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ASTRONOMY CHAPTER 9
from book and outline paper
43
Astronomy
Undergraduate 1
04/01/2009

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Cards

Term
What is the appearance of a star shifting as Earth changes its position called?
Definition
Trigonometric Parallex
Term
How many lightyears does one parsec equal?
Definition
3.26
Term
We can't use a parallex to measure up to more than how many parsecs?
Definition
50
Term
What is the continuous motion of stars due to their motion through the milky way known as?
Definition
proper motion
Term
The more distant a light source is, does it appear brighter or fainter?
Definition
fainter
Term
How many times more brighter is Rigel than Betelguese? How many times further away is Rigel from Betelguese?
Definition
3.3 brighter, 1.6 times further
Term
What is absolute magnitude?
Definition
the magnitude of a star if it were 10 pc away
Term
We can find a stars distance by comparing what two things??
Definition
absolute magnitude and apparent magnitude
Term
Brightness increases with what?
Definition
size
Term
Are hotter stars brighter or fainter?
Definition
brighter
Term
What does the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram order the stars in a diagram of?
Definition
luminosity vs. temperature
Term
Where are most stars found in the H-R Diagram?
Definition
the main sequence
Term
Where do cooler stars lie on the H-R diagram? hotter stars? brighter stars?
fainter stars?
Definition
cooler: right
hotter: left
brighter: top
fainter: bottom
Term
Where do stars spend most of their active lifetime on the H-R diagram?
Definition
main sequence
Term
on H-R Diagram, what does blue and red indicate?
Definition
temperture. Red is cold, blue is hot
Term
What lumonisty class do main sequence stars belong to?
Definition
class V (five)
Term
What are binary stars?
Definition
pairs of stars that orbit their common center of mass
Term
What is the center of mass known as?
Definition
the balance point of the system
Term
Does the center of mass shift towards the more or less massive star?
Definition
more
Term
What can we use the Doppler shifts to measure?
Definition
the seperation of spectroscopic binaries
Term
What is a doppler shift?
Definition
measurement of radial velocities
Term
What are binaries that have a double-dip light curve known as?
Definition
eclipsing binaries
Term
When studying the light curve, when does the larger dip occur?
Definition
when the cooler star moves behind the other
Term
The higher a stars mass, the brighter or fainter it is?
Definition
brighter
Term
Do higher masses have shorter or longer lives?
Definition
shorter
Term
What are the most common stars?
Definition
faint, red dwarves
Term
What groups are higher mass stars in? lower mass?
Definition
higher mass: OBA
lower mass: FGKM
Term
What happens the parallex angle with stars that are farther away?
Definition
the smaller the angle is
Term
What is luminosity?
Definition
absolute brightness (intrinsic brightness); it's a measure of total power radiated from a star
Term
What is apparent brightness?
Definition
how bright a star appears from earth
Term
What happens to the star if the magnitude is smaller?
Definition
the star is brighter
Term
What are the five luminosity classes?
Definition
1a. Bright supergiants
1b. supergiants
2. Bright giants
3. Giants
4. Sub-giants
5. main-sequence stars
Term
What characteristic of a star do you need to find in order to find luminosity, diameter, and mass?
Definition
distance
Term
What can astronomers observe to measure the distance of nearer stars?
Definition
stellar parallexes
Term
What are stellar distances expressed in?
Definition
parsacs
Term
What is the distance modulus related to?
Definition
the distance to the star
Term
What two types of stars lie above the main sequence? why?
Definition
giants and supergiants, because they're larger
Term
What is one way to assign stars to luminosity classes?
Definition
the widths of their spectral lines
Term
What can be found in the orbits of visual binary system stars?
Definition
shape, size and period
Term
What is the difference between a visual binary system and eclipsing binary system?
Definition
visual binary: visible seperately
eclipsing Binary: not visible seperatly
Term
What two characteristics of stars can astronomers find through the eclipsing binary system?
Definition
masses and diameters
Term
With the mass and diameter, what can you determine?
Definition
a stars average density
Term
What does the mass-luminosity relation rule state?
Definition
the more massive a star, the more luminous it is
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