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6th Grade
Astronomy I
Question | Answer |
---|---|
Geocentrism | disproved theory that the Sun and other planets revolved around the Sun; proposed by Ptolemy |
Heliocentrism | theory that the Earth and other planets revolve around the Sun; proposed by Copernicus |
Elliptical | Planets orbit in this shape; Kepler describes this shape in his laws of planetary motion |
Galileo | first astronomer to use telescopes to explore space; discovered moons, sunspots, etc. |
Newton | discovered gravity; helped astronomers understand the reason planets orbit and move |
Lunar eclipse | When the moon passes through the Earth's shadow; creates a red moon (only can occur during a FULL moon) |
Solar eclipse | When the Earth passes through the moon's shadow; only occurs during a NEW moon |
Waning | moon phase losing sunlight; moon will be lit on the LEFT |
Waxing | moon phase gaining sunlight; moon will be lit on the RIGHT |
Moon phase | sunlight portion of the Moon which changes as the moon revolves and rotates |
Reflecting telescope | telescope which uses mirrors to reflect light and form an image |
Refracting telescope | telescope which uses lenses to form images |
Artificial satellites | any man-made object orbiting the Earth and other planets (aid in GPS, radios, television, etc) |
Gravity | physical force and attraction between two objects in space; depends on the MASS of the objects and the DISTANCE between the objects |
Inertia | objects in motion, stay in motion. objects at rest, stay at rest. |
What two forces create an orbit? | Inertia and gravity |
Space probes | uncrewed vehicle that carries scientific instruments into space to collect scientific data |
Big Bang theory | the theory that states the universe began with a giant explosion 13.7 billion years ago |
How is the universe organized? | Into galaxies, which are clusters of millions of stars. Each galaxy has planetary systems, like solar systems. Each of those have planets. "Everything is a part of something bigger." |
Cosmic background radiation | radiation coming from all directions in space; believed to be leftover radiation from the Big Bang theory |
What are the moon phases IN ORDER, starting with the full moon? | Full moon, waning gibbous, third quarter, waning crescent, new moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous |
What causes the seasons? | The tilt of the Earth |
Hubble space telescope | produces very clear images of objects in deep space |
Rotation | body turning on its axis |
Revolution | the motion of a body that travels around another body in space; one complete orbit around a body |
Orbit | the path that a body follows as it travels around another body in space |
Day | time required for Earth to rotate once on its axis |
Year | time required for Earth to revolve around the Earth |
Month | a division of the year based on the orbit of the moon around the Earth |