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Topic 3
Earth in the Univrse
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Arctic Circle | An imaginary line located at 66.5° North latitude. |
| Blue/violet shift | A decrease in the wavelength of electromagnetic energy emitted by an approaching object that is caused by the Doppler Effect; a shift towards the shorter wavelength (blue or violet) end of the spectrum. |
| Constellation | A small group of starts that form a recognizable pattern. The celestial sphere is divided into 88 constellation regions. |
| Diameter | The distance across a circle that passes through the center of the circle. |
| Distance | The separation in time or space between two points or locations. |
| Doppler shift | Any change in the wavelength (or frequency) of a wave as a result of the change in the distance separating the object and observer; red shifts (increase in wavelength) occur as the distance between the object and the observer increases; |
| Earth | The third planet, by distance, that orbits the Sun. The only planet currently known to support life. |
| Electromagnetic energy | Energy transferred by waves of electric and magnetic fields vibrating at right angles to each other. Different forms of electromagnetic energy vary in wavelength and frequency from very short wave gamma rays to very long electric waves |
| Electromagnetic spectrum | A method of classifying radiation on the basis of wavelength and frequency. The continuous listing of wave energy from the shortest wavelengths and highest frequencies (gamma rays) to the longest wavelengths and lowest frequencies (electric waves). |
| Equator | An imaginary line drawn around the Earth midway between the North and South Poles. The basic reference point for the system of latitude. |
| Fall equinox | Autumnal equinox. The day of the year in which the length of day equals the length of night. The day during which the vertical ray of the sun moves southward across the equator. The day of the year that marks the beginning of the fall season. |
| Foucault pendulum | A mass suspended from a wire at a single point. When set in motion, its apparent change in position is the result of the rotation of the Earth. |
| Galactic Doppler Shifts | Changes in the position of the wavelengths of the spectra of galaxies. All distant galaxies show a shift of wavelengths towards the red end of the spectrum. The galactic red shift indicates that galaxies are moving away from the Earth |
| Galaxy | A large group of stars existing under a unifying gravitational attraction. Classification of galaxies includes spiral, elliptical, and irregular. |
| Gravitational Attraction | The force that draws any two masses in the universe together. The gravitational attraction of two objects is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centers. |
| Jupiter | The largest planet revolving around the Sun; a gas-giant (Jovian) type planet; a planet composed mostly of gases with a small (earth-sized) rocky center. |
| Latitude | The angular distance (in degrees) measured North and South of the equator. The latitude of an observer is equal to the altitude of Polaris. |
| Longitude | The angular distance, measured in degrees, east and west of the Prime Meridian. |
| Luminosity | The brightness of stars compared to the brightness as seen from the same distance by the observer. |
| Main sequence | A narrow band of stars that appears when they are plotted according to their temperatures and luminosities; the portion of a star’s evolution during which gravity and core nuclear fusion exist in equilibrium. |
| Major axis | A line drawn across an ellipse that intersects the focal points and the center. The largest “diameter” that can be drawn across an ellipse. |
| Midnight | The time of the night when a location is on the opposite side of the Earth than the Sun. |
| Milky Way Galaxy | The very large, spiraled-shape group of stars that contains the Solar System. A pattern of stars that forms a light area that extends across the sky. |
| Moon | A natural satellite that revolves around a larger, non-stellar, object such as a planet, exoplanet, or asteroid. Earth’s natural satellite, The Moon orbits (revolves around) Earth in one month. |
| Noon | The time of day when the Sun is located on an observer's meridian of longitude (due South); the time of day when the Sun reaches it maximum altitude; the time boundary between morning and afternoon. |
| Northern Hemisphere | The half of the Earth located between the equator and the North Pole. |
| Orbit | The path a object takes as it revolves around another object. The path of a planet around the Sun, or a satellite around a planet. |
| Planet | A solar system body that has: (a) an orbit around the Sun; (b) enough mass and gravity to produce a nearly spherical shape; (c) cleared the neighborhood near its orbit; a major body that orbits a star. |
| Polaris | The North Star, or the star that appears to be located above the Earth’s North Pole. |
| Rate of change | Slope. The amount of change that occurs divided by the time required for the change to occur. Any rate of change can be found by using an equation: r=change/time |
| Red dwarfs | Small, cool, main sequence stars with massed less than the Sun’s. These stars fuse hydrogen to helium very slowly and may be able to exist for over 100 billion years. |
| Red shift | An increase in the wavelength of electromagnetic energy emitted by an object moving away (receding) from the observer that is caused by the Doppler Effect’ a shift towards the longer wavelength (red) end of the spectrum. |
| Revolution | The motion of one object around another object. The planets revolve around the Sun. Moons and satellites revolve around planets. |
| Rotation | The spinning of an object on its axis. The rotation of the Earth once every 24 hours causes the Coriolis effect and the apparent change in the path of a Foucault pendulum. |
| Seasons | Winter, spring, summer, and fall. The cyclic variation in weather conditions experienced because of the tilt of the axis, revolution, and parallelism. |
| Solar eclipse | An event that occurs when the Moon moves between the Earth and the Sun. When the shadow of the Moon moves across the Earth. The outer atmosphere of the sun, the corona, is visible during a total Solar eclipse. |
| Solar noon | The time of day when the Sun reaches its maximum daily altitude, is due south, or is on an observer’s meridian. |
| Solar system | The system that includes the Sun and the planets, moons, asteroids, comets, and meteorites that orbit it. |
| Southern Hemisphere | The half of the Earth that is located between the equator and the South Pole. |
| Spring Equinox | Also called vernal equinox. The day of the year when the direct ray of the noon time Sun strikes the equator as the Sun's rays move from south to north. |
| Spring tides | Tides that produce the highest high tides and lowest low tides; tides with the greatest tidal range. Spring tides occur during the new and full phases of the Moon when the Moon, Earth, and Sun are all in a line. |
| Star | A glowing sphere of gases (mostly hydrogen and helium) that is held together by the force of gravity. Stars produce energy through a process called nuclear fusion. |
| Summer Solstice | The day of the year, on or about June 21, when the Sun’s vertical rays strike the Tropic of Cancer (23.5° N latitude). In the Northern Hemisphere, it is the day with the greatest number of daylight hours and highest noontime altitude of the Sun. |
| Sun | The star that the Earth and moon orbit. The central body of the Solar System. The source of energy for most of Easth Systems. |
| Sunrise | The time of day when the Sun appears above an observer’s eastern horizon. The time and position of sunrise vary with the seasons of the year. |
| Sun's path hemisphere | A clear plastic dome that represents the sky and is used to make models of the sun’s apparent path. |
| Sunset | The time of day when the Sun moves below an observer’s western horizon. The time and position of sunset vary with the seasons. |
| Supergiants | Very large bright stars that have nuclear fusion occurring in shells but not in the core; very bright stars; stars that have used up the hydrogen in their cores and have evolved off of the main sequence. |
| Temperature | A measure of the degree of heat or random motion of the particles in an object or region. |
| Terrestrial Planets | Earth-like planets. Small rocky planets that have orbits located in the inner portion of the Solar System. |
| Tides | The periodic rise and fall of the sea as a result of the gravitational attractions of the Moon and Sun on the Earth. |
| Universe | All of space, time matter and energy. The universe formed between 12 and 15 billion years ago in an event referred to as the Big Bang. |
| Visible light | The portion of the electromagnetic spectrum to which the human eye is sensitive. Visible light has wavelengths that are shorter than infrared rays and longer than ultraviolet rays. |
| Winter Solstice | The day of the year, on or about December 21, when the Sun’s vertical rays strike the Tropic of Capricorn (23.5° S latitude). In the Northern Hemisphere, it is the day with the fewest number of daylight hours and lowest noontime altitude of the sun. |
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bhowell65
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