Astronomy Study Guide

Ptolemy's Zodiac
Constellation Meaning Major Stars
Aries Ram
Taurus Bull Aldebaran
Gemini Twins Pollux, Castor
Cancer Crab
Leo Lion Regulus
Virgo Virgin !ica
Libra Balance
cor!ius cor!ion Antares
agittarius Arc"er
Ca!ricornus ea#goat
A$uarius %ater#bearer
Pisces &is"es
't"er Constellations
Constellation Meaning Major Stars
A$uila (agle Altair
Auriga C"arioteer Ca!ella
Bootes )erdsman Arcturus
Canis *a+or Greater ,og irius
Canis *inor maller ,og Procyon
Centaurus Centaur Al!"a, Beta
Ce!"eus -ing ,elta Ce!"ei .!ulsating /ariable0
Cetus %"ale *ira Ceti .long !eriod /ariable0
Cygnus wan 1ort"ern Cross2 ,eneb
(ridanus Ri/er god Ac"ernar
Lyra Lyre Vega 3 *45 Ring 1ebulae
'rion )unter Rigel 3 Betelgeuse
Pegasus %inged "orse Great $uare
Perseus Perseus Algol .ecli!sing /ariable0
Piscis Austrinus out"ern 6is" &omal"aut
7rsa *inor Lesser bear Polaris .1ort"ern star0
Big ,i!!er is !art o6 7rsa *a+or2 ic8le is t"e "ead and mane o6 Leo2 Al!"a Andromedae is nort"east star o6 t"e
Great $uare o6 Pegasus
Brightest Stars
irius .Canus *a+or0
Cano!us .Carina0
Al!"a Centauri .Centaurus0
Vega .Lyra0
Arcturus .Bootes0
Rigel .'rion0
Ca!ella .Auriga0
Procyon .Canis *inor0
Ac"ernar .(ridanus0
Beta Centauri .Centaurus0
Nearest Stars
Al!"a Centauri .Centaurus0
Barnard's tar .'!"iuc"us0
%ol6 94: .Leo0
Lalande ;<<=4 .7rsa *a+or0
irius .Canis *a+or0
Absolute magnitude = V + 5 - 5 log(d
V > a!!arent magnitude
d > distance in !arsecs
Classes o! stars
' 3 about ;4??? -2 bluest
B 3 ;9??? # <;??? -2 includes Beta Centauri
A 3 <<??? # =??? -2 includes irius
& 3 54?? # @??? -
G 3 @??? # 4??? -2 "as line 6or ioniAed calcium2
includes t"e sun and Ca!ella
- 3 B??? # 9;?? -2 "as line 6or neutral calcium
* 3 C 9??? -2 "as line 6or titanium oxide
d > distance in !arsecs
"ert#s$rung-%ussell &iagram
Plots s!ectral class .'BA&G-*0 on "oriAontal axis
and absolute magnitude on /ertical axis
*ost stars are on to!#le6t to bottom#rig"t diagonal2
called *ain e$uence2 t"ose at bottom rig"t are
dwar6s
%"ite dwar6s are on diagonal !arallel to but below
*ain e$uence2 /ery dense2 includes irius B
Giants are at center rig"t
u!ergiants are at to!
te6an's law says energy out!ut /aries as 6ourt"
!ower o6 tem!erature
Variable stars do not ha'e (onstant luminosity
(cli!sing /ariable stars are binary stars t"at !ass in
6ront o6 eac" ot"er
Pulsating /ariable stars may be o6 ce!"eid .li8e ,elta
Ce!"ei0, RR Lyrae .li8e RR Lyrae0, or long#!eriod
.li8e *ira Ceti0
(ru!ting /ariable stars are no/as or su!erno/as
)i!e (y(le o! medium-si#ed stars
Protostars 3 collection o6 interstellar gas and dust
.6rom dar8 nebulas or globules02 T Tauri is a
!rototy!e !rotostar
)R *ain e$uence
Red giant
%"ite dwar6 3 muc" mass com!ressed in small
/olume, ma8ing it "arder 6or energy to esca!e
*nd o! li!e !or large stars
u!erno/as 3 use u! last o6 energy in a big ex!losion
1eutron star D !ulsar 3 remaining mass becomes
su!er#com!ressed2 exam!les include Crab 1ebula
and Gum 1ebula2 really big stars may colla!se into
blac8 "oles, w"ic" can only be obser/ed by t"eir
gra/itational e66ects on nearby stars since no
electromagnetic radiation can esca!e 6rom t"em
Most abundant elements
)ydrogen <?
:
, )elium @E9F<?
5
, 'xygen =??,???,
Carbon 4??,???, 1itrogen <??,???, 1eon :9,???
%andom terms
Con+unction # two bodies due nort" and sout" o6 eac"
ot"er .same latitude02 in6erior i6 inner !lanet is
between (art" and un2 su!erior i6 inner !lanet is on
6ar side o6 un2 rig"t ascension .1 celestial !ole0 or
celestial longitude .1 ecli!ic !ole0
'!!osition # rig"t ascensions di66er by <; "ours or
celestial longitudes di66er by <=?
?
Peri"elion # !oint o6 orbit nearest un
A!"elion # !oint o6 orbit 6art"est 6rom un
Perigee # !oint o6 orbit nearest (art"
A!ogee # !oint o6 orbit 6art"est 6rom (art"
($uinox # lengt" o6 day and nig"t is e$ual
e/eryw"ere on t"e !lanet
*eteor # ice or roc8 t"at burns u! entering (art"'s
atmos!"ere2 called a meteoroid in s!ace and a
meteorite i6 a remnant ma8es it to t"e ground
ynodic Period # T"e time inter/al between two
successi/e occurrences o6 a s!eci6ic ty!e o6
alignment o6 a !lanet .or t"e moon0 wit" t"e sun and
t"e eart"
&oucault Pendulum # 6irst !ro/ed t"at (art" rotates
on its axis
(cli!tic # t"e !at" in t"e s8y t"at t"e sun a!!ears to
tra/erse o/er t"e course o6 a year
Zeeman (66ect # !ectral line s!litting due to t"e
in6luence o6 magnetic 6ields
yAygy # name gi/en to t"e con6iguration w"en t"ree
celestial bodies are in a line
BailyGs Beads # Beads o6 lig"t /isible around t"e rim
o6 t"e moon at t"e beginning and end o6 a total
solar ecli!se
Albedo # t"e re6lecting !ower o6 an ob+ect ."ow muc"
lig"t a !lanet re6lects0
)elio!ause # outer boundary o6 t"e sun's magnetic
6ield
(longation # t"e !osition o6 an in6erior !lanet by t"e
angle it ma8es wit" t"e sun as seen 6rom t"e eart"
Van Allen Belts # two main radiation belts t"at
surround t"e eart"
Bis"o!Gs Ring H occurs around un a6ter /olcanic
eru!tion
un ,ogs# two brig"t s!ots o6 lig"t on o!!osite sides
o6 a "alo around t"e sun
Tidal &riction # !"enomenon t"at causes t"e *oon's
rotation about its own axis to be e$ual to t"e *oon's
!eriod o6 re/olution about t"e (art"
AAimut" # angular !osition o6 an ob+ect measured
6rom a 6ixed !oint along t"e "oriAon
Precession # c"ange in orientation o6 t"e (art"'s axis
olar ,eclination Angle # angular !osition o6 t"e sun
at solar noon wit" res!ect to t"e !lane o6 t"e e$uator
Retrograde H motion w"en a !lanet seems to be
mo/ing westward in t"e s8y
+amous ,eo$le
)i!!arc"us # 6irst man to classi6y stars according to
t"eir brig"tness
Aristarc"us # Gree8 astronomer w"o 6irst !ro!osed a
model o6 t"e solar system wit" t"e un at t"e center
Co!ernicus # wrote t"e boo8 I'n t"e Re/olutions o6
t"e )ea/enly !"eresI2 6irst t"eoriAed t"e
"eliocentric system in modern timesE
(ratost"enes # 6irst measured t"e radius o6 t"e (art"
Tyc"o Bra"e # ,anis" astronomer w"o built t"e
largest na8ed eye astronomical obser/atory in
modern (uro!eE )e made countless obser/ations o6
t"e !osition o6 *ars and ot"er celestial bodiesE
-e!ler # realiAed t"at !lanets 6ollow elli!tical, rat"er
t"an circular, orbits around t"e un
'E Roemer # ,anis" astronomer w"o calculated an
accurate /alue 6or t"e s!eed o6 lig"t in <@5@E
Galileo Galilei # Jtalian astronomer and !"ysicist
w"o 6irst utiliAed t"e telesco!e 6or astronomical
obser/ationsE
Jsaac 1ewton # wrote law o6 gra/ity
Meteor Sho-ers 3 Perseids August <;, 'rionids
'ctober ;<, Geminids ,ecember <9
Aurora Borealis and Aurora Australis are caused by
collisions between atoms 6rom solar 6lares along Van
Allen belts and terrestrial atoms
Arno PenAias and Robert %ilson o6 Bell Labs 6ound
cosmic bac8ground radiation !redicted by George
Gamo/ 6rom Big Bang T"eory
)argest teles(o$es
Re6racting 3 Ker8es 'bser/atory, %illiams Bay %J
Re6lecting 3 -ec8, *auna -ea, )J
!ace 3 )ubble
ingle Radio ,is" 3 Arecibo 'bser/atory, Puerto
Rico
Radio Jnter6erometer 3 Very Long Baseline Array, )J
to Virgin Jslands
.e$ler/s )a-3 !lanets re/ol/e in elli!se wit" un at
one 6ocus2 line +oining t"e un to a !lanet swee!s out
e$ual areas in e$ual times2 t"e s$uare o6 t"e !eriod o6
re/olution o6 a !lanet is !ro!ortional to t"e cube o6
t"e lengt" o6 t"e ma+or axis o6 t"e orbitE
,lanets
*ercury 3 6astest orbiting2 longest day2 no moons2
/isited by *ariner <? <:5B#<:542 Caloris Basin
im!act crater =?? miles in diameter2 "ydrogen#
"elium atmos!"ere
Venus 3 most circular orbit2 "ottest2 no moons2 dense,
w"ite atmos!"ere mainly o6 carbon dioxide, !ossibly
wit" sul6uric acid clouds2 /isited by *ariner ; <:@;2
*ariner 4 and Venera B arri/ed on same day in <:@52
/isited by *ariner <? <:5B2 ma!!ed by *agellan in
<:=:#<::B
*ars 3 'lym!us *ons is solar system's tallest
mountain2 atmos!"ere o6 carbon dioxide2 !olar ca!s
o6 water and carbon dioxide2 /isited by *ariner B
<:@B2 orbited by *ariner : <:5<2 /isited by Vi8ings
<:5@, *ars Pat"6inder .wit" o+ourner0 and *ars
Global ur/eyer <::@2 Albert )all disco/ered outer
,eimos and inner P"obos moons
Lu!iter 3 largest and most massi/e2 s"ortest day2
dee!est oceans2 atmos!"ere :?M "ydrogen, <?M
"elium2 /isited by Pioneer <? and << <:59#<:5B2 <5
8nown moons2 Galileo disco/ered Ganymede .largest
moon in solar system0, Callisto .oldest, most crater
moon sur6ace0, Jo ./olcanic0, and (uro!a in <@<?2
/isited by Voyager < and ; in <:5:2 Great Red !ot
"as countercloc8wise rotation2 "oema8er#Le/y :
collided wit" Lu!iter <::B2 orbited by Galileo <::4
aturn 3 lowest a/erage density2 second largest2 <=
moons .tied wit" 7ranus 6or most02 atmos!"ere 54M
"ydrogen, ;4M "elium2 /isited by Pioneer << in
<:5:, also by Voyager < and ; <:=<2 Cassini to /isit
in ;??B
7ranus 3 disco/ered by %illiam )ersc"el in <5=<2
/isited by Voyager ; <:=@2 <=#;< moons including
*iranda, Ariel, 7mbriel, Titania, and 'beron2
atmos!"ere =9M "ydrogen, <4M "elium, ;M met"ane
1e!tune 3 "as Great ,ar8 !ot2 atmos!"ere =?M
"ydrogen, <:M "elium, <M met"ane2 /isited by
Voyager ; in <:=:2 = moons including Triton .largest0
and 1ereid .most eccentric in solar system0
Pluto 3 smallest and least massi/e2 slowest orbiting2
coldest2 most eccentric orbit2 disco/ered by Clyde
Tombaug" at Lowell 'bser/atory in &lagsta662 Lames
C"risty disco/ered moon C"aron2 -ui!er Belt o6
asteroids nearby
Sun 3 =@4,??? mile diameter2 :9 million miles 6rom
(art"2 B:: seconds .= minutes0 6or lig"t to reac"
(art"2 sur6ace 455= -2 core ;= million &2
!"otos!"ere # c"romos!"ere # corona
T"ree !lanets belie/ed to exist near 7!silon
Andromedae
*arth/s atmos$here 3 tro!os!"ere # stratos!"ere #
mesos!"ere # t"ermos!"ere # ionos!"ere
0-ilight 3 ci/il .center o6 un ? to @ degrees below
"oriAon0, nautical .@ to <; degrees0, astronomical .<;
to <= degrees0
S$a(e *1$loration
&irst animal in s!ace # Lai8a .dog, <:450
&irst satellite # !utni8 J .<:450
&irst American satellite # (x!lorer J .<:4=0
&irst man in s!ace # Kuri Gagarin .<:@<, Vosto8 J0
&irst American in s!ace # Alan "e!ard .<:@<0
&irst American in orbit # Lo"n Glenn .<:@;0
&irst s!acewal8 # Alexi Leono/
&irst American s!acewal8 # (d %"ite
&irst woman in s!ace # Valentina Teres"8o/a .<:@90
&irst American woman in s!ace # ally Ride
&irst blac8 in s!ace # Guion Blu6ord
&irst men on moon # 1eil Armstrong, (dwin BuAA
Aldrin .<:@:, A!ollo <<0, *ic"ael Collins in
command module
American manned s!ace !rograms # *ercury,
Gemini, A!ollo, 8ylab, !ace "uttle
Russian manned s!ace !rograms # Vosto8, Vos8"od,
oyuA, alyut
,ied in A!ollo 6las" 6ire in <:@5 # Grissom, C"a66ee,
and %"ite
+irst s$a(e shuttles # (nter!rise .trainer0, Columbia,
C"allenger, ,isco/ery, Atlantis