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Details Title: Astronomy Book Vocabulary Description: Chapter 3/Sections 3-5 Total Flash Cards: 14 Created: 07/05/2005 06:46:17	To study from this set of flash cards, or to create your own your own study flash cards, register HERE. If you are already a registered user, CLICK HERE.
Cards Term pulsar Definition a neutron star that produces radio waves Term nebula Definition a large amount of gas and dust in space, spread out in an immense volume Term protostar Definition a contracting cloud of gas and dust; the earliest stage of a star's life Term white dwarf Definition the remaining hot core of a star after its outer layers have expanded and drifted out into space Term supernova Definition the explosion of a dying giant or supergiant star Term neutron star Definition a tiny star that remains after a supernova explosion Term black hole Definition the remains of an extremely massive star pulled into a small volume by the force of gravity Term quasar Definition a distant galaxy with a black hole at its center Term binary star Definition a star system that contains two stars Term eclipsing binary Definition a star system in which one star periodically blocks the light from another Term spiral galaxy Definition a galaxy whose arms curve outward in a pinwheel pattern Term elliptical galaxy Definition a galaxy shaped like a flattened ball, containing only old stars Term irregular galaxy Definition a galaxy that does not have a regular shape Term big bang Definition the initial explosion that resulted in the formation and expansion of the universe