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Astronomy, part 1

TermDefinition
Astronomy the science that deals with the material universe beyond the earth's atmosphere.
Geocentric having or representing the earth as a center
Heliocentric measured or considered as being seen from the center of the sun.
Ellipse n mathematics, an ellipse is a curve on a plane surrounding two focal points such that the sum of the distances to the two focal points is constant for every point on the curve.
Astronomical Unit (AU) a unit of length, equal to the mean distance of the earth from the sun: approximately 93 million miles (150 million km). Abbreviation: AU.
Rotation the movement or path of the earth or a heavenly body turning on its axis. one complete turn of such a body.
Revolution (not in technical use) rotation (def 2). the orbiting of one heavenly body around another. a single course of such movement. 8. a round or cycle of events in time or a recurring period of time.
Perihelion the point in the orbit of a planet or comet at which it is nearest to the sun.
Aphelion the point in the orbit of a planet or a comet at which it is farthest from the sun
Phases of the moon new moon, crescent moon, first-quarter moon, gibbous moon, and full moon. The moon is then said to wane as it passes through the gibbous moon, last-quarter moon, crescent moon and back to new moon.
Solar eclipse the obscuration of the light of the sun by the intervention of the moon between it and a point on the earth
Lunar eclipse the obscuration of the light of the moon by the intervention of the earth between it and the sun
Terrestrial planet inner planet.
Jovian planet any of the four large outer planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
Asteroid Also called minor planet. Astronomy. any of the thousands of small bodies of from 480 miles (775 km) to less than one mile (1.6 km) in diameter that revolve about the sun in orbits lying mostly between those of Mars and Jupiter.
Comet a celestial body moving about the sun, usually in a highly eccentric orbit, consisting of a central mass surrounded by an envelope of dust and gas that may form a tail that streams away from the sun.
Meteoroid any of the small bodies, often remnants of comets, traveling through space: when such a body enters the earth's atmosphere it is heated to luminosity and becomes a meteor.
Meteor a meteoroid that has entered the earth's atmosphere. a transient fiery streak in the sky produced by a meteoroid passing through the earth's atmosphere; a shooting star or bolide.
Meteorite a mass of stone or metal that has reached the earth from outer space; a fallen meteoroid.
Electromagnetic spectrum the entire spectrum, considered as a continuum, of all kinds of electric, magnetic, and visible radiation, from gamma rays having a wavelength of 0.001 angstrom to long waves having a wavelength of more than 1 million km.
Photon a quantum of electromagnetic radiation, usually considered as an elementary particle that is its own antiparticle and that has zero rest mass and charge and a spin of one. Symbol: γ.
Doppler Effect The shift in frequency of acoustic or electromagnetic radiation emitted by a source moving relative to an observer as perceived by the observer: the shift is to higher frequencies when the source approaches and to lower frequencies when it recedes.
Refracting Telescope See under telescope
Reflecting Telescope See under telescope
Radio Telescope a system consisting of an antenna, either parabolic or dipolar, used to gather radio waves emitted by celestial sources and bring them to a receiver placed in the focus.
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 space vehicles consisting of a reusable manned orbiter that touches down on a landing strip after an orbital mission, two reusable solid rocket boosters that drop off after initial ascent, and an expendable external tank containing liquid propellants.
Created by: MayaSTX
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