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Astronomy Vocab Ch22
Astronomy Vocabulary 22.1 and 22.2
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| astronomy | scientific study of the universe, including observation and interpretation of celestial bodies (stars, planets, moons, etc.) and phenomena (solar eclipse, revolution, etc.) |
| geocentric | an earth-centered universe |
| heliocentric | a sun-centered universe (solar system) |
| retrograde motion | apparent (looks like it) westward motion of the planets with respect to the stars because of the earth's motion and the planet's motion around the sun |
| precession | slow motion of the earth's axis taht traces out a cone over a period of 26,000 years |
| perihelion | point in orbit of a planet when it is closest to the sun |
| aphelion | place in the orbit of a planet where the planet is furthest from the sun |
| perigee | point at which the moon is closest to the earth |
| apogee | point where the moon is farthest from the earth |
| geo (gee) | earth |
| helio | sun |
| peri | around (near) |
| ap(apo) | away, off, apart (far) |
| astrology | The study of the movements and relative positions of celestial bodies interpreted as having an influence on human affairs |
| orbit | (of a celestial object or spacecraft) Move in orbit around (a star, planet, or moon): "Mercury orbits the Sun". |
| time | A continuous, measurable quantity in which events occur in a sequence proceeding from the past through the present to the future. |
| equinox | A continuous, measurable quantity in which events occur in a sequence proceeding from the past through the present to the future. |
| vernal (equinox) | The equinox that happens on March 21 or 22 in the northern hemisphere and September 22 or 23 in the southern hemisphere |
| autuminal (equinox) | The equinox that happens on March 21 or 22 in the northern hemisphere and September 22 or 23 in the southern hemisphere |
| solstice | it reaches its southernmost point. Compare summer solstice, winter solstice. |
| solstice | either of the two times a year when the sun is at its greatest distance from the celestial equator |
| winter solstice | The solstice that occurs on December 21or 22 in the Northern hemisphere and on June 21 or 22 in the Southern Hemisphere. |
| Summer solstice | The solstice that occurs on June 21 or 22 in the Northern hemisphere and on December 21 or 22 in the Southern hemisphere. |
| axis | the line about which a rotating body, such as the earth, turns. |
| constellations | any of various groups of stars to which definite names have been given, as Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, Boötes, Cancer, Orion. |
| circumpolar constellation | (of a star or constellation) visible above the horizon at all times at a specified locality on the earth's surface |
| circumpolar constellation | (of a star or constellation) visible above the horizon at all times at a specified locality on the earth's surface |
| plane of ecliptic | The plane of ecliptic is the orbital plane of the earth and the other planets in the solar system. |
| zodiac | The belt-like region of the celestial sphere corresponding to the apparent path of the sun over the course of a year, the ecliptic. |
| parallax | An apparent shift in the position of an object, such as a star, caused by a change in the observer's position that provides a new line of sight. |
| gravity | The fundamental force of attraction that all objects with mass have for each other. |
| horizon | The apparent intersection of the Earth and sky as seen by an observer. Also called apparent horizon |
| zenith | Point on the celestial sphere directly above an observer on the Earth. |
Created by:
tboever17
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