DOCSLIB.ORG

Universe and Solar System

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Universe and Solar System UNIT 1: UNIVERSE AND SOLAR SYSTEM 1. What name is given to all of the energy, space and matter that exist? Universe. 2. Which science studies the origin and evolution of the universe? Astronomy. 3. Who proposed the geocentric model and when? Ptolemy in the Second Century A.D. 4. In which astronomical model are the planets rotating around the Earth? In the geocentric model. 5. Who proposed the heliocentric model and when? Copernicus in the Sixteenth Century A.D. 6. In which astronomical model are the planets rotating around the sun? In the heliocentric model. 7. Who was the Italian astronomer that supported the heliocentric model? Galileo Galilei. 8. Which invention helped to demonstrate the heliocentric model? The telescope. 9. According to which theory did the universe begin because of a big explosion? The Big Bang Theory. 10. What are the two units of measure for the universe? The astronomic unit and light years. 11. What is one astronomic unit? The distance from the Earth to the sun: 150 million kilometers. 12. What do you call the distance that light takes travelling during one year? One light year. 13. What is the velocity of light? 300,000 km/s. 14. What can we use to observe the universe? Astronomic observatories, telescopes, artificial satellites, space stations and robot vehicles. 15. What is the name given to an enormous group of stars? Galaxy. 16. What is it called when various bodies orbit around a star? Planetary System. 17. What is the shape of our galaxy? Spiral. 18. What do you call the accumulation of galaxies where the Milky Way is located? Local Group. 19. What are the parts of the Milky Way? Central Nucleus, spiral arms and halo. 20. What are the spherical celestial bodies formed by gases that emit their own light? The stars. 21. What process takes place inside stars? Nuclear fusion reaction. 22. What are the colors of stars from the highest surface temperature to the lowest? Blue, yellow and red. 23. What are the names of the stars according to their size? Giant, medium and dwarf. 24. What does the brightness of stars depend on? On the distance, on its size and on the energy it emits. 25. When does a star die? When it has no more fuel. 26. What is the name of the attraction force between the bodies? Gravitational Force. 27. Which characteristic does Pluto have to be a planet? It is spherical. 28. Which characteristic does Pluto need in order to be a planet? To clear its orbit. 29. What is the name of the movement of a planet around its axis? Rotation. 30. What is the name of the planet system where our planet is? Solar System. 31. Which are the interior planets? Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. 32. Which are the exterior planets? Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. 33. Which planets in the Solar System don’t have satellites? Mercury and Venus. 34. What is the name of the comet that sometimes passes the Earth? Halley’s comet. 35. What is the shape of the planets orbit? Elliptical. 36. Name the planets in the Solar System from closest to furthest: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. UNIT 2: THE EARTH IN THE UNIVERSE 1. What is the name for the imaginary lines that go around the Earth horizontally? Parallels. 2. What is the name for the imaginary lines that go around the Earth vertically? Meridians. 3. Which parallel is the most important? The Equator. 4. Which meridian is the most important? The Zero Meridian or the Meridian of Greenwich. 5. What is the name of the angle that separates one point of the Earth from the Equator? Latitude. 6. What is the name of the angle that separates one point of the Earth from the Zero Meridian? Longitude. 7. What is the sense of the rotation and revolution of the Earth? Anticlockwise. 8. During the Earth’s revolution, what is the name of the point that is closest to the Sun? Perihelion 9. During the Earth’s revolution, what is the name of the point that is furthest from the Sun? Aphelion. 10. When does the spring boreal equinox occur? March 21st. 11. When does the summer boreal solstice occur? June 21st. 12. When does the autumn boreal equinox occur? September 22nd. 13. When does the winter boreal solstice occur? December 22nd. 14. What do we call it when both hemispheres have equal sunlight? Equinoxes. 15. What do we call the days when the day or night is longer? Solstices. 16. What is the name of the zone between the two meridians? Time zone. 17. What is our time zone with respect to the Greenwich meridian? One hour more. 18. What is the system of measure for time in days, months and years? A calendar. 19. Which are the most important calendars? Julius and Gregorian. 20. For what reason is the moon bright? Because of the reflection of the sunlight. 21. The moon has no atmosphere, what are the effects due to this? The meteorites do not disintegrate, there is not noise, the temperatures are extreme and there is not erosion. 22. What are the names of the biggest plains on the moon? Seas. 23. Why is there a hidden side of the moon? Because the moon lasts the same in its revolution and rotation. 24. What is the name of the different forms of the moon? Phases of the moon. 25. What is the name of the phase of the moon where you can’t see the moon? New Moon. 26. What are the names of the phases of the moon where you can see part of it? First quarter and last quarter. 27. What is the name of the phase of the moon where you can see the moon completely? Full Moon. 28. What is the name given when one celestial body is hidden by another? Eclipse. 29. What do we call the sea levels when they rise and go down? Tides. 30. What are two types of tides? High tide and low tide. 31. What is the name of the layer of the Earth with the materials with the most density? Core. 32. What are the names of the two layers on top of the core? Mantle and crust. 33. What are the layers of the Earth´s geosphere? Core, mantle and crust. 34. What are the names of the layers of the Earth with least density materials? Hydrosphere and atmosphere. 35. What is the name of the layer of the Earth where the living things are? Biosphere. 36. What do we call the natural things we take from the Earth to use in our activities? Natural resources. 37. What are the two types of natural resources? Renewable and non-renewable. 38. What is the name given to the use of resources in a responsible way? Sustainable development. UNIT 3: PLANET FULL OF LIFE 1. What are the living beings characteristics? Three vital functions, similar components and cells formed. 2. What are the three vital functions? Nutrition, relationships and reproduction. 3. What are two types of nutrition? Autotrophic and heterotrophic. 4. What nutrition occurs in plants? Autotrophic. 5. What nutrition occurs in animals? Heterotrophic. 6. What are two types of reproduction? Sexual and asexual. 7. What is the smallest unit of a living thing that performs the three vital functions? The cell. 8. What do all the cells have in common? Plasmatic membrane, cytoplasm and genetic material (DNA). 9. What is the name of the outermost material of cells? Plasmatic membrane. 10. What is the name of the liquid around the cells organelles? Cytoplasm. 11. What are the two types of cells? Prokaryotic and eukaryotic. 12. What surrounds the plasmatic membrane in prokaryotic cells? Cell Wall. 13. Where is the DNA in Eukaryotic cells? In the nucleus. 14. What organelle stores substances in the Eukaryotic cells? Vacuoles. 15. What organelle produces energy in Eukaryotic cells? Mitochondria. 16. What two special organelles do plant cells have? Cell wall and chloroplasts. 17. Cells with the same function are grouped as… tissues. 18. Various tissues form… organs. 19. The organs are grouped in… systems. 20. What level do bacteria belong to? Level 1: Unicellular organisms. 21. What level do sponges and mushrooms belong to? Level 2: Multicellular organisms without tissues. 22. What level do jellyfish and moss belong to? Level 3: Multicellular organisms with tissues but without organelles. 23. What level do plants belong to? Level 4: Multicellular organisms with organelles without systems. 24. What level do vertebrates belong to? Level 5: Multicellular organisms with systems. 25. What are the taxonomies from largest to smallest? Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus and Species. 26. What is the latest taxonomy? Kingdom. 27. What is the smallest taxonomy? Species. 28. What are the two taxonomies that are used in the scientific name of living things? Genus and species. UNIT 4: MONERA, PROTOCTISTS FUNGI AND PLANTS 1. Are the organisms of the monera kingdom unicellular or multicellular?: Unicellular. 2. What is the type of cells in the monera kingdom? Procariotic. 3. What is the type of reproduction in the monera kingdom? Asexual. 4. How do you call the spherical bacteria? Coccus. 5. What is the type of nutrition in bacteria? Heterotrophic. 6. What do we use to fight the effects of harmful bacteria? Antibiotics. 7. What are the most known organism in the monera kingdom? Bacteria. 8. What do we use bacteria to make for? Cheese, yogurt and vinegar. 9. What are the three types of bacteria according to their nutrition? Saprophytes, symbiotics, and parasites.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • 1 Timeline 2 Geocentric Model
    Ancient Astronomy Many ancient cultures were interested in the night sky • Calenders • Prediction of seasons • Navigation 1 Timeline Astronomy timeline • ∼ 3000 B.C. Stonehenge • 2136 B.C. First record of solar eclipse by Chinese astronomers • 613 B.C. First record of Halley’s comet by Zuo Zhuan (China) • ∼ 270 B.C. Aristarchus proposes Earth goes around Sun (not a popular idea at the time) • ∼ 240 B.C. Eratosthenes estimates Earth’s circumference • ∼ 130 B.C. Hipparchus develops first accurate star map (one of the first to use R.A. and Dec) 2 Geocentric model The Geocentric Model • Greek philosopher Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) • Uniform circular motion • Earth at center of Universe Retrograde Motion • General motion of planets east- ward • Short periods of westward motion of planets • Then continuation eastward How did the early Greek philosophers make retrograde motion consistent with uniform circular motion? 3 Ptolemy Ptolemy’s Geocentric Model • Planet moves around a small circle called an epicycle • Center of epicycle moves along a larger cir- cle called a deferent • Center of deferent is at center of Earth (sort of) Ptolemy’s Geocentric Model • Ptolemy invented the device called the eccentric • The eccentric is the center of the deferent • Sometimes the eccentric was slightly off center from the center of the Earth Ptolemy’s Geocentric Model • Uniform circular motion could not account for speed of the planets thus Ptolemy used a device called the equant • The equant was placed the same distance from the eccentric as the Earth, but on the
    [Show full text]
  • A Philosophical and Historical Analysis of Cosmology from Copernicus to Newton
    University of Central Florida STARS Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2004-2019 2017 Scientific transformations: a philosophical and historical analysis of cosmology from Copernicus to Newton Manuel-Albert Castillo University of Central Florida Part of the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine Commons Find similar works at: https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd University of Central Florida Libraries http://library.ucf.edu This Masters Thesis (Open Access) is brought to you for free and open access by STARS. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2004-2019 by an authorized administrator of STARS. For more information, please contact [email protected]. STARS Citation Castillo, Manuel-Albert, "Scientific transformations: a philosophical and historical analysis of cosmology from Copernicus to Newton" (2017). Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2004-2019. 5694. https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd/5694 SCIENTIFIC TRANSFORMATIONS: A PHILOSOPHICAL AND HISTORICAL ANALYSIS OF COSMOLOGY FROM COPERNICUS TO NEWTON by MANUEL-ALBERT F. CASTILLO A.A., Valencia College, 2013 B.A., University of Central Florida, 2015 A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in the department of Interdisciplinary Studies in the College of Graduate Studies at the University of Central Florida Orlando, Florida Fall Term 2017 Major Professor: Donald E. Jones ©2017 Manuel-Albert F. Castillo ii ABSTRACT The purpose of this thesis is to show a transformation around the scientific revolution from the sixteenth to seventeenth centuries against a Whig approach in which it still lingers in the history of science. I find the transformations of modern science through the cosmological models of Nicholas Copernicus, Johannes Kepler, Galileo Galilei and Isaac Newton.
    [Show full text]
  • 1 Science LR 2711
    A Scientific Response to the Chester Beatty Library Collection Contents The Roots Of Modern Science A Scientific Response To The Chester Beatty Library Collection 1 Science And Technology 2 1 China 3 Science In Antiquity 4 Golden Age Of Islamic Science 5 Transmission Of Knowledge To Europe 6 A Scientific Response To The Chester Beatty Library Collections For Dublin City Of Science 2012 7 East Asian Collections The Great Encyclopaedia of the Yongle Reign (Yongle Dadian) 8 2 Phenomena of the Sky (Tianyuan yuli xiangyi tushuo) 9 Treatise on Astronomy and Chronology (Tianyuan lili daquan) 10 Illustrated Scrolls of Gold Mining on Sado Island (Sado kinzan zukan) 11 Islamic Collections Islamic Medicine 12 3 Medical Compendium, by al-Razi (Al-tibb al-mansuri) 13 Encyclopaedia of Medicine, by Ibn Sina (Al-qanun fi’l-tibb) 14 Treatise on Surgery, by al-Zahrawi (Al-tasrif li-man ‘ajiza ‘an al-ta’lif) 15 Treatise on Human Anatomy, by Mansur ibn Ilyas (Tashrih al-badan) 16 Barber –Surgeon toolkit from 1860 17 Islamic Astronomy and Mathematics 18 The Everlasting Cycles of Lights, by Muhyi al-Din al-Maghribi (Adwar al-anwar mada al-duhur wa-l-akwar) 19 Commentary on the Tadhkira of Nasir al-Din al-Tusi 20 Astrolabes 21 Islamic Technology 22 Abbasid Caliph, Ma’mum at the Hammam 23 European Collections European Science of the Middle Ages 24 4 European Technology: On Military Matters (De Re Militari) 25 European Technology: Concerning Military Matters (De Re Militari) 26 Mining Technology: On the Nature of Metals (De Re Metallica) 27 Fireworks: The triumphal
    [Show full text]
  • The Roots of Astronomy
    The Roots of Astronomy • Already in the stone and bronze ages, human cultures realized the cyclic nature of motions in the sky. • Monuments dating back to ~ 3000 B.C. show alignments with astronomical significance. • Those monuments were probably used as calendars or even to predict eclipses. Stonehenge • Constructed: 3000 – 1800 B.C. Summer solstice Heelstone • Alignments with locations of sunset, sunrise, moonset and moonrise at summer and winter solstices • Probably used as calendar. Other Examples All Over the World Big Horn Medicine Wheel (Wyoming) Other Examples All Over the World (2) Caracol (Maya culture, approx. A.D. 1000) Ancient Greek Astronomers (1) • Unfortunately, there are no written documents about the significance of stone and bronze age monuments. • First preserved written documents about ancient astronomy are from ancient Greek philosophy. • Greeks tried to understand the motions of the sky and describe them in terms of mathematical (not physical!) models. Ancient Greek Astronomers (2) Models were generally wrong because they were based on wrong “first principles”, believed to be “obvious” and not questioned: 1. Geocentric Universe: Earth at the Center of the Universe. 2. “Perfect Heavens”: Motions of all celestial bodies described by motions involving objects of “perfect” shape, i.e., spheres or circles. Ancient Greek Astronomers (3) • Eudoxus (409 – 356 B.C.): Model of 27 nested spheres • Aristotle (384 – 322 B.C.), major authority of philosophy until the late middle ages: Universe can be divided in 2 parts: 1. Imperfect,
    [Show full text]
  • The Persian-Toledan Astronomical Connection and the European Renaissance
    Academia Europaea 19th Annual Conference in cooperation with: Sociedad Estatal de Conmemoraciones Culturales, Ministerio de Cultura (Spain) “The Dialogue of Three Cultures and our European Heritage” (Toledo Crucible of the Culture and the Dawn of the Renaissance) 2 - 5 September 2007, Toledo, Spain Chair, Organizing Committee: Prof. Manuel G. Velarde The Persian-Toledan Astronomical Connection and the European Renaissance M. Heydari-Malayeri Paris Observatory Summary This paper aims at presenting a brief overview of astronomical exchanges between the Eastern and Western parts of the Islamic world from the 8th to 14th century. These cultural interactions were in fact vaster involving Persian, Indian, Greek, and Chinese traditions. I will particularly focus on some interesting relations between the Persian astronomical heritage and the Andalusian (Spanish) achievements in that period. After a brief introduction dealing mainly with a couple of terminological remarks, I will present a glimpse of the historical context in which Muslim science developed. In Section 3, the origins of Muslim astronomy will be briefly examined. Section 4 will be concerned with Khwârizmi, the Persian astronomer/mathematician who wrote the first major astronomical work in the Muslim world. His influence on later Andalusian astronomy will be looked into in Section 5. Andalusian astronomy flourished in the 11th century, as will be studied in Section 6. Among its major achievements were the Toledan Tables and the Alfonsine Tables, which will be presented in Section 7. The Tables had a major position in European astronomy until the advent of Copernicus in the 16th century. Since Ptolemy’s models were not satisfactory, Muslim astronomers tried to improve them, as we will see in Section 8.
    [Show full text]
  • Astro110-01 Lecture 7 the Copernican Revolution
    Astro110-01 Lecture 7 The Copernican Revolution or the revolutionaries: Nicolas Copernicus (1473-1543) Tycho Brahe (1546-1601) Johannes Kepler (1571-1630) Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) Isaac Newton (1642-1727) who toppled Aristotle’s cosmos 2/2/09 Astro 110-01 Lecture 7 1 Recall: The Greek Geocentric Model of the heavenly spheres (around 400 BC) • Earth is a sphere that rests in the center • The Moon, Sun, and the planets each have their own spheres • The outermost sphere holds the stars • Most famous players: Aristotle and Plato 2/2/09 Aristotle Plato Astro 110-01 Lecture 7 2 But this made it difficult to explain the apparent retrograde motion of planets… Over a period of 10 weeks, Mars appears to stop, back up, then go forward again. Mars Retrograde Motion 2/2/09 Astro 110-01 Lecture 7 3 A way around the problem • Plato had decreed that in the heavens only circular motion was possible. • So, astronomers concocted the scheme of having the planets move in circles, called epicycles, that were themselves centered on other circles, called deferents • If an observation of a planet did not quite fit the existing system of deferents and epicycles, another epicycle could be added to improve the accuracy • This ancient system of astronomy was codified by the Alexandrian Greek astronomer Ptolemy (A.D. 100–170), in a book translated into Arabic and called Almagest. • Almagest remained the principal textbook of astronomy for 1400 years until Copernicus 2/2/09 Astro 110-01 Lecture 7 4 So how does the Ptolemaic model explain retrograde motion? Planets really do go backward in this model.
    [Show full text]
  • How Do Planets Move?
    How Do Planets Move? 1 We know that the Sun is at the centre of the solar system Eight planets orbit it 2 However, this has not always been believed! 3 These people all believed different things about the solar system. Firstly, when do you think Place them on the timeline these civilizations/people lived? alKatabi Aristotle Ancient Egyptians Plotemy alHazen Tusi Ancient Indians Early Humans Us in 2020 4 For thousands of years, people believed that the Earth was the centre of the solar system. By observing the Sun, during the day, it seemed obvious that it was moving around planet Earth. Early Humans Plotemy Ancient Indians Ancient Egyptians Aristotle 5 Ptolemy’s model became the accepted view for hundreds of years. However, during the time of the Islamic Golden Age, some scientists started to criticise his model. Alhazen was the first to outright disagree with the Ptolemaic Model. Plotemy alHazen 6 Other Islamic scientists explored the idea of heliocentrism. However, Tusi was the first real scientist to propose the Heliocentric Model (what we believe today!)... alHazen Tusi ? To be continued (next lesson)... 7 Activity WALT understand the geocentric model of the solar system Can you draw a diagram to show the geocentric model? Can you summarise the key people who were involved in creating this model of the solar system? 8 Firstly, let's ensure that we remember/can say the name... WALT understand the geocentric model of the solar system What does this What does the root word prefix mean? mean? Geo- is a prefix derived in or at the from a Greek word centre; meaning "earth" central.
    [Show full text]
  • Historical Astronomy
    Historical Astronomy (Neolithic record of Moon Phases) Introduction Arguably the history of astronomy IS the history of science. Many cultures carried out astronomical observations. However, very few formed mathematical or physical models based on their observations. It is those that did that we will focus on here, primarily the Babylonians and Greeks. Other Examples At the same time, that focus should not cause us to forget the impressive accomplishments of other cultures. Other Examples ∼ 2300 year old Chankillo Big Horn Medicine Wheel, Observatory, near Lima, Wyoming Peru Other Examples Chinese Star Map - Chinese records go back over 4000 Stonehenge, England years Babylonian Astronomy The story we will follow in more detail begins with the Babylonians / Mesopotamians / Sumerians, the cultures that inhabited the “fertile crescent.” Babylonian Astronomy Their observations and mathematics was instrumental to the development of Greek astronomy and continues to influence science today. They were the first to provide a mathematical description of astronomical events, recognize that astronomical events were periodic, and to devise a theory of the planets. Babylonian Astronomy Some accomplishments: • The accurate prediction of solar and lunar eclipses. • They developed mathematical models to predict the motions of the planets. • Accurate star charts. • Recognized the changing apparent speed of the Sun’s motion. • Developed models to account for the changing speed of the Sun and Moon. • Gave us the idea of 360◦ in a circle, 600 in a degree, 6000 in a minute. Alas, only very fragmentary records of their work survives. Early Greek The conquests of Alexander the Great are oen credited with bringing knowl- edge of the Babylonians science and mathematics to the Greeks.
    [Show full text]
  • Astronomy Through the Ages: 2 Middle Ages Through Renaissance
    Astronomy Through the Ages: 2 Middle ages through Renaissance ASTR 101 10/1/2018 1 Watch the movie “Galileo's Battle for the Heavens” can be viewed online at: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/ancient/galileo-battle-for-the-heavens.html or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCxkdR092c4 (no commercial breaks) Arabic Astronomy • While science and astronomy were in the decline in Europe, they flourished in the Arabic world during the Islamic golden age (9-13 century). • Scientific pursuits were strongly supported by the ruling nobility and endowed the work with formal prestige. • ‘House of Wisdom’ in Baghdad (founded in 830), sponsored by Abbasids caliphs became the main intellectual center of the world. • They translated many texts from Greek, Sanskrit and Persian into Arabic. • Many Greek texts otherwise would have been lost were Scholars at an Abbasid library saved in Arabic (ex: Almagest) 13th C. Illustration en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Wisdom • That knowledge was diffused throughout the vast Islamic empire and assimilated to their knowledge and developed further. Arabic manuscript illustrating Aristotle with his students 3 • Islamic astronomers placed far greater emphasis on observations than the Greeks and built superior astronomical instruments with improvements. 11th century Arabic astrolabe (Metropolitan Museum of Art. NY) www.metmuseum.org/collection/the-collection-online/search/444408 Arabic astronomers observing, (a 16th century painting). Pages from the 10th century Star catalog by the Persian astronomer Abdurrahman Al Sufi, who was also the first to mention about the large Magellanic cloud and the Andromeda galaxy. Arabic names of stars now in use are from catalogs and maps produced during this era.
    [Show full text]
  • Adobe Acrobat
    A ANCIENT GREECE Background Information 9: Astronomy General Introduction: • Astronomy is considered to be the first science • The term astronomy comes from 2 Greek words; astron – ‘star,’ and nemein – ‘to name.’ • Humans observed the stars for thousands of years before the Greeks – but many of the names of stars come directly from the Ancient Greeks because they were the first astronomers to make a systematic catalogue of the stars. Heritage: • The Babylonians believed that the sun, moon, planets and stars were placed there by the gods. They observed that the stars travelled in a certain band of sky – which they divided into 12, recognizable patterns or constellations – now known as the zodiac. They named the constellations after animals / characters they recognized. • The Egyptians used astronomy for timekeeping only. They developed a calendar based on the solar year. • The Greeks combined this knowledge adding a Greek twist to some elements (see signs of the zodiac) and extending it. Historically Significant Individuals / Developments • 6th C BC Greeks realise the earth is a sphere. Made first accurate measurements of earth’s circumference and moon’s size and distance from earth. • 6th C Thales: the earth rests on water • 6th C Anaximander: the earth doesn’t rest on anything • 540-480 BC Heraclitus: universe behaves in a periodic fashion. The sun is a foot wide and is new every day. – 1 – www.ancientgreece.co.uk | © The British Museum 2005 • 500-428 BC Anaxagoras: the mind controls the universe, comets are formed by planets colliding, eclipses are explained by shadows, and the earth is flat and solid, supported in the air.
    [Show full text]
  • Homework #3 Solutions Astronomy 10, Section 2 Due: Monday, September 20, 2011
    Homework #3 Solutions Astronomy 10, Section 2 due: Monday, September 20, 2011 Chapter 3; Review Questions 5) If a lunar eclipse occurred at midnight, where in the sky would you look to see it? During a lunar eclipse, the Moon, Earth, and Sun must lie along a line. There are only two possible positions in the Moonʼs orbit where this can happen: at the full moon (lunar eclipse) and at the new moon (solar eclipse). If it is midnight and the moon is in its full phase, it will be at its highest possible position in the sky (depends on latitude). If you are in the northern hemisphere, this will be slightly south of your zenith position. 6) Why do solar eclipses happen only at new moon Why not every new moon? Solar eclipses happen when the moon is directly between the Earth and the Sun. This corresponds to the New Moon phase. Solar eclipses do not occur every New Moon because of the small tilt of the Moonʼs orbital plane relative to the ecliptic. Solar eclipses occur when the Earth/Sun/Moon all lie along the line that is the intersection between the ecliptic plane and the Moonʼs orbital plane. Chapter 4; Review Questions 5) When Tycho observed the new star of 1572, he could detect no parallax. Why did that result sustain belief in the Ptolemaic system? If the Earth is orbiting the Sun (and not vice-versa as in the geocentric model), we would be observing the Universe from two different vantage points. This would give us “depth perception” in that weʼd be able to distinguish nearby stars from distant stars via the angular shift in position that is parallax.
    [Show full text]
  • PHYS114 – Survey of Astronomy
    OUTCOMES BASED LEARNING MATRIX Course: Survey of Astronomy Department: _Physical Science This is a one semester, introductory astronomy course which is designed to acquaint students with a basic understanding and appreciation our universe, but with emphasis on the Solar System and the nature of the celestial bodies inhabiting it and the mechanics of their orbits. Emphasis is placed upon understanding scientific concepts as opposed to rote memorization. Topics included in the course are the nature and scale of the universe, observing the night sky from Earth, seasonal changes in the night sky and the Sun’s place on the celestial sphere, the celestial coordinate system, highlights from the historical development of astronomy, the force of gravity and the motion of planets and other celestial bodies, origin of the Solar System, the Earth and the Moon, the planets of the Solar System, and the Sun. Students are expected to do some observing on their own and to become familiar with the night sky with the help of star charts which the instructor will provide to them. Prerequisite: Intermediate Algebra and Trigonometry (38112) or permission of instructor. *COURSE OUTCOMES OUTCOMES ACTIVITIES ASSESSMENT TOOLS Upon completion of this course, each student should be able to 1. Describe the relationship of Earth to - study the Cosmic Landscape in the - exercise on sci. notation and metric the Cosmos. text system (W,R,QS,OC) - complete the exercise on sci. - quiz on lecture material and text notation and metric system (W,QS,CT,R) 2. Describe the celestial sphere, - study celestial maps and handouts - quiz on celestial map identifications identifying the horizon, zenith, NCP, provided by the instructor (CT,QS,) equator, ecliptic, vernal equinox - complete solar system scale exercise 3.
    [Show full text]