Honors Earth Science Astronomy Test – Flashcards
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Geocentric
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Earth-center solar system
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Heliocentric
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Sun-centered solar system
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Contributions from Copernicus
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From Poland Concluded that Earth was a planet Copernican Theory--sun centered solar system
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Contributions from Galileo
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Phases of Venus Jupiter's moons Discovered sunspots Went blind because of this
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Contributions from Aristotle
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Proved that the Earth was round
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Rotation
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Time for a planet to make one spin on its axis Represents days
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Kepler's Laws
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1.) Orbit in ellipse 2.) Law of equal areas (faster when closer to the sun) 3.) p2=d3 (planet's period is proportional to its distance)
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Constellations are useful to modern day astronomers
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They're a guide to help generalize the layout of the known universe and make it easier to understand
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Revolution
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Earth's revolution is 365 days. This represents years. This motion is Earth orbiting the sun.
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Aphelion
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farthest from the sun--July 4
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Perihelion
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closest to sun--January 3
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Precession
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Doesn't change the seasons
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Moon phases
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New, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full, waning gibbous, last quarter, waning crescent
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Solar eclipse
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when the moon fully or partially blocks the sun
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Lunar eclipse
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when the Earth casts a shadow on the moon
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Tides
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the gravitational attraction of the moon causes the oceans to bulge out in the direction of the moon
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Neap tides
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high tides lower than normal low tides higher than normal least tidal range during first and last quarters
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Spring tides
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high tides are higher low tides are lower greatest tidal range during new and full moon
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Moonrise/moonset
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DAY: new, crescents NIGHT: full, gibbous'
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Giant Impact Theory
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Moon was formed out of the debris left over from an indirect collision between Earth and an astronomical body the size of Mars, approximately 4.5 billion years
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moon's gravitational effect on Earth
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1.) moon keeps Earth's axis steady 2.) tides
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Perigee
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moon closest to Earth (super moon)
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Apogee
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moon farthest from Earth
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cause of moon phases
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depends on its position in relation to the Sun and Earth
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Solar day
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24 hours compared to the sun
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Sidereal day
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True rotation 23h 56m 4.09s compared to the distant stars
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Why the difference?
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the Earth wouldn't be lined up with the sun if we didn't add four minutes
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Why do we see the same side of the moon?
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The moon's period of rotation is the same as its revolution
