Stars and Galaxies

Question 1

What is the effect of parallax?

Answer 1

If the Earth moves, you would expect to see a different view of the stars at different times of the year, in the same way as the room you are in looks slightly different if you move your head to one side. That is to say everything seems to move in the opposite direction to your head, but the objects close to you seem to move more

Question 2

Why is it difficult to make astronomical observations in industrialised countries such as Britain?

Answer 2

Pollution, bright lights found in cities/towns/roads

Question 3

What are the advantages of using telescopes in space?

Answer 3

Can observe whole sky/above light pollution etc

Question 4

What are the disadvantages of using telescopes in space?

Answer 4

Difficult and expensive to launch and maintain

Question 5

Stars can be classified as different types depending on what?

Answer 5

Brightness and colour

Question 6

Star life cycle 1. What do stars form from?

Answer 6

Massive clouds of dust and gas in space

Question 7

Star life cycle 2. What pulls the dust and gas together?

Answer 7

Gravity

Question 8

Star life cycle 3. How many billion of years is the stable phase of a star?

Answer 8

10

Question 9

Star life cycle 4. What does a star become after it has passed its stable phase?

Answer 9

A red giant/supergiant

Question 10

Star life cycle 5. What is a supernova?

Answer 10

An exploding star

Question 11

Star life cycle 6. What is formed when a massive star collapses?

Answer 11

A black hole