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- Astronomy Without a Telescope (Chapter 1)
Astronomy Without a Telescope (Chapter 1)
Astronomy with Regester at Greensboro Day School
About this deck
By: Kelly Pusch
Created: 2011-12-05
Size: 40 flashcards
Views: 28
Created: 2011-12-05
Size: 40 flashcards
Views: 28
About StudyBlue
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Celestial Sphere
An imaginary sphere where the stars are holes in the sphere and the light form the heavens beyond the sphere shines through those holes
Celestial Equator
An imaginary circle around the sky directly above the Earth's equator
Circumpolar
The stars within an angular distance from the NCP equal to the observer's latitude that are above the horizon for 24 hours.
Latitude
The number of degrees north or south of the Earth's equator
Longitude
The number of degrees east or west of the 0 degree longitude line that runs through Greenwich, England
Meridian
The arc that goes through the north point on the horizon, zenith, and south point on the horizon
North Celestial Pole
Point in the sky directly above the geographic north pole
South Celestial Pole
Point in the sky directly above the geographic south pole
Zenith
Point straight overhead on the celestial sphere for any observer
Solar Day
What our clocks are based on...average of 24 hours it takes the Sun to go from noon position to noon position the next day
Ecliptic
The apparent yearly path of the Sun through the stars
Vernal Equinox
Spring Equinox - the Sun crosses the celestial equator moving northward at the equinox around March 21 - everybody experiences 12 hours of daylight and nightlight
Autumnal Equinox
Fall Equinox - the Sun crosses the celestial equator moving southward at the autumnal equinox around September 22 - everybody experiences 12 hours of daylight and nightlight
Summer Solstice
The farthest northern point above the celestial equator where the Sun stops moving northward around June 21
Winter Solstice
The farthest southern point above the celestial equator where the Sun stops moving southward around December 21
Altitude
How many degrees above the horizon it is
Azimuth
How many degrees along the horizon it is and corresponds to the compass direction
Lines of Right Ascension
When lines of longitude are projected onto the sky - measured in terms of hours, minutes and seconds
Line of Declination
When lines of latitude are projected onto the sky - measured in degrees away from the celestial equator (positive degrees for objects north and negative degrees for objects south)
Precession
Causes the Sun's vernal equinox point to slowly shift westward over time - caused by the gravitational pulls of the Sun and Moon on the Earth's equatorial bulge
Sidereal Day
Measured with respect to the stars = 23 hours 56 minutes
Sidereal Year
The time required for the constellations to complete one 360 degree cycle around the sky and to return to their original point on our sky
Tropical Year
The time interval between two successive vernal equinoxes = 365.2422 solar days
Time Zones
Each time zone is 15 degrees wide, corresponding to 1 hour worth of time.
Perihelion
When the Earth is at its closest point in its orbit to the Sun
Aphelion
When the Earth is at its farthest point from the Sun
Equation of Time
Combination of the maximum and minimum of the aphelion and perihelion
Mean sun
A uniformly moving Sun
Sidereal Period
The moon drifts eastward with respect to the background stars and returns with respect to the background stars every 27.323 days
Solar Eclipse
When the Moon is in new phase and it is covering up the Sun
Lunar Eclipse
The Earth's shadow covering the Moon during the full phase
Waxing Phases
The daylit side is on the right side
Waning Phases
The daylit side is on the left side
Line of Nodes
The intersection of the Moon's orbit with the ecliptic
Umbra
The region of total shadow during an eclipse
Penumbra
The outer region of the partial shadow of an Eclipse
To refract
to bend as it passes (such as sunlight)
Annular Eclipse
A bright ring that is visible around the Moon when it is lined up with the Sun
Retrograde Motion
When a planet is moving backward
Meridian Altitude
= 90 - (observer's latitude) + declination degrees
If declination is negative, then addition of declination becomes a subtraction
About this deck
By: Kelly Pusch
Created: 2011-12-05
Size: 40 flashcards
Views: 28
Created: 2011-12-05
Size: 40 flashcards
Views: 28
About StudyBlue
STUDYBLUE makes things that make you better at school.
Things like online flashcards with photos and audio.
Things like personalized quizzes and friendly reminders about when (and what) to study next.
Think of it as a digital backpack™: access to all of your study materials online and on your phone.
STUDYBLUE exists to make studying efficient and effective for every student, for free. Join us.
“I have been getting MUCH better grades on all my tests for school. Flash cards, notes, and quizzes are great on here. Thanks!”
Kathy
Kathy