Space: Sun, Moon and Stars Flashcards
(31 cards)
Why does a star shine?
Stars shine because they are extremely hot (which is why fire gives off light — because it is hot).
What is an astronomical unit (definition)?
The distance between the Earth and the sun
What is an astronomical unit (in value)?
150 million kms
What is a light-year?
9.46 trillion kms
Where are stars born?
Nebulas: huge cold clouds of gas and dust
Low-mass stars’ life cycle
Protostars Mass stars Red giants Planetary Nebula White Dwarf Black Dwarf
High mass stars’ life cycle
Protostar Mass stars Super Giant Supernova Black Hole
What 3 stellar properties are classified in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram?
Supergiants & giants
Main sequence
White Dwarfs
What is on the Y-axis in the Hertzsprung-Russel diagram?
Luminosity
What is on the X-axis in the Hertzsprung-Russel diagram?
Surface temperature
What do you call the radiant solar energy that warms the atmosphere?
heat energy
Where is the earth in proportion to the sun?
The perfect distance to support life
What do you call the “bubble” that protects us from solar winds?
Magnetosphere
When the solar winds enter at the poles, physically we see what?
Aurora Borealis
What are sunspots?
Parts of the sun that are cooler than other parts
What are solar prominences?
Large, bright features extending outwards from the sun’s surface
What are solar flares?
A sudden explosion of energy caused by the tangling of magnetic field lines near sunspots.
What happens at the core of the sun?
Nuclear reactions where hydrogen forms into helium
What are the layers of the sun?
C.R.C.P.C.C. = Core Radiation zone Convection zone Photosphere Chromosphere Corona
How was the solar system formed?
4.5 billion years ago formed a cloud of dust and gas caused by the explosions of a nearby star called: Supernova. That is what formed the sun.
Why does the sun rise in the East and set in the West?
The Earth rotates towards the East.
What is the order of the planets?
Mercury Venus Earth Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune
What causes seasons?
The axis tilt of the Earth
What is that called when the Earth turns on its own axis?
Rotation
