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Astronomy > Topic 6 - Celestial observation > Flashcards

Topic 6 - Celestial observation Flashcards

(73 cards)

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1
Q

What is a meridian

A

An imaginary line between north and south poles through observers position

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2
Q

Local noon is the same as

A

LST

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3
Q

What is an hour angle

A

The angle between the meridian of observer and the meridian line which the star is on

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4
Q

What is hour angle measured in

A

Hours minutes seconds

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5
Q

What is the equation for hour angle

A

LST - right ascension of star

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6
Q

What does the Milky Way look like to the naked eye

A

A furry light irregular column in the sky

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7
Q

What can you use the be able to see stars in the Milky Way

A

Telescope or binoculars

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8
Q

What is is the group of galaxies called with the Milky Way

A

The local group

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9
Q

What does 24 hours measure in arc mins

A

360°

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10
Q

How many arc mins in 1 hour

A

15°

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11
Q

What way is the earth moving

A

West to east(anti-clockwise)

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12
Q

What way do you see objects in the sky go

A

East to west

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13
Q

What is cardinal points

A

The same as compass points

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14
Q

What does circumpolar mean

A

When a star never sets below the observers horizon

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15
Q

What is culmination

A

Is when a star reaches the observers meridian

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16
Q

What is upper culmination/transit

A

The highest point a star crosses the observers meridian

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17
Q

What is lower culmination/transit

A

The lowest point a star crosses the observers meridian

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18
Q

What is the equation for co-declination

A

90°-dec

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19
Q

What is the zenith

A

The point directly above observers head

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20
Q

Where is the zenith located

A

90° perpendicular to the ground

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21
Q

What does the altitude of the NCP equal

A

The observers latitude

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22
Q

What are the 2 equation for declination of a star

A

90° - latitude of observer or observers latitude + co dec of star

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23
Q

What is the equation for polar distance

A

90-dec

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24
Q

How long does it take for eyes to become used to and adjust to the dark

A

7-30 mins

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25
What’s a light source that can be used that doesn’t ruin dark adaption
Red light
26
What is averted vision
When you look to an area near a faint object to be able to view it
27
What happens when you look at a faint object in the sky
It can look like it disappeared
28
Why does it look like a faint object in the sky has disappeared when you look directly at it
Because the centre part of the inside of the eye contains rods which help us distinguish bright light and colour. Areas around the forvea are cone cells which are more sensitive to faint light making it easier to see faint details
29
Why does relaxing your eyes help view the night sky
By straining or squinting eyes in places stress on them which makes it harder to refocus by relaxing your eyes we can improve our vision
30
What are binary stars/double stars
The consist of two or more stars that share a gravitational bond
31
Are planets brighter or dimmer than stars
Brighter
32
What is a constellation
A group of stars that appear to make a pattern in the sky
33
Can we see different constellations and asterisms at different times if the year and why
Yes due to the rotation of the earth and the tilt of our axis
34
What is an asterism
Is a pattern of stars that may or may not be linked to a constellation
35
What do comets look like form earth
Vast trails of ice and dust over a large portion of the sky thinning to a dense core
36
What do meteors look like from earth
Are short lived but very bright streaks of light that move across the sky in a matter of s3cinds
37
Who made list of constellation we use today
Ptolemy
38
What are constellations mainly based on
Mythology
39
How many constellations are there
88
40
Why do different countries have different names for the constellations
Different cultured beliefs and religion
41
What does a nebulae look like with the naked eye
A blurry patch of light in space that are in our galaxy
42
How long can a supernova be visible for
Up to years
43
What is a supernova
Is when a star dies and causes an explosion
44
Why does the aurora happen
Solar wind reacts with atmosphere to create spectacular displays of light and colour in sky
45
What is the aurorae called in the northern hemisphere
Aurorae borealis
46
What is the aurorae called in the Southern Hemisphere
Aurorae australis
47
What do artificial satellites look like to the naked eye
Slow moving faint objects orbiting in a polar orbit and viewable on the meridian
48
What is an open cluster
Are groups of stars close to each other in space
49
How many stars can be in an open cluster and where are they usually found
12-thousands of stars and found on the galactic plane
50
What do open clusters look like to the naked eye
Irregular shape and bright (young stars)
51
What do globular clusters look like
A fuzzy ball
52
What types of stars are found in a globular cluster
Red giants and white dwarfs
53
How many stars are found in a globular cluster
100000-over a million
54
What do aircraft look like to the naked eye
Multiple bright white and red lights slowly moving across the sky
55
Where are star maps and charts published
In books newspapers and magazines
56
Why do we use star mops and charts
To show us what is in the night sky during a month or season
57
How many stars maps and charts and what do they show
2 one shows west-east towards the south and the other west-east towards the north
58
Why is planisphere good
It’s a quick and easy way to find out what stars are viewable at any time
59
What is a planisphere
It consisted of two discs fastened to each other . On one of them there is a hole so that a portion of the disc underneath can be seen. around edge are hours of day and have days of the year. On the underneath disc is a star map showing very constellation a bike for viewing from a general location
60
What are the advantages of using software to help view the night sky
Can show sky at any given time and can offer features like 30 maps of planets or the ability to change time and location
61
What are the advantages of apps
Can be downloaded on different toes of phones Most are free
62
What is a features in apps
Being able to point your device at the sky and identify planets and constellations
63
What is the horizontal coordinate system attitude
Measures how high something is in the sky from 0° at the horizon to 90° at the zenith
64
What is azimuth
Measure direction along horizon north = 0° travel eastward
65
Why does the sky appear redder at sun set and sun rise
Caused my the angle of the sun being acute so sunlight has to travel further through earths atmosphere
66
What is are 2 examples of a seeing condition and how does it obscure
Saharan dust or volcanic ash in the upper earth atmosphere can obscure viewing by refracting light
67
What is declination
Is the latitude of a star in the sky measured from the celestial equator
68
What is dec measured in
Degrees° arc minutes’ arc seconds “
69
What is right ascension
Equivalent to longitude in space
70
What do you use to measure right ascension
First point of aries
71
What is right ascension measured in
Hours h, minutes m and seconds s
72
What time of weather conditions can obscure viewing and how
Clouds and rain block stars Ice particles Heat can cause disruption in atmosphere so stars appear to twinkle
73
What landscapes block stars
Mountains and trees

Astronomy (16 decks)

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