner core was big enough to accrete gases

A

Jovian planets

167
Q

Jupiter radiates __ as much energy as it receives from the sun

A

twice

168
Q

Jupiter’s hot core + rotation –>

A

magnetic field

169
Q

Loss of equatorial wind belt and evidence for another comet hit

A

dark belt gone now a lighter zone

170
Q

Saturn’s shepherd moons cause

A

fine structure

171
Q

forward scattering

A

backlit Saturn

172
Q

Uranian equator is always cold because of

A

pole-on rotation

173
Q

Red areas (false color) on Neptune

A

methane gas

174
Q

white methane ice cloud

A

Scooter

175
Q

5.2 AU, 12 eyrs, 318 M, 11R, 1.3g/cc, 10 h rotation, 59km/s escape velocity, H, He atmosphere, 125K, 66 moons and a ring

A

Jupiter

176
Q

9.5 AU, 29 eyrs, 95M, 0.5R, 0.7 g/cc, 35km.s escape velocity, H, He atmosphere, 95K, 62+moons, and a ring

A

Saturn

177
Q

1781 William Herschel, 19.2 AU, 84 eyrs, 14M, 4R, 1.3gm/cc, 21 km/s escape velocity, H, He, methane, ammonia, 57K, 27 moons and a ring

A

Uranus

178
Q

1846 Galle, Adams, Leverrier, 30 AU, 165 eyrs, 17M, 4R, 1.3gm/cc, 23 km/s escape velocity, H, He, methane (blue), 59K 13 moons and ring

A

Neptune

179
Q

Moons are mostly

A

an outer solar system phenomenon (except Earth and Mars)

180
Q

youngest surface in solar system

A

Io (hot interior due to tidal heating, active volcanoes)

181
Q

Galilean moons of Jupiter

A

Io, Europa, Gaymede, Callisto

182
Q

warm interior: tidal heating, possible salty liquid ocean beneath ice (magnetic field)

A

Europa

183
Q

largest moon in the solar system

A

ganymede

184
Q

farthest and oldest surface moon

A

Callisto

185
Q

Saturn’s largest moon, bigger than Mercury, Earth-like atmosphere near a big city (smoggy N2 + methane “lakes”)

A

Titan

186
Q

Titan’s temperature and pressure are near

A

the triple point of methane

187
Q

which Saturn moon has ice geysers and may be the origin of Saturn’s E ring

A

Enceladus

188
Q

discovered in 1930, 2nd largest dwarf planet,very bright because of icy surface

A

Pluto

189
Q

discovered in 2005, 27% more massive than Pluto, eccentric orbit, 98AU and 38 AU

A

Eris

190
Q

discovered 1801 similar in size to Pluto, asteroid, 2.7 AU

A

Ceres

191
Q

Haumea, Sedna, Makemake

A

other dwarf planets

192
Q

Moons Charon, Hydra, Nix

A

Pluto

193
Q

The planets are all in a

A

thin disk

194
Q

the planets all ___ around the Sun (ex. Uranus and Venus, believed to have had collisions)

A

rotate in the same direction as they revolve

195
Q

the planets close to the sun are __, far from the sun are ___ (if big enough) __

A

rocky, gassy, icy

196
Q

the distant planets are

A

giants

197
Q

caused by rotation, angular momentum at “equator” of original gas cloud hindered collapse in equatorial region, no hindrance at poles

A

flat disk

198
Q

rotation, revolution in same sense

A

all derived from rotation of original gas cloud

199
Q

young sun’s heat scoured the inner solar nebula of ices, gases only ___ left

A

rocky elements

200
Q

Newton derived Kepler’s equations to derive __ between two bodies

A

elliptical orbits

201
Q

the three-body system ___

A

has no solution

202
Q

five stable points where a small body can co-rotate with two larger bodies

A

Lagrange points

203
Q

Solve many body problem

A

given mass –> force–> accelerations–> velocity–> positions

204
Q

computational limitations

A

rounding errors and precision

205
Q

computer simulation of how the solar system may have evolved (migration of planets)

A

Nice Model

206
Q

the solar system objects __ with the sun

A

formed together

207
Q

solar system flattening is caused by

A

rotation (angular momentum)

208
Q

outer planets beyond the “frost line” at asteroid belt can retain

A

volatiles

209
Q

Inner to outer of Sun

A

Core, Radiation zone, convection zone, photosphere, chromosphere, transition zone

210
Q

Triton

A

Neptune’s moon

211
Q

Dactyl

A

Ida’s moon

212
Q

NASA moon missions -of Jupiter

A

Galileo

213
Q

NASA moon missions of Saturn

A

Cassini

214
Q

newer sunspots appear __ to the equator and older ones are at __

A

closer, higher latitudes

215
Q

number of sunspots

A

zero to 100-200 at max solar activity

216
Q

the fact that Europa orbits Jupiter twice for every one orbit of Ganymede is an example of

A

orbital resonance

217
Q

Granulation is evidence of

A

convection in the solar interior (convection just below photosphere = hot material wells up from within the Sun then sinks back down into the interior)

218
Q

source of ionized gas in the donut-shaped charge particle belt around Jupiter

A

Io

219
Q

hot, glowing lava visible in some photos

A

Io

220
Q

volcanos currently erupting = smooth surface

A

Io

221
Q

ice covered surface with few impact craters

A

Europa

222
Q

heavily cratered terrain adjacent to much younger terrain

A

Ganymede

223
Q

theory of origin

A

circular orbits, highly differentiated, rotate in the same sense as the sun, orbits lie in the same plane

224
Q

primary source of energy for the sun

A

hydrogen fusion

225
Q

surface temperature of Saturn’s moon Titan

A

94K much cooler than Earth’s

226
Q

__ are caused by magnetic disturbances in the lower atmosphere of the sun

A

flares

227
Q

approximate age of the solar system

A

4.6 Gyr

228
Q

Saturn’s rings are composed of

A

lots of individual particles of ice and rock

229
Q

Saturn’s rings look bright because

A

light from the Sun reflects off the material in the rings

230
Q

From which region of the Sun does the solar wind originate?

A

corona

231
Q

hot coronal gas escaping the gravity of the Sun

A

solar wind

232
Q

occurs about 11 years after a solar max, solar flares are most common, auroras, orbiting satellites are more at risk, numerous sunspots

A

solar max

233
Q

occurs about 5 to 6 years after solar max

A

solar min

234
Q

nuclear fusion of hydrogen into helium occurs in

A

core

235
Q

energy moves through the sun’s __ by means of rising of hot gas and falling of cooler gas

A

convection

236
Q

nearly all the visible light we see from the sun

A

photosphere

237
Q

Most of the Sun’s UV light is emitted from the narrow layer called __ where T increases with altitude

A

chromosphere

238
Q

we can see the sun’s __ most easily during total solar eclipses

A

corona

239
Q

the __ is the layer of the sun between is core and convection zone

A

radiation zone

240
Q

what causes the Io’s orange surface color?

A

sulfur compounds

241
Q

surface T of the Sun

A

5780 K

242
Q

common cause of sunspots, flares, and prominences

A

magnetic fields

243
Q

atm pressure of Titan

A

is about 1.5 times greater than Earth’s

244
Q

surfaces dramatically altered during the heavy bombardment

A

terrestrial planets

245
Q

formed in regions cold enough for water to freeze and with lower orbital speeds

A

Jovian planets

246
Q

What causes the fusion rate in the Sun’s core to increase?

A

increase in core T and decrease in core radius

247
Q

if the fusion rate initially increases

A

then the core expands

248
Q

if the fusion rate initially decreases

A

then the core contracts

249
Q

What would happen if the fusion rate in the core of the Sun were increased but the core could not expand?

A

The Sun’s core would start to heat up and the rate of fusion would increase even more.

250
Q

Compared with Earth’s diameter, the Sun’s diameter is about

A

one hundred times larger.

251
Q

What is the term for loops or sheets of glowing gas ejected from active regions on the solar surface?

A

Prominences

252
Q

During periods of low solar activity just after solar minimum, what is true of the location and distribution of sunspots?

A

They tend to cluster at high solar latitudes

253
Q

Why do sunspots appear dark?

A

They have relatively lower temperatures than the brighter, background photosphere

254
Q

Kuiper belt objects have __when observed from Earth.

A

a low relative brightness

255
Q

Jupiter’s moon Europa might harbor life because it has which of the following conditions?

A

A liquid water subsurface layer

256
Q

Which of the following statements about solar sunspots is NOT true?

A

They are distributed approximately uniformly over the Sun’s surface both in position and in time.

Astronomy 3 (2 decks)

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