Details Title: Astronomy Study Guide 1 Description: Astronomy Study Guide Total Flash Cards: 25 Created: 12/01/2008 17:42:29		New Users: To study from this flashcard set, or to create your own your own study flash cards, REGISTER HERE. Existing Users: CLICK HERE. Additional Astronomy Flashcards
Cards in this set: Term Hierarchy Definition A formally ranked group Term Celestial Body Definition Permanent object in the sky Term Universe Definition All matter and energy in space Term Galaxy Definition A group of billions of stars and their planets, gas, and dust that extends over many thousands of light-years and forms a unit within the universe Term Solar System Definition The sun and everything that orbits the sun including planets, satellites, asteroids, meteors, and comets that are subject to its gravitational pull Term Star Definition A gaseous mass in space that generates energy by thermonuclear reactions Term Planet Definition A round body in space that orbits a star and does not shine with its own light Term Moon Definition Name given to only natural satellite of Earth Term Asteroid Definition Small rocky or metallic body that orbits the sun Term Comet Definition A relatively small extraterrestrial body consisting of a frozen mass that travels around the sun in a highly elliptical orbit Term Meteoroid Definition Any of the small bodies, often remnants of comets, traveling through space Term Meteor Definition Any of the small solid extraterrestrial bodies that hits the earth's atmosphere Term Meteorite Definition Any part of a meteor that survives passage through the atmosphere and lands on the surface of Earth Term Apparent Magnitude Definition The apparent brightness of a star as observed from Earth. Term Absolute Magnitude Definition How bright a star appears from 32.6 light years away. Term Brightness Definition The quality of being bright Term Parallax Definition The apparent motion of an object caused by viewing the object from different locations. Term Protostar Definition The early stage of forming a star. Term Nebula Definition A cloud of dust and gas in space. Term Black Hole Definition The remains of a supermassive star that has exploded and collapsed in on itself. Term Super Nova Definition What happens after a giant or supergiant star explodes     Term White Dwarf Definition A remnant of a red giant star that has exploded. Term Black Dwarf Definition the burned out core of a white dwarf star. Term SuperGiant Definition a star that has a mass at least 6 to 10 times greater than earth's sun. Term Neutron Star Definition a small, extremely dense star composed mostly of neutrons.