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astronomy
Term | Definition |
---|---|
orbit | The path an object takes around the sun |
revolution | the amount of time it takes something to complete one orbit |
rotation | the amount of time it takes to complete one full spin on its axis |
axis | an imaginary line running through a planet connecting the north and south poles |
constellation | a group of stars in the night sky that form a pattern |
lunar eclipse | when the earth is blocking the sunlight from hitting the surface of the moon |
solar eclipse | when the moon is blocking most of the light from hitting earths surface |
moon phases | the versions of the moon when only part of it is visible to earth |
tides | the movement of water on earth surface based on the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun |
neap tide | when the highest lows and the lowest high tides occur |
spring tides | when the lowest lows and highest high tides occur |
23.5 degrees | the tilt of the earth's axis |
big bang theory | the theory of how the universe formed |
galaxy | an area where there are 100's of billions of stars clustered together |
luminosity | the amount of light given off by a star |
solar system | the sun and all objects that orbit the sun under its gravitational influence |
nebula | a ball of gas and dust that a star forms out of |
main sequence star | the stage of a stars life that has average mass and average luminosity, it is a young star |
gravity | the force pulling everything together in the universe |
black hole | one possibility of the end of the life of a massive star that sucks everything in, not even letting light escape |
supernova | the explosion associated with the end of life for a massive star |
giant | the star stage after the main sequence. the actual size and color depend on the mass of the star. |
white dwarf | the stage after the giant star for the low mass stars |
black dwarf | the stage after a white dwarf star for low mass stars. the end of the stars life. |
seasons | the changing of temperatures on earth based on the revolution of the earth |
insolation | incoming solar radiation. |