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Part 1

TermDefinition
astronomy the branch of science that deals with celestial objects, space, and the physical universe as a whole.
geocentric having or representing the earth as the center, as in former astronomical systems
heliocentric having or representing the sun as the center, as in the accepted astronomical model of the solar system.
retrograde motion the apparent motion of a planet to move in a direction opposite to that of other bodies within its system
ellipse An ellipse is defined as the locus of all points such that the sum of the distances from two foci to any point on the ellipse is a constant.
astronomical unit a unit of measurement equal to 149.6 million kilometers, the mean distance from the center of the earth to the center of the sun.
rotation the action of rotating around an axis or center.
revolution an instance of revolving.
precession the slow movement of the axis of a spinning body around another axis due to a torque (such as gravitational influence) acting to change the direction of the first axis
perihelion the point in the orbit of a planet, asteroid, or comet at which it is closest to the sun.
aphelion the point in the orbit of a planet, asteroid, or comet at which it is furthest from the sun
perigree the point in the orbit of the moon or a satellite at which it is nearest to the earth.
apogee the point in the orbit of the moon or a satellite at which it is furthest from the earth.
phases of the moon is the shape of the illuminated (sunlit) portion of the Moon as seen by an observer on Earth.
solar ecliplse an eclipse in which the sun is obscured by the moon.
lunar eclipse an eclipse in which the moon appears darkened as it passes into the earth's shadow.
crater a large, bowl-shaped cavity in the ground or on the surface of a planet or the moon, typically one caused by an explosion or the impact of a meteorite or other celestial body.
terrestrial planet an inhabitant of the earth.
jovian planet of or relating to the planet Jupiter or the class of giant planets to which Jupiter belongs.
nebula a cloud of gas and dust in outer space, visible in the night sky either as an indistinct bright patch or as a dark silhouette against other luminous matter.
planetesimal a minute planet; a body that could or did come together with many others under gravitation to form a planet.
asteroid a small rocky body orbiting the sun.
comet a celestial object consisting of a nucleus of ice and dust and, when near the sun, a “tail” of gas and dust particles pointing away from the sun.
coma a state of prolonged unconsciousness, including a lack of response to stimuli, from which it is impossible to rouse a person.
meteoroid a small body moving in the solar system that would become a meteor if it entered the earth's atmosphere.
meteor a small body of matter from outer space that enters the earth's atmosphere, becoming incandescent as a result of friction and appearing as a streak of light.
meteorite a meteor that survives its passage through the earth's atmosphere such that part of it strikes the ground
electromagnetic spectrum the range of wavelengths or frequencies over which electromagnetic radiation extends.
photon a particle representing a quantum of light or other electromagnetic radiation. A photon carries energy proportional to the radiation frequency but has zero rest mass.
spectroscopy the branch of science concerned with the investigation and measurement of spectra produced when matter interacts with or emits electromagnetic radiation.
doppler effect an increase (or decrease) in the frequency of sound, light, or other waves as the source and observer move toward (or away from) each other.
refracting telescope a telescope that uses a converging lens to collect light.
reflecting telescope a telescope that uses a converging lens to collect light.
radio telescope A radio telescope is a form of radio receiver used in astronomy.
hubble telescope a telescope launched into orbit around the earth in 1990 to provide information about the universe in the visible, infrared, and ultraviolet ranges
space shuttle a rocket-launched spacecraft, able to land like an unpowered aircraft, used to make repeated journeys between the earth and earth orbit.
Created by: 3084759
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