I look at the world and I notice it's turning
This planet – Fomalhaut b, recently given the name Dagon by the International Astronomical Union as part of its public process for giving proper names to exoplanets. Dagon was a Semitic deity that was half man and half fish.
What is going on with Saturn, Jupiter and the Moon?
Star Date 09/07/2019
The image above was captured from a program called STELLARIUM.
The Pumpkin Spice colored line is the Ecliptic.
You need to know what that term means.
The image below is an actual photo of the sky on 9/5/2019.
The Pumpkin Spice colored line is the Ecliptic.
You need to know what that term means.
The image below is an actual photo of the sky on 9/5/2019.
I was thinking about asteroids.
That reminded me of potatoes.
Which reminded me of a song about Bobby.
Me too.
Lots of Stuff in Space.
Lots of Junk.
Space Junk.
That reminds me of a song!
Lots of Junk.
Space Junk.
That reminds me of a song!
The sun's magnetic field in near real time. Click on the image above to see more.
The sun viewed in near realtime.
Why is it blue?
Click on the image to find out.
Why is it blue?
Click on the image to find out.
Hello Earth
Kate Bush
Hello earth
Hello earth
With just one hand held up high
I can blot you out
Out of sight
Peek-a-boo,
Peek-a-boo, little earth
With just my heart and my mind
I can be driving
Driving home
And you asleep
On the seat
I get out of my car
Step into the night
And look up at the sky
And there's something bright
Traveling fast
Look at it go
Look at it go
Hello earth
Hello earth
Kate Bush
Hello earth
Hello earth
With just one hand held up high
I can blot you out
Out of sight
Peek-a-boo,
Peek-a-boo, little earth
With just my heart and my mind
I can be driving
Driving home
And you asleep
On the seat
I get out of my car
Step into the night
And look up at the sky
And there's something bright
Traveling fast
Look at it go
Look at it go
Hello earth
Hello earth
("Listen!")
Watching storms
Start to form
Over America.
Can't do anything.
Just watch them swing
With the wind
Out to sea.
All you sailors,
("Get out of the waves! Get out of the water!")
All life-savers,
("Get out of the waves! Get out of the water!")
All you cruisers,
("Get out of the waves! Get out of the water!")
All you fishermen,
Head for home.
Go to sleep, little Earth.
I was there at the birth,
Out of the cloudburst,
The head of the tempest.
Murderer!
Murder of calm.
Why did I go?
Why did I go?
[The men's choral passage is sung again several times here.]
"Tiefer, tiefer.
Irgendwo in der Tiefe
Gibt es ein licht."
Go to sleep little Earth.
The choral section, performed by the Richard Hickox Singers, is taken from a Georgian folk song called 'Zinzkaro' ('By The Spring'), which Kate heard performed by the Vocal Ensemble Gordela on the soundtrack of Werner Herzog's 1979 film Nosferatu The Vampyre. The lyric translates as:
'I was passing by the spring.
There I met a beautiful woman with a jug on her shoulder.
I spoke a word to her and she left, offended.
I was passing by the spring.'
'I was passing by the spring.
There I met a beautiful woman with a jug on her shoulder.
I spoke a word to her and she left, offended.
I was passing by the spring.'
POEMS ABOUT OUR SOLAR SYSTEM BY ISM STUDENTS
Click the picture to read the article.
Welcome to ISM Astronomy!
What a great topic astronomy is. I hope you become as excited about learning this as I am. Please spend some dark clear night just staring at the stars and thinking about 13.7 billion years since the Big Bang and 46 billion light years to the edge of the universe and the FACT that you are made of elements forged in stars that died billions of years ago!
This is our class website. Please look at it at least weekly to see assignments, advice, reminders, clues, cartoons, and notices. You should check here before you start HW in case I've made changes or offered clues. This site is not locked, so your parents and guardians are encouraged to see what you are doing. Please give them the link..
And we'll use lots of other great resources; look at this one http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.htm
This is our class website. Please look at it at least weekly to see assignments, advice, reminders, clues, cartoons, and notices. You should check here before you start HW in case I've made changes or offered clues. This site is not locked, so your parents and guardians are encouraged to see what you are doing. Please give them the link..
And we'll use lots of other great resources; look at this one http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.htm
Sunlight shining thru the glass glass balcony doors in my apartment REFRACT to create this rainbow.
Beautiful.
Beautiful.
See here we have a beautiful view of the earth down below
As the satellite departs
She smells of the sun
And she's constantly saying
That's it's all a lie
Because lies, sound so nice
And like soil to seed goes
Casting my fears aside...
She says: "The satellite is coming."
I pray, the wrecking ball is waiting
She says: "The satellite is coming
It's come to take us home."
Satellite...
Still smells of the sun
And the light that brings healing
Is burning my eyes
And the dark, seems so nice
And I'm choking on blessings, that I can receive
I hide
She says: "The satellite is coming."
I pray, the wrecking ball is waiting
She says: "The satellite is coming
It's come to take us home."
As the satellite departs
She smells of the sun
And she's constantly saying
That's it's all a lie
Because lies, sound so nice
And like soil to seed goes
Casting my fears aside...
She says: "The satellite is coming."
I pray, the wrecking ball is waiting
She says: "The satellite is coming
It's come to take us home."
Satellite...
Still smells of the sun
And the light that brings healing
Is burning my eyes
And the dark, seems so nice
And I'm choking on blessings, that I can receive
I hide
She says: "The satellite is coming."
I pray, the wrecking ball is waiting
She says: "The satellite is coming
It's come to take us home."
Another one of my songs about space! Samples are from the classic sci-fi movie FORBIDDEN PLANET.
Watch this video!
If you look toward the south just after sunset you will see....
Venus.
Jupiter.
The moon.
Saturn.
Mars.
All along the ECLIPTIC.
This image was captured from the FREE program STELLARIUM.
If you CARE about astronomy you will download this program and EXPLORE the night sky.
Practice test.
1. What is the name of the path the sun and planets seem to follow across the sky?
2. What is the name of the fellow that developed an early model of the solar system in which the sun and stars and planets all orbit the earth?
3. The apparent backward motion of the planets is called?.......
4. This crazy backward motion of planets was explained by imagining they followed circles within circles as they orbited the earth. What is the name given to these cycles?
5. What is the name of the Polish astronomer and mathematician who declared the sun was the center of the universe?
6. Who was the first scientist to use a telescope to observe the sky?
7. List three things this scientist observed with his telescope.
8. Describe the Tychonic model of the solar system. (in a few words)
9. The idea that all orbits should be circular, because the circle is the most perfect shape is due to who? (an Ancient Greek philosopher)
10. State Kepler's Three Laws of Planetary Motion.
11. State Newton's 3 laws of motion.
12. The force the Moon exerts on the Earth is
a. less than
b. equal to
c. greater than
the force the Earth exerts on the Moon.
13. Astronauts on the ISS appear weightless because,
a. There is no gravity acting on them
b. The ISS uses anti-gravity
c. They are in free fall
14. Explain in a few sentences, what causes the tides on Earth.
1. What is the name of the path the sun and planets seem to follow across the sky?
2. What is the name of the fellow that developed an early model of the solar system in which the sun and stars and planets all orbit the earth?
3. The apparent backward motion of the planets is called?.......
4. This crazy backward motion of planets was explained by imagining they followed circles within circles as they orbited the earth. What is the name given to these cycles?
5. What is the name of the Polish astronomer and mathematician who declared the sun was the center of the universe?
6. Who was the first scientist to use a telescope to observe the sky?
7. List three things this scientist observed with his telescope.
8. Describe the Tychonic model of the solar system. (in a few words)
9. The idea that all orbits should be circular, because the circle is the most perfect shape is due to who? (an Ancient Greek philosopher)
10. State Kepler's Three Laws of Planetary Motion.
11. State Newton's 3 laws of motion.
12. The force the Moon exerts on the Earth is
a. less than
b. equal to
c. greater than
the force the Earth exerts on the Moon.
13. Astronauts on the ISS appear weightless because,
a. There is no gravity acting on them
b. The ISS uses anti-gravity
c. They are in free fall
14. Explain in a few sentences, what causes the tides on Earth.
You must watch this!
Week 1:
Day 1: Introduction. Discuss Galileo and the concept of inertia. HW to be announced.
Day 2: Demonstrate Stellarium and Celestia.
Day 3: Quiz on Galileo and inertia.
Day 1: Introduction. Discuss Galileo and the concept of inertia. HW to be announced.
Day 2: Demonstrate Stellarium and Celestia.
Day 3: Quiz on Galileo and inertia.
How to make an apple pie.
| at_7e_lecture_ch01.pdf |
Lecture 1.
Watch this!
WEEK 2
Day 1: Finish video on Galileo, talk about early cosmological models.
Day 2: Compare Ptolemaic, Copernican, and Tychonic systems.
Day 3: Talk about Kepler's laws of planetary motion.
WEEK 2
Day 1: Finish video on Galileo, talk about early cosmological models.
Day 2: Compare Ptolemaic, Copernican, and Tychonic systems.
Day 3: Talk about Kepler's laws of planetary motion.
The Word
The Moody Blues
This garden universe vibrates complete
Some may get a sound so sweet
Vibrations reach on up to become light
And then through gamma, out of sight
Between the eyes and ears there lie
The sounds of color and the light of a sigh
And to hear the sun, what a thing to believe
But it's all around if we could but perceive
To know ultra violet, infra-red and X-rays
Beauty to find in so many ways
Two notes of the chord, that's our full scope
But to reach the chord is our life's hope
And to name the chord is important to some
So they give a word and the word is Om
WATCH THIS MOVIE!!!
You must know and understand Kepler's 3 laws!
You must know and understand Kepler's 3 laws!
WATCH THIS MOVIE!
Nazca Lines and ancient astronauts. Click on link to read about the Nazca Lines.
WEEK 3:
Monday: Video on early cosmological models.
Tuesday: Review Ptolemaic, Tychonic, and Copernican models. Review Kepler and Galileo.
Friday: TEST ON ALL THE ABOVE.
READ CHAPTER 3 IN YOUR ONLINE TEXTBOOK!!!!!!!
WEEK 4:
TUESDAY: Discuss, explain and give examples of Newton's 3 laws.
WEDNSDAY: Talk about Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation.
WEEK 4:
TUESDAY: Discuss, explain and give examples of Newton's 3 laws.
WEDNSDAY: Talk about Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation.
WEEK 5
READ CHAPTER 4!!!
TUESDAY: TEST 1
WEDNESDAY: Describing the position of stars and planets.
FRIDAY: Describing the phases of the moon.
READ CHAPTER 4!!!
TUESDAY: TEST 1
WEDNESDAY: Describing the position of stars and planets.
FRIDAY: Describing the phases of the moon.
You must know and understand what right ascension and declination mean.
You must understand what causes the phases of the moon and
WHAT CAUSES THE SEASONS.
You must understand what causes the phases of the moon and
WHAT CAUSES THE SEASONS.
MANHATTAN HEDGE
READ CHAPTER 5!!!!!!
Click to set custom HTML
YOU MUST KNOW THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE EM SPECTRUM!
FROM SHORT WAVELENGTH TO LONG WAVELENGTH
GAMMA XRAYS UV VISIBLE INFRARED MICROWAVE RADIO
YOU MUST KNOW WHAT STARS ARE MADE OF (MOSTLY HYDROGEN)
YOU MUST KNOW WHAT POWERS STARS (FUSION)
YOU MUST KNOW THAT FOR A STAR, IRON PRODUCTION = DEATH!
FROM SHORT WAVELENGTH TO LONG WAVELENGTH
GAMMA XRAYS UV VISIBLE INFRARED MICROWAVE RADIO
YOU MUST KNOW WHAT STARS ARE MADE OF (MOSTLY HYDROGEN)
YOU MUST KNOW WHAT POWERS STARS (FUSION)
YOU MUST KNOW THAT FOR A STAR, IRON PRODUCTION = DEATH!
WEEK OF OCTOBER 7 - 12
DAY 1: Review in detail how atomic spectra are produced, emmision and absorbtion spectra, Bohr Model of atom
DAY 2: Video on MOONS.
DAY 3: Practice test on ALL THE ABOVE.
INTERACTIVE SPECTRUM SIMULATION!
DAY 1: Review in detail how atomic spectra are produced, emmision and absorbtion spectra, Bohr Model of atom
DAY 2: Video on MOONS.
DAY 3: Practice test on ALL THE ABOVE.
INTERACTIVE SPECTRUM SIMULATION!
PRACTICE TEST
1. What causes the seasons on Earth?
a. The Earth's elliptic orbit b. The moon. c. The tilt of the Earth's axis. d. Wee little gremlins.
2. A FULL MOON occurs when
a. The moon is located on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun.
b. The moon is located on the same side of the Earth as the Sun.
c. The moon is located at a right angle from the Earth with respect to the Sun.
3. A QUARTER MOON occurs when
a. The moon is located on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun.
b. The moon is located on the same side of the Earth as the Sun.
c. The moon is located at a right angle from the Earth with respect to the Sun.
4. The ORBITAL PERIOD of the moon is about
a. 24 hours b. 1 month c. 1 year d. 100 years
5. The ROTATIONAL PERIOD of the moon is about
a. 24 hours b. 1 month c. 1 year d. The moon does not rotate
6. Winter Solstice indicates
a. The first day of winter.
b. The middle of winter.
c. The end of winter.
7. Two days a year, the length of day and night are about equal. These days are called
a. equinox. b. solstice c. sidereal d. zenith
8. List the major parts of the electromagnetic spectrum from shortest to longest wavelength.
gamma, x ray, ultraviolet, visible, infrared, microwave, radio wave
9. What is the approximate wavelength of violet light? (in nanometers)
400nm
10. Electromagnetic radiation just shorter than violet light is called?
ultraviolet
11. What are stars made of (mostly)?
hydrogen
12. What is the name of the process that powers stars?
fusion
13. How does the size of Betelgeuse compare to the sun?
Betelgeuse is way bigger
14. Name two geologically active moons in our solar system.
Io, Enceladus, Titan
15. What is the unique set of colors emitted by specific elements called?
emission spectrum
16. Locations in space near the Earth where a satellite remains stationary with respect to the Earth are called?
Lagrange Points
15. Inside a star, hydrogen fuses with hydrogen to form what element?
helium
16 The heaviest element that can be created by fusion in a star is
a. helium b. carbon c. iron d. unobtainium
17. Light is...
a. an electromagnetic wave b. made of particles c. both a and b
18. A "particle" of light is called a
a. proton b. photon c. wavicle d. parton
19. An atom can emit a photon when one of its electrons
a. jumps to a lower energy level b. jumps to a higher energy level c. decays
20. The elements that stars are are made of can be determined by observing the star's
a. emission spectrum b. brightness c. color
1. What causes the seasons on Earth?
a. The Earth's elliptic orbit b. The moon. c. The tilt of the Earth's axis. d. Wee little gremlins.
2. A FULL MOON occurs when
a. The moon is located on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun.
b. The moon is located on the same side of the Earth as the Sun.
c. The moon is located at a right angle from the Earth with respect to the Sun.
3. A QUARTER MOON occurs when
a. The moon is located on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun.
b. The moon is located on the same side of the Earth as the Sun.
c. The moon is located at a right angle from the Earth with respect to the Sun.
4. The ORBITAL PERIOD of the moon is about
a. 24 hours b. 1 month c. 1 year d. 100 years
5. The ROTATIONAL PERIOD of the moon is about
a. 24 hours b. 1 month c. 1 year d. The moon does not rotate
6. Winter Solstice indicates
a. The first day of winter.
b. The middle of winter.
c. The end of winter.
7. Two days a year, the length of day and night are about equal. These days are called
a. equinox. b. solstice c. sidereal d. zenith
8. List the major parts of the electromagnetic spectrum from shortest to longest wavelength.
gamma, x ray, ultraviolet, visible, infrared, microwave, radio wave
9. What is the approximate wavelength of violet light? (in nanometers)
400nm
10. Electromagnetic radiation just shorter than violet light is called?
ultraviolet
11. What are stars made of (mostly)?
hydrogen
12. What is the name of the process that powers stars?
fusion
13. How does the size of Betelgeuse compare to the sun?
Betelgeuse is way bigger
14. Name two geologically active moons in our solar system.
Io, Enceladus, Titan
15. What is the unique set of colors emitted by specific elements called?
emission spectrum
16. Locations in space near the Earth where a satellite remains stationary with respect to the Earth are called?
Lagrange Points
15. Inside a star, hydrogen fuses with hydrogen to form what element?
helium
16 The heaviest element that can be created by fusion in a star is
a. helium b. carbon c. iron d. unobtainium
17. Light is...
a. an electromagnetic wave b. made of particles c. both a and b
18. A "particle" of light is called a
a. proton b. photon c. wavicle d. parton
19. An atom can emit a photon when one of its electrons
a. jumps to a lower energy level b. jumps to a higher energy level c. decays
20. The elements that stars are are made of can be determined by observing the star's
a. emission spectrum b. brightness c. color
WEEK OF OCTOBER 15-19
DAY 1: READ CHAPTER 6!!!!!!!We will talk about the basic principles that make refracting telescopes work.
DAY 2: Video/demonstration of lenses and image formation.
DAY 1: READ CHAPTER 6!!!!!!!We will talk about the basic principles that make refracting telescopes work.
DAY 2: Video/demonstration of lenses and image formation.
Play with this app to learn about REFRACTION.
| Click to Run |
Play with this app to learn about LENSES.
WEEK OF OCTOBER 22-26
DAY 1: Radio Telescopes
DAY 2: X Ray Telescopes
Day 3: Microwave Telescopes and The CMB
Read about these telescopes:
Arecibo
DAY 1: Radio Telescopes
DAY 2: X Ray Telescopes
Day 3: Microwave Telescopes and The CMB
Read about these telescopes:
Arecibo
For our next periodic, you must know where these telescopes are and what kind of electromagnetic radiation they observe. You should also understand the basic principles of ADAPTIVE OPTICS.
CHAPTER 6 REVIEW
KEY TERMS
adaptive optics: systems used with telescopes that can compensate for distortions in an image introduced by the atmosphere, thus resulting in sharper images
aperture diameter of the primary lens or mirror of a telescope
charge-coupled device (CCD) array of high-sensitivity electronic detectors of electromagnetic radiation, used
at the focus of a telescope (or camera lens) to record an image or spectrum
chromatic aberration distortion that causes an image to appear fuzzy when each wavelength coming into a transparent material focuses at a different spot
detector device sensitive to electromagnetic radiation that makes a record of astronomical observationseyepiece magnifying lens used to view the image produced by the objective lens or primary mirror of a
telescope
focus (of telescope) point where the rays of light converged by a mirror or lens meet
interference process in which waves mix together such that their crests and troughs can alternately reinforce and cancel one another
interferometer instrument that combines electromagnetic radiation from one or more telescopes to obtain a resolution equivalent to what would be obtained with a single telescope with a diameter equal to the baseline separating the individual separate telescopes
interferometer array combination of multiple radio dishes to, in effect, work like a large number of two-dish interferometers
prime focus: point in a telescope where the objective lens or primary mirror focuses the light
radar technique of transmitting radio waves to an object and then detecting the radiation that the object reflects back to the transmitter; used to measure the distance to, and motion of, a target object or to form images of it
reflecting telescope telescope in which the principal light collector is a concave mirror
refracting telescope telescope in which the principal light collector is a lens or system of lenses
resolution detail in an image; specifically, the smallest angular (or linear) features that can be distinguished
seeingunsteadiness of Earth’s atmosphere, which blurs telescopic images; good seeing means the atmosphere is steady
telescope: instrument for collecting visible-light or other electromagnetic radiation
KEY TERMS
adaptive optics: systems used with telescopes that can compensate for distortions in an image introduced by the atmosphere, thus resulting in sharper images
aperture diameter of the primary lens or mirror of a telescope
charge-coupled device (CCD) array of high-sensitivity electronic detectors of electromagnetic radiation, used
at the focus of a telescope (or camera lens) to record an image or spectrum
chromatic aberration distortion that causes an image to appear fuzzy when each wavelength coming into a transparent material focuses at a different spot
detector device sensitive to electromagnetic radiation that makes a record of astronomical observationseyepiece magnifying lens used to view the image produced by the objective lens or primary mirror of a
telescope
focus (of telescope) point where the rays of light converged by a mirror or lens meet
interference process in which waves mix together such that their crests and troughs can alternately reinforce and cancel one another
interferometer instrument that combines electromagnetic radiation from one or more telescopes to obtain a resolution equivalent to what would be obtained with a single telescope with a diameter equal to the baseline separating the individual separate telescopes
interferometer array combination of multiple radio dishes to, in effect, work like a large number of two-dish interferometers
prime focus: point in a telescope where the objective lens or primary mirror focuses the light
radar technique of transmitting radio waves to an object and then detecting the radiation that the object reflects back to the transmitter; used to measure the distance to, and motion of, a target object or to form images of it
reflecting telescope telescope in which the principal light collector is a concave mirror
refracting telescope telescope in which the principal light collector is a lens or system of lenses
resolution detail in an image; specifically, the smallest angular (or linear) features that can be distinguished
seeingunsteadiness of Earth’s atmosphere, which blurs telescopic images; good seeing means the atmosphere is steady
telescope: instrument for collecting visible-light or other electromagnetic radiation
WEEK OF OCTOBER 29 TO NOVEMBER 2
DAY 1: TERM 1 PERIODIC 2. Relax. You got this!. Just study the online practice test and notes!
DAY 2. Review test.
Day 3. Discuss and watch CONTACT.
WEEK OF NOVEMBER 26 TO NOVEMBER 30
READ CHAPTER 8
TUESDAY: Finish watching video on The Earth. Talk about Heavy Late Bombardment.
WEDNESDAY: Talk about "The Goldilocks Zone" and the Anthropic Principle.
FRIDAY: Talk about the structure and history of Earth.
CHAPTER 8 KEY TERMS
bar: a force of 100,000 Newtons acting on a surface area of 1 square meter; the average pressure of Earth’s atmosphere at sea level is 1.013 bars
basalt: igneous rock produced by the cooling of lava; makes up most of Earth’s oceanic crust and is found on other planets that have experienced extensive volcanic activity
convection: movement caused within a gas or liquid by the tendency of hotter, and therefore less dense material, to rise and colder, denser material to sink under the influence of gravity, which consequently results in transfer of heat
core: the central part of the planet; consists of higher density materialcrust the outer layer of a terrestrial planet
fault: in geology, a crack or break in the crust of a planet along which slippage or movement can take place, accompanied by seismic activity
granite: a type of igneous silicate rock that makes up most of Earth’s continental crust
greenhouse effect: the blanketing (absorption) of infrared radiation near the surface of a planet—for
example, by CO2 in its atmosphere
greenhouse gas: a gas in an atmosphere that absorbs and emits radiation within the thermal infrared range; on Earth, these atmospheric gases primarily include carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor
igneous rock: rock produced by cooling from a molten state
magnetosphere: the region around a planet in which its intrinsic magnetic field dominates the interplanetary field carried by the solar wind; hence, the region within which charged particles can be trapped by the planetary magnetic field
mantle: the largest part of Earth’s interior; lies between the crust and the core
mass extinction: the sudden disappearance in the fossil record of a large number of species of life, to be replaced by fossils of new species in subsequent layers; mass extinctions are indicators of catastrophic changes in the environment, such as might be produced by a large impact on Earth
metamorphic rock: rock produced by physical and chemical alteration (without melting) under high temperature and pressure
ozone (O3): a heavy molecule of oxygen that contains three atoms rather than the more normal two
photosynthesis: a complex sequence of chemical reactions through which some living things can use sunlight
to manufacture products that store energy (such as carbohydrates), releasing oxygen as one by-product
plate tectonics: the motion of segments or plates of the outer layer of a planet over the underlying mantle
primitive rock: rock that has not experienced great heat or pressure and therefore remains representative of the original condensed materials from the solar nebula
rift zone: in geology, a place where the crust is being torn apart by internal forces generally associated with the injection of new material from the mantle and with the slow separation of tectonic plates
sedimentary rock: rock formed by the deposition and cementing of fine grains of material, such as pieces of igneous rock or the shells of living things
seismic wave: a vibration that travels through the interior of Earth or any other object; on Earth, these are generally caused by earthquakes
stratosphere: the layer of Earth’s atmosphere above the troposphere and below the ionosphere
subduction: the sideways and downward movement of the edge of a plate of Earth’s crust into the mantle
beneath another plate
troposphere: the lowest level of Earth’s atmosphere, where most weather takes place
volcano: a place where material from a planet’s mantle erupts on its surface
bar: a force of 100,000 Newtons acting on a surface area of 1 square meter; the average pressure of Earth’s atmosphere at sea level is 1.013 bars
basalt: igneous rock produced by the cooling of lava; makes up most of Earth’s oceanic crust and is found on other planets that have experienced extensive volcanic activity
convection: movement caused within a gas or liquid by the tendency of hotter, and therefore less dense material, to rise and colder, denser material to sink under the influence of gravity, which consequently results in transfer of heat
core: the central part of the planet; consists of higher density materialcrust the outer layer of a terrestrial planet
fault: in geology, a crack or break in the crust of a planet along which slippage or movement can take place, accompanied by seismic activity
granite: a type of igneous silicate rock that makes up most of Earth’s continental crust
greenhouse effect: the blanketing (absorption) of infrared radiation near the surface of a planet—for
example, by CO2 in its atmosphere
greenhouse gas: a gas in an atmosphere that absorbs and emits radiation within the thermal infrared range; on Earth, these atmospheric gases primarily include carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor
igneous rock: rock produced by cooling from a molten state
magnetosphere: the region around a planet in which its intrinsic magnetic field dominates the interplanetary field carried by the solar wind; hence, the region within which charged particles can be trapped by the planetary magnetic field
mantle: the largest part of Earth’s interior; lies between the crust and the core
mass extinction: the sudden disappearance in the fossil record of a large number of species of life, to be replaced by fossils of new species in subsequent layers; mass extinctions are indicators of catastrophic changes in the environment, such as might be produced by a large impact on Earth
metamorphic rock: rock produced by physical and chemical alteration (without melting) under high temperature and pressure
ozone (O3): a heavy molecule of oxygen that contains three atoms rather than the more normal two
photosynthesis: a complex sequence of chemical reactions through which some living things can use sunlight
to manufacture products that store energy (such as carbohydrates), releasing oxygen as one by-product
plate tectonics: the motion of segments or plates of the outer layer of a planet over the underlying mantle
primitive rock: rock that has not experienced great heat or pressure and therefore remains representative of the original condensed materials from the solar nebula
rift zone: in geology, a place where the crust is being torn apart by internal forces generally associated with the injection of new material from the mantle and with the slow separation of tectonic plates
sedimentary rock: rock formed by the deposition and cementing of fine grains of material, such as pieces of igneous rock or the shells of living things
seismic wave: a vibration that travels through the interior of Earth or any other object; on Earth, these are generally caused by earthquakes
stratosphere: the layer of Earth’s atmosphere above the troposphere and below the ionosphere
subduction: the sideways and downward movement of the edge of a plate of Earth’s crust into the mantle
beneath another plate
troposphere: the lowest level of Earth’s atmosphere, where most weather takes place
volcano: a place where material from a planet’s mantle erupts on its surface
8.2 Earth’s Crust
Terrestrial rocks can be classified as igneous, sedimentary, or metamorphic. A fourth type, primitive rock, is not found on Earth. Our planet’s geology is dominated by plate tectonics, in which crustal plates move slowly in response to mantle convection. The surface expression of plate tectonics includes continental drift, recycling of the ocean floor, mountain building, rift zones, subduction zones, faults, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions of lava from the interior.
8.3 Earth’s Atmosphere
The atmosphere has a surface pressure of 1 bar and is composed primarily of N2 and O2, plus such important trace gases as H2O, CO2, and O3. Its structure consists of the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, and ionosphere. Changing the composition of the atmosphere also influences the temperature. Atmospheric circulation (weather) is driven by seasonally changing deposition of sunlight. Many longer term climate variations, such as the ice ages, are related to changes in the planet’s orbit and axial tilt.
8.4 Life, Chemical Evolution, and Climate Change
Life originated on Earth at a time when the atmosphere lacked O2 and consisted mostly of CO2. Later,
photosynthesis gave rise to free oxygen and ozone. Modern genomic analysis lets us see how the wide
diversity of species on the planet are related to each other. CO2 and methane in the atmosphere heat the
surface through the greenhouse effect; today, increasing amounts of atmospheric CO2 are leading to the global warming of our planet.
8.5 Cosmic Influences on the Evolution of Earth
Earth, like the Moon and other planets, has been influenced by the impacts of cosmic debris, including such recent examples as Meteor Crater and the Tunguska explosion. Larger past impacts are implicated in some mass extinctions, including the large impact 65 million years ago at the end of the Cretaceous period that wiped out the dinosaurs and many other species. Today, astronomers are working to predict the next impact in advance, while other scientists are coming to grips with the effect of impacts on the evolution and diversity of life on Earth.
Terrestrial rocks can be classified as igneous, sedimentary, or metamorphic. A fourth type, primitive rock, is not found on Earth. Our planet’s geology is dominated by plate tectonics, in which crustal plates move slowly in response to mantle convection. The surface expression of plate tectonics includes continental drift, recycling of the ocean floor, mountain building, rift zones, subduction zones, faults, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions of lava from the interior.
8.3 Earth’s Atmosphere
The atmosphere has a surface pressure of 1 bar and is composed primarily of N2 and O2, plus such important trace gases as H2O, CO2, and O3. Its structure consists of the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, and ionosphere. Changing the composition of the atmosphere also influences the temperature. Atmospheric circulation (weather) is driven by seasonally changing deposition of sunlight. Many longer term climate variations, such as the ice ages, are related to changes in the planet’s orbit and axial tilt.
8.4 Life, Chemical Evolution, and Climate Change
Life originated on Earth at a time when the atmosphere lacked O2 and consisted mostly of CO2. Later,
photosynthesis gave rise to free oxygen and ozone. Modern genomic analysis lets us see how the wide
diversity of species on the planet are related to each other. CO2 and methane in the atmosphere heat the
surface through the greenhouse effect; today, increasing amounts of atmospheric CO2 are leading to the global warming of our planet.
8.5 Cosmic Influences on the Evolution of Earth
Earth, like the Moon and other planets, has been influenced by the impacts of cosmic debris, including such recent examples as Meteor Crater and the Tunguska explosion. Larger past impacts are implicated in some mass extinctions, including the large impact 65 million years ago at the end of the Cretaceous period that wiped out the dinosaurs and many other species. Today, astronomers are working to predict the next impact in advance, while other scientists are coming to grips with the effect of impacts on the evolution and diversity of life on Earth.
CHAPTER 8 PRACTICE TEST
1.The age of the Earth is
a. a few thousand years b. a few million years c. a few billion years d. a few gazillion years
2. The Earth is composed mostly of
a. kryptonite b. rocks and metals c. water d. dead dinosaurs
3. When the Earth was very young, it underwent a severe pounding by asteroids and comets. This period is know as the
a. early pounding period b. cosmic smash up c. bob era d. heavy late bombardment
4. Which of the following is NOT a part of the structure of the Earth?
a. chewy caramel center b. crust c. mantle d. outer core
5. The idea that the continents change their positions over long periods of time is called
a. subduction b. slippery slope c. plate tectonics d. slow translation
6. Which of the following is NOT a classification of terrestrial rock?
a. limestone b. metamorphic c. igneous d. sedimentary
7. A place where material from a planet’s mantle erupts on its surface
a. zit b. volcano c. eruption zone d. fault line
8. The largest part of Earth’s interior
a. crust b. outer core c. chewy caramel center. d. mantle
9. Which of the following is NOT a layer of the Earth's atmosphere?
a.troposphere b. stratosphere c. ozonesphere. d. ionosphere.
10. The most abundant gas in our atmosphere is
a. nitrogen b. oxygen c. carbon dioxide d. ozone
11. It is believed that all the water on the Earth came from
a. aliens b. comets and asteroids c. early plant life d. cosmic rays
12. The early atmosphere of the Earth consisted mostly of
a. carbon dioxide b. oxygen c. nitrogen d. dino farts
13. In geology, a crack or break in the crust of a planet along which slippage or movement can take place, accompanied by seismic activity
a. volcano. b. slip zone c. subduction zone d. fault
14. It is believed that 64 million years ago a large asteroid hit the Earth resulting in
a. a large crater in Arizona b. the Tunguska event
c. the extinction of the dinosaurs d. the extinction of cave men
15. A vibration that travels through the interior of Earth or any other object
a. seismic wave b. standing wave c. transverse wave d. electromagnetic wave
16. The Earth's magnetic field is created by
a. little elves at the North Pole b. A big magnet inside the Earth.
c. electric currents flowing in the outer core of the Earth d. the Moon
17. The region around a star where the conditions for life (as we know it) exist is called the
a. baby bear zone b. goldilocks zone c. twilight zone d. life zone
18. Recent observations show that in our galaxy there may be
a. no Earthlike planets b. a few dozen Earthlike planets
c. a few hundred Earthlike planets d. billions of Earthlike planets
19. If the conditions for intelligent life did not exist, we would not be wondering why the conditions for intelligent life DO exist, because we would not be here! This idea is known as
a. The Anthropic Principle. b. The Uncertainty Principle
b. The Life Principle c. The Zen Principle
1.The age of the Earth is
a. a few thousand years b. a few million years c. a few billion years d. a few gazillion years
2. The Earth is composed mostly of
a. kryptonite b. rocks and metals c. water d. dead dinosaurs
3. When the Earth was very young, it underwent a severe pounding by asteroids and comets. This period is know as the
a. early pounding period b. cosmic smash up c. bob era d. heavy late bombardment
4. Which of the following is NOT a part of the structure of the Earth?
a. chewy caramel center b. crust c. mantle d. outer core
5. The idea that the continents change their positions over long periods of time is called
a. subduction b. slippery slope c. plate tectonics d. slow translation
6. Which of the following is NOT a classification of terrestrial rock?
a. limestone b. metamorphic c. igneous d. sedimentary
7. A place where material from a planet’s mantle erupts on its surface
a. zit b. volcano c. eruption zone d. fault line
8. The largest part of Earth’s interior
a. crust b. outer core c. chewy caramel center. d. mantle
9. Which of the following is NOT a layer of the Earth's atmosphere?
a.troposphere b. stratosphere c. ozonesphere. d. ionosphere.
10. The most abundant gas in our atmosphere is
a. nitrogen b. oxygen c. carbon dioxide d. ozone
11. It is believed that all the water on the Earth came from
a. aliens b. comets and asteroids c. early plant life d. cosmic rays
12. The early atmosphere of the Earth consisted mostly of
a. carbon dioxide b. oxygen c. nitrogen d. dino farts
13. In geology, a crack or break in the crust of a planet along which slippage or movement can take place, accompanied by seismic activity
a. volcano. b. slip zone c. subduction zone d. fault
14. It is believed that 64 million years ago a large asteroid hit the Earth resulting in
a. a large crater in Arizona b. the Tunguska event
c. the extinction of the dinosaurs d. the extinction of cave men
15. A vibration that travels through the interior of Earth or any other object
a. seismic wave b. standing wave c. transverse wave d. electromagnetic wave
16. The Earth's magnetic field is created by
a. little elves at the North Pole b. A big magnet inside the Earth.
c. electric currents flowing in the outer core of the Earth d. the Moon
17. The region around a star where the conditions for life (as we know it) exist is called the
a. baby bear zone b. goldilocks zone c. twilight zone d. life zone
18. Recent observations show that in our galaxy there may be
a. no Earthlike planets b. a few dozen Earthlike planets
c. a few hundred Earthlike planets d. billions of Earthlike planets
19. If the conditions for intelligent life did not exist, we would not be wondering why the conditions for intelligent life DO exist, because we would not be here! This idea is known as
a. The Anthropic Principle. b. The Uncertainty Principle
b. The Life Principle c. The Zen Principle
WEEK OF DEC 3 TO DEC 7
TUESDAY: Review for practice quiz.
WEDNESDAY: Take practice quiz.
FRIDAY: Begin watching CONTACT. Please note: This is not a "free day". This movie asks serious, relevant questions about our place in the universe, religion and science. You are expected to pay attention. Our next periodic will include questions about this film. Pop corn is fine. As always, tea and water are ok.
TUESDAY: Review for practice quiz.
WEDNESDAY: Take practice quiz.
FRIDAY: Begin watching CONTACT. Please note: This is not a "free day". This movie asks serious, relevant questions about our place in the universe, religion and science. You are expected to pay attention. Our next periodic will include questions about this film. Pop corn is fine. As always, tea and water are ok.
WEEK OF DEC 10 TO DEC 15
TUESDAY: Continue movie.
WEDNESDAY: Finish and discuss main ideas of movie.
FRIDAY: Test over ideas and content in CONTACT.
TUESDAY: Continue movie.
WEDNESDAY: Finish and discuss main ideas of movie.
FRIDAY: Test over ideas and content in CONTACT.
PRACTICE TEST OVER THE MOVIE CONTACT
1. In the movie, what is the name of the project Dr. Arroway works for? (Sorry about ending the sentence with a preposition)
2. What kind of instruments are used in the movie to search for aliens?
3. Where is The Arecibo Observatory located?
4. What government organization funds Dr. Arroway's research?
5. The "signal" originates from what star system?
6. Among other things, this movie explores a fundamental conflict between what two human belief systems?
7. The "signal" is written in what language?
8. How does the "machine" transport Dr. Arroway to Vega?
9. Describe the meaning of the term "Occam's Razor".
10. What kind of car does Matthew McConaughey drive? (In the commercials)
1. In the movie, what is the name of the project Dr. Arroway works for? (Sorry about ending the sentence with a preposition)
2. What kind of instruments are used in the movie to search for aliens?
3. Where is The Arecibo Observatory located?
4. What government organization funds Dr. Arroway's research?
5. The "signal" originates from what star system?
6. Among other things, this movie explores a fundamental conflict between what two human belief systems?
7. The "signal" is written in what language?
8. How does the "machine" transport Dr. Arroway to Vega?
9. Describe the meaning of the term "Occam's Razor".
10. What kind of car does Matthew McConaughey drive? (In the commercials)
WEEK OF DEC 17 TO DEC 21
TUESDAY: Take practice test on the movie CONTACT.
WEDNESDAY: Begin chapter 11. Gas Giants.
FRIDAY: Watch video on Gas Giants.
11.1 Exploring the Outer Planets
The outer solar system contains the four giant planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. The gas giants Jupiter and Saturn have overall compositions similar to that of the Sun. These planets have been explored by the Pioneer, Voyager, Galileo, and Cassini spacecraft. Voyager 2, perhaps the most successful of all space-science missions, explored Jupiter (1979), Saturn (1981), Uranus (1986), and Neptune (1989)—a grand tour of the giant planets—and these flybys have been the only explorations to date of the ice giants Uranus and Neptune. The Galileo and Cassini missions were long-lived orbiters, and each also deployed an entry probe, one into Jupiter and one into Saturn’s moon Titan.
11.2 The Giant Planets
Jupiter is 318 times more massive than Earth. Saturn is about 25% as massive as Jupiter, and Uranus and Neptune are only 5% as massive. All four have deep atmospheres and opaque clouds, and all rotate quickly with periods from 10 to 17 hours. Jupiter and Saturn have extensive mantles of liquid hydrogen. Uranus and Neptune are depleted in hydrogen and helium relative to Jupiter and Saturn (and the Sun). Each giant planet has a core of “ice” and “rock” of about 10 Earth masses. Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune have major internal heat sources, obtaining as much (or more) energy from their interiors as by radiation from the Sun. Uranus has no measurable internal heat. Jupiter has the strongest magnetic field and largest magnetosphere of any planet, first discovered by radio astronomers from observations of synchrotron radiation.
11.3 Atmospheres of the Giant Planets
The four giant planets have generally similar atmospheres, composed mostly of hydrogen and helium. Their atmospheres contain small quantities of methane and ammonia gas, both of which also condense to form clouds. Deeper (invisible) cloud layers consist of water and possibly ammonium hydrosulfide (Jupiter and Saturn) and hydrogen sulfide (Neptune). In the upper atmospheres, hydrocarbons and other trace compounds are produced by photochemistry. We do not know exactly what causes the colors in the clouds of Jupiter. Atmospheric motions on the giant planets are dominated by east-west circulation. Jupiter displays the most active cloud patterns, with Neptune second. Saturn is generally bland, in spite of its extremely high wind speeds, and Uranus is featureless (perhaps due to its lack of an internal heat source). Large storms (oval-shaped high- pressure systems such as the Great Red Spot on Jupiter and the Great Dark Spot on Neptune) can be found in some of the planet atmospheres.
TUESDAY: Take practice test on the movie CONTACT.
WEDNESDAY: Begin chapter 11. Gas Giants.
FRIDAY: Watch video on Gas Giants.
11.1 Exploring the Outer Planets
The outer solar system contains the four giant planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. The gas giants Jupiter and Saturn have overall compositions similar to that of the Sun. These planets have been explored by the Pioneer, Voyager, Galileo, and Cassini spacecraft. Voyager 2, perhaps the most successful of all space-science missions, explored Jupiter (1979), Saturn (1981), Uranus (1986), and Neptune (1989)—a grand tour of the giant planets—and these flybys have been the only explorations to date of the ice giants Uranus and Neptune. The Galileo and Cassini missions were long-lived orbiters, and each also deployed an entry probe, one into Jupiter and one into Saturn’s moon Titan.
11.2 The Giant Planets
Jupiter is 318 times more massive than Earth. Saturn is about 25% as massive as Jupiter, and Uranus and Neptune are only 5% as massive. All four have deep atmospheres and opaque clouds, and all rotate quickly with periods from 10 to 17 hours. Jupiter and Saturn have extensive mantles of liquid hydrogen. Uranus and Neptune are depleted in hydrogen and helium relative to Jupiter and Saturn (and the Sun). Each giant planet has a core of “ice” and “rock” of about 10 Earth masses. Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune have major internal heat sources, obtaining as much (or more) energy from their interiors as by radiation from the Sun. Uranus has no measurable internal heat. Jupiter has the strongest magnetic field and largest magnetosphere of any planet, first discovered by radio astronomers from observations of synchrotron radiation.
11.3 Atmospheres of the Giant Planets
The four giant planets have generally similar atmospheres, composed mostly of hydrogen and helium. Their atmospheres contain small quantities of methane and ammonia gas, both of which also condense to form clouds. Deeper (invisible) cloud layers consist of water and possibly ammonium hydrosulfide (Jupiter and Saturn) and hydrogen sulfide (Neptune). In the upper atmospheres, hydrocarbons and other trace compounds are produced by photochemistry. We do not know exactly what causes the colors in the clouds of Jupiter. Atmospheric motions on the giant planets are dominated by east-west circulation. Jupiter displays the most active cloud patterns, with Neptune second. Saturn is generally bland, in spite of its extremely high wind speeds, and Uranus is featureless (perhaps due to its lack of an internal heat source). Large storms (oval-shaped high- pressure systems such as the Great Red Spot on Jupiter and the Great Dark Spot on Neptune) can be found in some of the planet atmospheres.
WEEK OF JAN 7 TO JAN 11:
TUESDAY: Discuss some of the latest finding in astronomy. Begin video on Jupiter.
WEDNESDAY: Finish video on Jupiter.
FRIDAY: Practice Term 2 periodic 1.
WEEK OF JAN 14 TO JAN 18
TUESDAY: Watch video on ICE GIANTS.
WEDNESDAY: Take a practice test on all topics covered this term.
FRIDAY: Review practice test.
HERE ARE SOME THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE OUTER PLANETS. CLICK ON THE LINK IN EACH QUESTION TO SEE THE ANSWER
1. Which of the outer planets are considered GAS GIANTS?
2. Which of the outer planets are considered ICE GIANTS?
3. Jupiter is composed mostly of…
4. The LARGEST planet in our solar system is…
5. The Great Red Spot is located on what planet?
6. The Great Red Spot is believed to be a…
7. The rings of Saturn are composed of…
8. Which planet has the greatest axial tilt?
9. Which moon has a surface with lots of active volcanoes?
10. Which moon has a surface of frozen water and a subsurface of liquid water?
More useful information about the movie CONTACT
SR Hadden is a really rich guy.
- S.R. Hadden : Dr. Arroway, I presume.
Ellie Arroway : Mr. Hadden.
S.R. Hadden : I've had my eye on you a long time, Doctor. I consider you one of my most valuable long-term investments. And when it comes to my investments, I always do my homework. Eleanor Ann Arroway, born 25th August, 1964, De Pere, Wisconsin. Mother, Joanna, died from complications during childbirth. Early testing indicated high predisposition towards science and mathematics. Father, Theodore, advised to provide enrichment activities in these areas, .did so conscientiously until his death from myocardial infarction, November 10, 1974. You graduated from high school in 1979, almost two full years early. Awarded full scholarship, M.I.T, graduated magna cum laude. Doctoral work, Cal Tech where you worked on the lanthanide-doped ruby maser, dramatically increasing the sensitivity of radio telescopes. Subsequently offered a teaching position at Harvard University which you turned down to pursue SETI work at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico. Changes in NSF policy gave rise to certain funding problems, at which point you came to my attention.
CLICK THE IMAGE BELOW. THE VLA IS WHERE DR. ARROWAY DISCOVERS THE SIGNAL
WEEK OF JAN 22-25
TUESDAY: Take Term 2 Periodic 1.
WEDNESDAY: Begin Chapter 12.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
1.Name the major moons of each of the jovian planets.
2.Describe the basic composition of each jovian planet’s ring system.
FRIDAY: Watch video on MOONS.
WEEK OF FEB 4 TO FEB 8
TUESDAY: Video on ASTEROIDS continued.
WEDNESDAY: Begin Chapter 13.By the end of this section, you will be able to:
Outline the story of the discovery of asteroids and describe their typical orbits Describe the composition and classification of the various types of asteroids Discuss what was learned from spacecraft missions to several asteroids.
FRIDAY: By the end of this section, you will be able to:
Recognize the threat that near-Earth objects represent for Earth Discuss possible defensive strategies to protect our planet.
TUESDAY: Video on ASTEROIDS continued.
WEDNESDAY: Begin Chapter 13.By the end of this section, you will be able to:
Outline the story of the discovery of asteroids and describe their typical orbits Describe the composition and classification of the various types of asteroids Discuss what was learned from spacecraft missions to several asteroids.
FRIDAY: By the end of this section, you will be able to:
Recognize the threat that near-Earth objects represent for Earth Discuss possible defensive strategies to protect our planet.
CHAPTER 13 REVIEW
KEY TERMS
asteroid a stony or metallic object orbiting the Sun that is smaller than a major planet but that shows no evidence of an atmosphere or of other types of activity associated with comets
asteroid belt the region of the solar system between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter in which most asteroids are located; the main belt, where the orbits are generally the most stable, extends from 2.2 to 3.3 AU from the Sun
comet a small body of icy and dusty matter that revolves about the Sun; when a comet comes near the Sun, some of its material vaporizes, forming a large head of tenuous gas and often a tail
Kuiper belt a region of space beyond Neptune that is dynamically stable (like the asteroid belt); the source region for most short-period comets
near-Earth asteroid (NEA) an Earth-approaching asteroid, one whose orbit could bring it on a collision course with our planet
near-Earth object (NEO) a comet or asteroid whose path intersects the orbit of Earthnucleus (of a comet) the solid chunk of ice and dust in the head of a comet
Oort cloud the large spherical region around the Sun from which most “new” comets come; a reservoir of objects with aphelia at about 50,000 AU
tail (of a comet) a tail consisting of two parts: the dust tail is made of dust loosened by the sublimation of ice in a comet that is then pushed by photons from the Sun into a curved stream; the ion tail is a stream of ionized particles evaporated from a comet and then swept away from the Sun by the solar wind
KEY TERMS
asteroid a stony or metallic object orbiting the Sun that is smaller than a major planet but that shows no evidence of an atmosphere or of other types of activity associated with comets
asteroid belt the region of the solar system between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter in which most asteroids are located; the main belt, where the orbits are generally the most stable, extends from 2.2 to 3.3 AU from the Sun
comet a small body of icy and dusty matter that revolves about the Sun; when a comet comes near the Sun, some of its material vaporizes, forming a large head of tenuous gas and often a tail
Kuiper belt a region of space beyond Neptune that is dynamically stable (like the asteroid belt); the source region for most short-period comets
near-Earth asteroid (NEA) an Earth-approaching asteroid, one whose orbit could bring it on a collision course with our planet
near-Earth object (NEO) a comet or asteroid whose path intersects the orbit of Earthnucleus (of a comet) the solid chunk of ice and dust in the head of a comet
Oort cloud the large spherical region around the Sun from which most “new” comets come; a reservoir of objects with aphelia at about 50,000 AU
tail (of a comet) a tail consisting of two parts: the dust tail is made of dust loosened by the sublimation of ice in a comet that is then pushed by photons from the Sun into a curved stream; the ion tail is a stream of ionized particles evaporated from a comet and then swept away from the Sun by the solar wind
PRACTICE TEST OVER MOONS, RINGS, ASTEROIDS AND COMETS!
CLICK ON THE QUESTION TO SEE THE ANSWER.
1. Where in the solar system are the majority of asteroids found?
2. What is the name of the largest known asteroid?
3. What are most asteroids made of?
4. What planet had a large influence in the creation of the asteroid belt?
5. What evidence is there that an asteroid impact on Earth caused a mass extinction 65 million years ago?
6. What is the name of the largest impact event in human history?
7. What is the name of the best preserved meteor crater on Earth?
8. Comets are often referred to as...
9. Unlike the orbits of planets and most asteroids, the orbits of comets are...
10. What is one feature that distinguishes comets from asteroids?
11. According to current theory, how was our moon created?
12. What is the most geologically active moon in our solar system?
13. What is the name of the largest moon in our solar system?
14. What moon in our solar system has tiger stripes and geysers?
15. What moon in our solar system has an orange atmosphere and hydrocarbon lakes?
16. Mars has two baby moons. What are their names?
17. What is one reason many of the moons of Jupiter and Saturn geologically active?
18. When moons orbiting the same planet have orbital periods that are simple ratios, like 1 to 2, the gravitational effects can increase the geological activity of the moons. This phenomenon is called...
19. What is the name of the moon that resembles the Death Star from the Star Wars movies?
20. What is the name of the moon the Ewoks live on?
WEEK OF FEB 11 TO FEB 15
TUESDAY: Review practice test.
WEDNESDAY: Take practice test.
FRIDAY: Review practice test.
TUESDAY: Review practice test.
WEDNESDAY: Take practice test.
FRIDAY: Review practice test.
WEEK OF FEB 19 - 22
14.1 Meteors
14.2 Meteorites: Stones from Heaven
14.3 Formation of the Solar System
14.4 Comparison with Other Planetary Systems
14.5 Planetary Evolution
TUESDAY: Begin chapter 14. The origin of our solar system.
WEDNESDAY: Video: How The Universe Works: The Creation of Our Solar System.
FRIDAY: Complete video and discuss.
Your Term 2 Final Exam will consist of questions from the last two periodics and the questions below:
1. How old is our solar system?
2. How was the age of our solar system determined?
3. It is believed that solar systems begin as swirling clouds of gas called...
4. What is the difference between a meteor and a meteorite?
5. What is the name of a mineral found in meteorites that can be used to date the formation of the Earth?
6. What are Hot Jupiters?
7. What are Super Earths?
8. What is the "Grand Tack" hypothesis?
9. What is one curious thing about our solar system the Grand Tack Hypothesis might explain?
10. What is another curious thing about our solar system the Grand Tack Hypothesis might explain?
11. What is the name of the telescope used to discover and study exo-planets?
12. Recently, a solar system with eight planets was discovered with the help of...
13. What is name of an asteroid that resembles a squashed snow man?
14. What is the name of a meteor that exploded over Russia in 2013?
15. What country recently landed a spacecraft on an asteroid?
5. What is the name of a mineral found in meteorites that can be used to date the formation of the Earth?
6. What are Hot Jupiters?
7. What are Super Earths?
8. What is the "Grand Tack" hypothesis?
9. What is one curious thing about our solar system the Grand Tack Hypothesis might explain?
10. What is another curious thing about our solar system the Grand Tack Hypothesis might explain?
11. What is the name of the telescope used to discover and study exo-planets?
12. Recently, a solar system with eight planets was discovered with the help of...
13. What is name of an asteroid that resembles a squashed snow man?
14. What is the name of a meteor that exploded over Russia in 2013?
15. What country recently landed a spacecraft on an asteroid?
WEEK OF MARCH 11 TO MARCH 15
TUESDAY: Begin reading chapter 15 in your online text book. Discuss basic facts about the sun.
WEDNESDAY: Watch HOW THE UNIVERSE WORKS video about the sun.
FRIDAY: Discuss HP Diagrams and the birth and death of the sun.
TUESDAY: Begin reading chapter 15 in your online text book. Discuss basic facts about the sun.
WEDNESDAY: Watch HOW THE UNIVERSE WORKS video about the sun.
FRIDAY: Discuss HP Diagrams and the birth and death of the sun.
| 6.sun.ppt |
WEEK OF MARCH 25 TO MARCH 28
TUESDAY: Discuss star formation and classification of stars.
WEDNESDAY: Video on star formation and death.
TUESDAY: Discuss star formation and classification of stars.
WEDNESDAY: Video on star formation and death.
He just finished eating dinner
And stepped outside the cave to smoke
A cigarette he made from rolled up photo paper
They were pictures of things back on earth
He looked out on a greyish white expanse
Of uninhabited terrain he now called home
He'd seen plenty of mirages and imaginary visitors
Up until then so he wasn't sure what to think when
He saw swans and they were wading
On the shores of a pale white lake
That he'd never seen there before
And it was quite beautiful and it was far away
Cause everything beautiful is far away
He knew he was as good as gone
But gone was somewhere he really didn't mind going to
Since the shuttle had crashed many years had passed
And the pictures of his loved ones
That he drew on the walls of the cave had finally faded
He put out his smoke and proceeded
Toward the lake repeating to himself
Everything beautiful is far away
And stepped outside the cave to smoke
A cigarette he made from rolled up photo paper
They were pictures of things back on earth
He looked out on a greyish white expanse
Of uninhabited terrain he now called home
He'd seen plenty of mirages and imaginary visitors
Up until then so he wasn't sure what to think when
He saw swans and they were wading
On the shores of a pale white lake
That he'd never seen there before
And it was quite beautiful and it was far away
Cause everything beautiful is far away
He knew he was as good as gone
But gone was somewhere he really didn't mind going to
Since the shuttle had crashed many years had passed
And the pictures of his loved ones
That he drew on the walls of the cave had finally faded
He put out his smoke and proceeded
Toward the lake repeating to himself
Everything beautiful is far away
WEEK OF APRIL 8 TO APRIL 12
TUESDAY: Review chapter 15 and 16.
WEDNESDAY: Work on your presentations.
FRIDAY: Work on your presentations.
PRESENTATIONS DUE ON TUESDAY APRIL 16
THESE QUESTIONS WILL BE ON YOUR NEXT PERIODIC. CLICK ON A QUESTION TO FIND THE ANSWER.
An area on the Sun where magnetic fields are concentrated; sunspots, prominences, flares, and CMEs all tend to occur in these areas.
Light radiated by atoms and ions in the ionosphere excited by charged particles from the Sun, mostly seen in the magnetic polar regions.
The part of the solar atmosphere that lies immediately above the photospheric layers.
The outer (hot) atmosphere of the Sun.
A region in the Sun’s outer atmosphere that appears darker because there is less hot gas there.
A solar flare in which immense quantities of coronal material—mainly protons and electrons—is ejected at high speeds (500–1000 kilometers per second) into interplanetary space.
The phenomenon that occurs when different parts of a rotating object rotate at different rates at different latitudes.
The rice-grain-like structure of the solar photosphere produced by upwelling currents of gas that are slightly hotter, and therefore brighter, than the surrounding regions, which are flowing downward into the Sun.
A period during the eighteenth century when the number of sunspots seen throughout the solar cycle was unusually low.
The region of the solar (or stellar) atmosphere from which continuous radiation escapes into space.
A bright region of the solar surface observed in the light of some spectral line plasma a hot ionized gas.
A large, bright, gaseous feature that appears above the surface of the Sun and extends into the corona.
A sudden and temporary outburst of electromagnetic radiation from an extended region of the Sun’s surface.
A flow of hot, charged particles leaving the Sun.
Large, dark features seen on the surface of the Sun caused by increased magnetic activity.
The region in the Sun’s atmosphere where the temperature rises very rapidly from the relatively low temperatures that characterize the chromosphere to the high temperatures of the corona.
What is the process that powers all stars?
In our sun, what element(s) are required for this process?
What is the name of the system used to describe stars in terms of luminosity and temperature?
According to this system, what is our sun classified as?
What can the color of a star tell about the star?
What is the ultimate fate of our sun?
A star with 8 to 15 times the mass of our Sun runs out of fuel, what happens to it?
What is the most likely fate of a star having 10 to 30 solar masses?
If star is massive enough, when it runs out of fuel it will undergo total gravitational collapse. What does the star become?
The point of no return for a gravitationally collapsed object.
TUESDAY: Review chapter 15 and 16.
WEDNESDAY: Work on your presentations.
FRIDAY: Work on your presentations.
PRESENTATIONS DUE ON TUESDAY APRIL 16
THESE QUESTIONS WILL BE ON YOUR NEXT PERIODIC. CLICK ON A QUESTION TO FIND THE ANSWER.
An area on the Sun where magnetic fields are concentrated; sunspots, prominences, flares, and CMEs all tend to occur in these areas.
Light radiated by atoms and ions in the ionosphere excited by charged particles from the Sun, mostly seen in the magnetic polar regions.
The part of the solar atmosphere that lies immediately above the photospheric layers.
The outer (hot) atmosphere of the Sun.
A region in the Sun’s outer atmosphere that appears darker because there is less hot gas there.
A solar flare in which immense quantities of coronal material—mainly protons and electrons—is ejected at high speeds (500–1000 kilometers per second) into interplanetary space.
The phenomenon that occurs when different parts of a rotating object rotate at different rates at different latitudes.
The rice-grain-like structure of the solar photosphere produced by upwelling currents of gas that are slightly hotter, and therefore brighter, than the surrounding regions, which are flowing downward into the Sun.
A period during the eighteenth century when the number of sunspots seen throughout the solar cycle was unusually low.
The region of the solar (or stellar) atmosphere from which continuous radiation escapes into space.
A bright region of the solar surface observed in the light of some spectral line plasma a hot ionized gas.
A large, bright, gaseous feature that appears above the surface of the Sun and extends into the corona.
A sudden and temporary outburst of electromagnetic radiation from an extended region of the Sun’s surface.
A flow of hot, charged particles leaving the Sun.
Large, dark features seen on the surface of the Sun caused by increased magnetic activity.
The region in the Sun’s atmosphere where the temperature rises very rapidly from the relatively low temperatures that characterize the chromosphere to the high temperatures of the corona.
What is the process that powers all stars?
In our sun, what element(s) are required for this process?
What is the name of the system used to describe stars in terms of luminosity and temperature?
According to this system, what is our sun classified as?
What can the color of a star tell about the star?
What is the ultimate fate of our sun?
A star with 8 to 15 times the mass of our Sun runs out of fuel, what happens to it?
What is the most likely fate of a star having 10 to 30 solar masses?
If star is massive enough, when it runs out of fuel it will undergo total gravitational collapse. What does the star become?
The point of no return for a gravitationally collapsed object.
Hanz Zimmer?
Or BTS?
I like this guy.
Small changes in Initial conditions can profoundly effect final conditions.
WEEK OF MAY 6 TO MAY 10
1. FINISH PRESENTATIONS
2. BEGIN DISCUSSION OF THE BIG BANG THEORY.
3. DISCUSS/EXPLAIN/DESCRIBE
a) QUANTUM FLUCTUATIONS
- Planck epoch
- Grand unification epoch
- Quark epoch
- Hadron epoch
- Lepton epoch
- Photon epoch
- Big Bang nucleosynthesis
- Inflation
- Dark Ages
PRACTICE QUESTIONS FOR TERM 3 PERIODIC 2
1. The theory that the universe came into existence a finite time ago.
1. The theory that the universe came into existence a finite time ago.
REVISION PACKET STUFF FOR YOUR END OF TERM EXAM. LOTS OF INFORMATION.
YOUR EOT WILL BE MULTIPLE CHOICE AND POSSIBLY UP TO 75 QUESTIONS.
YOUR EOT WILL BE MULTIPLE CHOICE AND POSSIBLY UP TO 75 QUESTIONS.
Practice test.
1. What is the name of the path the sun and planets seem to follow across the sky?
ecliptic
2. What is the name of the fellow that developed an early model of the solar system in which the sun and stars and planets all orbit the earth?
Ptolemy
3. The apparent backward motion of the planets is called?.......
retrograde motion
4. This crazy backward motion of planets was explained by imagining they followed circles within circles as they orbited the earth. What is the name given to these cycles?
epicycles
5. What is the name of the Polish monk who declared the sun was the center of the universe?
Copernicus
6. Who was the first scientist to use a telescope to observe the sky?
Galileo
7. List three things this scientist observed with his telescope.
craters on the moon, the moons of Jupiter and sunspots
8. Describe the Tychonic model of the solar system. (in a few words)
Sun and Moon orbit the Earth. All the planets orbit the Sun.
10. State Kepler's Three Laws of Planetary Motion.
All orbits are elliptical
Planets sweep out equal areas in equal times
Orbital Period is related to orbital radius. T^2 = KR^3
11. State Newton's 3 laws of motion.
objects in motion remain in motion, objects at rest remain at rest (unless acted on by an external force)
F=ma Force = mass x acceleration
If you push something, something pushes back on you with same force
12. The force the Moon exerts on the Earth is
a. less than
b. equal to
c. greater than
the force the Earth exerts on the Moon.
13. Astronauts on the ISS appear weightless because,
a. There is no gravity acting on them
b. The ISS uses anti-gravity
c. They are in free fall
14. Explain in a few sentences, what causes the tides on Earth.
The gravitational force of the moon.
1. What is the name of the path the sun and planets seem to follow across the sky?
ecliptic
2. What is the name of the fellow that developed an early model of the solar system in which the sun and stars and planets all orbit the earth?
Ptolemy
3. The apparent backward motion of the planets is called?.......
retrograde motion
4. This crazy backward motion of planets was explained by imagining they followed circles within circles as they orbited the earth. What is the name given to these cycles?
epicycles
5. What is the name of the Polish monk who declared the sun was the center of the universe?
Copernicus
6. Who was the first scientist to use a telescope to observe the sky?
Galileo
7. List three things this scientist observed with his telescope.
craters on the moon, the moons of Jupiter and sunspots
8. Describe the Tychonic model of the solar system. (in a few words)
Sun and Moon orbit the Earth. All the planets orbit the Sun.
10. State Kepler's Three Laws of Planetary Motion.
All orbits are elliptical
Planets sweep out equal areas in equal times
Orbital Period is related to orbital radius. T^2 = KR^3
11. State Newton's 3 laws of motion.
objects in motion remain in motion, objects at rest remain at rest (unless acted on by an external force)
F=ma Force = mass x acceleration
If you push something, something pushes back on you with same force
12. The force the Moon exerts on the Earth is
a. less than
b. equal to
c. greater than
the force the Earth exerts on the Moon.
13. Astronauts on the ISS appear weightless because,
a. There is no gravity acting on them
b. The ISS uses anti-gravity
c. They are in free fall
14. Explain in a few sentences, what causes the tides on Earth.
The gravitational force of the moon.
1. What causes the seasons on Earth?
a. The Earth's elliptic orbit b. The moon. c. The tilt of the Earth's axis. d. Wee little gremlins.
2. A FULL MOON occurs when
a. The moon is located on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun.
b. The moon is located on the same side of the Earth as the Sun.
c. The moon is located at a right angle from the Earth with respect to the Sun.
3. A QUARTER MOON occurs when
a. The moon is located on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun.
b. The moon is located on the same side of the Earth as the Sun.
c. The moon is located at a right angle from the Earth with respect to the Sun.
4. The ORBITAL PERIOD of the moon is about
a. 24 hours b. 1 month c. 1 year d. 100 years
5. The ROTATIONAL PERIOD of the moon is about
a. 24 hours b. 1 month c. 1 year d. The moon does not rotate
6. Winter Solstice indicates
a. The first day of winter.
b. The middle of winter.
c. The end of winter.
7. Two days a year, the length of day and night are about equal. These days are called
a. equinox. b. solstice c. sidereal d. zenith
8. List the major parts of the electromagnetic spectrum from shortest to longest wavelength.
gamma, x ray, ultraviolet, visible, infrared, microwave, radio wave
9. What is the approximate wavelength of violet light? (in nanometers)
400nm
10. Electromagnetic radiation just shorter than violet light is called?
ultraviolet
11. What are stars made of (mostly)?
hydrogen
12. What is the name of the process that powers stars?
fusion
13. How does the size of Betelgeuse compare to the sun?
Betelgeuse is way bigger
14. Name two geologically active moons in our solar system.
Io, Enceladus, Titan
15. What is the unique set of colors emitted by specific elements called?
emission spectrum
16. Locations in space near the Earth where a satellite remains stationary with respect to the Earth are called?
Lagrange Points
15. Inside a star, hydrogen fuses with hydrogen to form what element?
helium
16 The heaviest element that can be created by fusion in a star is
a. helium b. carbon c. iron d. unobtainium
17. Light is...
a. an electromagnetic wave b. made of particles c. both a and b
18. A "particle" of light is called a
a. proton b. photon c. wavicle d. parton
19. An atom can emit a photon when one of its electrons
a. jumps to a lower energy level b. jumps to a higher energy level c. decays
20. The elements that stars are are made of can be determined by observing the star's
a. emission spectrum b. brightness c. color
a. The Earth's elliptic orbit b. The moon. c. The tilt of the Earth's axis. d. Wee little gremlins.
2. A FULL MOON occurs when
a. The moon is located on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun.
b. The moon is located on the same side of the Earth as the Sun.
c. The moon is located at a right angle from the Earth with respect to the Sun.
3. A QUARTER MOON occurs when
a. The moon is located on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun.
b. The moon is located on the same side of the Earth as the Sun.
c. The moon is located at a right angle from the Earth with respect to the Sun.
4. The ORBITAL PERIOD of the moon is about
a. 24 hours b. 1 month c. 1 year d. 100 years
5. The ROTATIONAL PERIOD of the moon is about
a. 24 hours b. 1 month c. 1 year d. The moon does not rotate
6. Winter Solstice indicates
a. The first day of winter.
b. The middle of winter.
c. The end of winter.
7. Two days a year, the length of day and night are about equal. These days are called
a. equinox. b. solstice c. sidereal d. zenith
8. List the major parts of the electromagnetic spectrum from shortest to longest wavelength.
gamma, x ray, ultraviolet, visible, infrared, microwave, radio wave
9. What is the approximate wavelength of violet light? (in nanometers)
400nm
10. Electromagnetic radiation just shorter than violet light is called?
ultraviolet
11. What are stars made of (mostly)?
hydrogen
12. What is the name of the process that powers stars?
fusion
13. How does the size of Betelgeuse compare to the sun?
Betelgeuse is way bigger
14. Name two geologically active moons in our solar system.
Io, Enceladus, Titan
15. What is the unique set of colors emitted by specific elements called?
emission spectrum
16. Locations in space near the Earth where a satellite remains stationary with respect to the Earth are called?
Lagrange Points
15. Inside a star, hydrogen fuses with hydrogen to form what element?
helium
16 The heaviest element that can be created by fusion in a star is
a. helium b. carbon c. iron d. unobtainium
17. Light is...
a. an electromagnetic wave b. made of particles c. both a and b
18. A "particle" of light is called a
a. proton b. photon c. wavicle d. parton
19. An atom can emit a photon when one of its electrons
a. jumps to a lower energy level b. jumps to a higher energy level c. decays
20. The elements that stars are are made of can be determined by observing the star's
a. emission spectrum b. brightness c. color
1.The age of the Earth is
a. a few thousand years b. a few million years c. a few billion years d. a few gazillion years
2. The Earth is composed mostly of
a. kryptonite b. rocks and metals c. water d. dead dinosaurs
3. When the Earth was very young, it underwent a severe pounding by asteroids and comets. This period is know as the
a. early pounding period b. cosmic smash up c. bob era d. heavy late bombardment
4. Which of the following is NOT a part of the structure of the Earth?
a. chewy caramel center b. crust c. mantle d. outer core
5. The idea that the continents change their positions over long periods of time is called
a. subduction b. slippery slope c. plate tectonics d. slow translation
6. Which of the following is NOT a classification of terrestrial rock?
a. limestone b. metamorphic c. igneous d. sedimentary
7. A place where material from a planet’s mantle erupts on its surface
a. zit b. volcano c. eruption zone d. fault line
8. The largest part of Earth’s interior
a. crust b. outer core c. chewy caramel center. d. mantle
9. Which of the following is NOT a layer of the Earth's atmosphere?
a.troposphere b. stratosphere c. ozonesphere. d. ionosphere.
10. The most abundant gas in our atmosphere is
a. nitrogen b. oxygen c. carbon dioxide d. ozone
11. It is believed that all the water on the Earth came from
a. aliens b. comets and asteroids c. early plant life d. cosmic rays
12. The early atmosphere of the Earth consisted mostly of
a. carbon dioxide b. oxygen c. nitrogen d. dino farts
13. In geology, a crack or break in the crust of a planet along which slippage or movement can take place, accompanied by seismic activity
a. volcano. b. slip zone c. subduction zone d. fault
14. It is believed that 64 million years ago a large asteroid hit the Earth resulting in
a. a large crater in Arizona b. the Tunguska event
c. the extinction of the dinosaurs d. the extinction of cave men
15. A vibration that travels through the interior of Earth or any other object
a. seismic wave b. standing wave c. transverse wave d. electromagnetic wave
16. The Earth's magnetic field is created by
a. little elves at the North Pole b. A big magnet inside the Earth.
c. electric currents flowing in the outer core of the Earth d. the Moon
17. The region around a star where the conditions for life (as we know it) exist is called the
a. baby bear zone b. goldilocks zone c. twilight zone d. life zone
18. Recent observations show that in our galaxy there may be
a. no Earthlike planets b. a few dozen Earthlike planets
c. a few hundred Earthlike planets d. billions of Earthlike planets
19. If the conditions for intelligent life did not exist, we would not be wondering why the conditions for intelligent life DO exist, because we would not be here! This idea is known as
a. The Anthropic Principle. b. The Uncertainty Principle
b. The Life Principle c. The Zen Principle
a. a few thousand years b. a few million years c. a few billion years d. a few gazillion years
2. The Earth is composed mostly of
a. kryptonite b. rocks and metals c. water d. dead dinosaurs
3. When the Earth was very young, it underwent a severe pounding by asteroids and comets. This period is know as the
a. early pounding period b. cosmic smash up c. bob era d. heavy late bombardment
4. Which of the following is NOT a part of the structure of the Earth?
a. chewy caramel center b. crust c. mantle d. outer core
5. The idea that the continents change their positions over long periods of time is called
a. subduction b. slippery slope c. plate tectonics d. slow translation
6. Which of the following is NOT a classification of terrestrial rock?
a. limestone b. metamorphic c. igneous d. sedimentary
7. A place where material from a planet’s mantle erupts on its surface
a. zit b. volcano c. eruption zone d. fault line
8. The largest part of Earth’s interior
a. crust b. outer core c. chewy caramel center. d. mantle
9. Which of the following is NOT a layer of the Earth's atmosphere?
a.troposphere b. stratosphere c. ozonesphere. d. ionosphere.
10. The most abundant gas in our atmosphere is
a. nitrogen b. oxygen c. carbon dioxide d. ozone
11. It is believed that all the water on the Earth came from
a. aliens b. comets and asteroids c. early plant life d. cosmic rays
12. The early atmosphere of the Earth consisted mostly of
a. carbon dioxide b. oxygen c. nitrogen d. dino farts
13. In geology, a crack or break in the crust of a planet along which slippage or movement can take place, accompanied by seismic activity
a. volcano. b. slip zone c. subduction zone d. fault
14. It is believed that 64 million years ago a large asteroid hit the Earth resulting in
a. a large crater in Arizona b. the Tunguska event
c. the extinction of the dinosaurs d. the extinction of cave men
15. A vibration that travels through the interior of Earth or any other object
a. seismic wave b. standing wave c. transverse wave d. electromagnetic wave
16. The Earth's magnetic field is created by
a. little elves at the North Pole b. A big magnet inside the Earth.
c. electric currents flowing in the outer core of the Earth d. the Moon
17. The region around a star where the conditions for life (as we know it) exist is called the
a. baby bear zone b. goldilocks zone c. twilight zone d. life zone
18. Recent observations show that in our galaxy there may be
a. no Earthlike planets b. a few dozen Earthlike planets
c. a few hundred Earthlike planets d. billions of Earthlike planets
19. If the conditions for intelligent life did not exist, we would not be wondering why the conditions for intelligent life DO exist, because we would not be here! This idea is known as
a. The Anthropic Principle. b. The Uncertainty Principle
b. The Life Principle c. The Zen Principle
- PRACTICE TEST OVER THE MOVIE CONTACT
1. In the movie, what is the name of the project Dr. Arroway works for? (Sorry about ending the sentence with a preposition)
2. What kind of instruments are used in the movie to search for aliens?
3. Where is The Arecibo Observatory located?
4. What government organization funds Dr. Arroway's research?
5. The "signal" originates from what star system?
6. Among other things, this movie explores a fundamental conflict between what two human belief systems?
7. The "signal" is written in what language?
8. How does the "machine" transport Dr. Arroway to Vega?
9. Describe the meaning of the term "Occam's Razor".
10. What kind of car does Matthew McConaughey drive? (In the commercials)
1. Which of the outer planets are considered GAS GIANTS?
2. Which of the outer planets are considered ICE GIANTS?
3. Jupiter is composed mostly of…
4. The LARGEST planet in our solar system is…
5. The Great Red Spot is located on what planet?
6. The Great Red Spot is believed to be a…
7. The rings of Saturn are composed of…
8. Which planet has the greatest axial tilt?
9. Which moon has a surface with lots of active volcanoes?
10. Which moon has a surface of frozen water and a subsurface of liquid water?
More useful information about the movie CONTACT
SR Hadden is a really rich guy.
1. Where in the solar system are the majority of asteroids found?
2. What is the name of the largest known asteroid?
3. What are most asteroids made of?
4. What planet had a large influence in the creation of the asteroid belt?
5. What evidence is there that an asteroid impact on Earth caused a mass extinction 65 million years ago?
6. What is the name of the largest impact event in human history?
7. What is the name of the best preserved meteor crater on Earth?
8. Comets are often referred to as...
9. Unlike the orbits of planets and most asteroids, the orbits of comets are...
10. What is one feature that distinguishes comets from asteroids?
11. According to current theory, how was our moon created?
12. What is the most geologically active moon in our solar system?
13. What is the name of the largest moon in our solar system?
14. What moon in our solar system has tiger stripes and geysers?
15. What moon in our solar system has an orange atmosphere and hydrocarbon lakes?
16. Mars has two baby moons. What are their names?
17. What is one reason many of the moons of Jupiter and Saturn geologically active?
18. When moons orbiting the same planet have orbital periods that are simple ratios, like 1 to 2, the gravitational effects can increase the geological activity of the moons. This phenomenon is called...
19. What is the name of the moon that resembles the Death Star from the Star Wars movies?
20. What is the name of the moon the Ewoks live on?
1. How old is our solar system?
2. How was the age of our solar system determined?
3. It is believed that solar systems begin as swirling clouds of gas called...
2. How was the age of our solar system determined?
3. It is believed that solar systems begin as swirling clouds of gas called...
. What is the difference between a meteor and a meteorite?
5. What is the name of a mineral found in meteorites that can be used to date the formation of the Earth?
6. What are Hot Jupiters?
7. What are Super Earths?
8. What is the "Grand Tack" hypothesis?
9. What is one curious thing about our solar system the Grand Tack Hypothesis might explain?
10. What is another curious thing about our solar system the Grand Tack Hypothesis might explain?
11. What is the name of the telescope used to discover and study exo-planets?
12. Recently, a solar system with eight planets was discovered with the help of...
13. What is name of an asteroid that resembles a squashed snow man?
14. What is the name of a meteor that exploded over Russia in 2013?
15. What country recently landed a spacecraft on an asteroid?
5. What is the name of a mineral found in meteorites that can be used to date the formation of the Earth?
6. What are Hot Jupiters?
7. What are Super Earths?
8. What is the "Grand Tack" hypothesis?
9. What is one curious thing about our solar system the Grand Tack Hypothesis might explain?
10. What is another curious thing about our solar system the Grand Tack Hypothesis might explain?
11. What is the name of the telescope used to discover and study exo-planets?
12. Recently, a solar system with eight planets was discovered with the help of...
13. What is name of an asteroid that resembles a squashed snow man?
14. What is the name of a meteor that exploded over Russia in 2013?
15. What country recently landed a spacecraft on an asteroid?
An area on the Sun where magnetic fields are concentrated; sunspots, prominences, flares, and CMEs all tend to occur in these areas.
Light radiated by atoms and ions in the ionosphere excited by charged particles from the Sun, mostly seen in the magnetic polar regions.
The part of the solar atmosphere that lies immediately above the photospheric layers.
The outer (hot) atmosphere of the Sun.
A region in the Sun’s outer atmosphere that appears darker because there is less hot gas there.
A solar flare in which immense quantities of coronal material—mainly protons and electrons—is ejected at high speeds (500–1000 kilometers per second) into interplanetary space.
The phenomenon that occurs when different parts of a rotating object rotate at different rates at different latitudes.
The rice-grain-like structure of the solar photosphere produced by upwelling currents of gas that are slightly hotter, and therefore brighter, than the surrounding regions, which are flowing downward into the Sun.
A period during the eighteenth century when the number of sunspots seen throughout the solar cycle was unusually low.
The region of the solar (or stellar) atmosphere from which continuous radiation escapes into space.
A bright region of the solar surface observed in the light of some spectral line plasma a hot ionized gas.
A large, bright, gaseous feature that appears above the surface of the Sun and extends into the corona.
A sudden and temporary outburst of electromagnetic radiation from an extended region of the Sun’s surface.
A flow of hot, charged particles leaving the Sun.
Large, dark features seen on the surface of the Sun caused by increased magnetic activity.
The region in the Sun’s atmosphere where the temperature rises very rapidly from the relatively low temperatures that characterize the chromosphere to the high temperatures of the corona.
What is the process that powers all stars?
In our sun, what element(s) are required for this process?
What is the name of the system used to describe stars in terms of luminosity and temperature?
According to this system, what is our sun classified as?
What can the color of a star tell about the star?
What is the ultimate fate of our sun?
A star with 8 to 15 times the mass of our Sun runs out of fuel, what happens to it?
What is the most likely fate of a star having 10 to 30 solar masses?
If star is massive enough, when it runs out of fuel it will undergo total gravitational collapse. What does the star become?
The point of no return for a gravitationally collapsed object.
Also the content of your last test. I gave those tests back to you.
Lots of stuff. This year was my first time to teach Astronomy. I am amazed at how much "stuff" we learned.
And you were all amazing. Even when you were making me crazy, you were amazing.
And you were all amazing. Even when you were making me crazy, you were amazing.