Vocabulary Quiz - VocabForce

1. quadratic field strength

free-floating planetary-mass object

boundary where solar wind slows abruptly

variation proportional to square of position

reflectivity of a celestial body based on geometry

2. night sky

angle between observer, object, and reference point

event marking start of fall in northern hemisphere

stream of charged particles from Sun

sky visible during nighttime

3. sidereal year

Earth's orbit period relative to stars

study of life beyond Earth

study of orbital motion

baseline for celestial coordinate measurement

4. extinction

loss of light passing through Earth's atmosphere

dusk or dawn light period

daily apparent movement of stars due to Earth's rotation

star and its planets or companions

5. critical rotation

rotation speed leading to shape deformation or breakup

physics governing celestial bodies and universe

star used as reference for measurements or calibration

narrow stream of plasma from the Sun

6. apsis

use of diverse signals for study

another galaxy designation

closest or furthest point in an orbit around a focus

region where a body’s gravity dominates

7. cosmogony

stars sharing common motion

curve representing stars of same age

geology of planets and moons in the solar system

theory of universe's origin and formation

8. exobiology

lowest point beneath observer

visible distribution of stars in the sky

orbital ratio of two bodies with simple integer ratio

study of life beyond Earth

9. osculating orbit

magnetic arc of plasma in the solar corona

material ejected outward from a star as disk

study via telescopes

instantaneous orbital ellipse

10. coronal loop

flat surface containing orbit

distance light travels in one year

magnetic arc of plasma in the solar corona

study of orbital motion

11. barycenter

rotation speed leading to shape deformation or breakup

center of mass of two or more orbiting bodies

study of motion of celestial bodies and spacecraft

study of galaxies and their structures

12. Roche limit

Earth's rotation period relative to stars

gravitational effect on objects within a galaxy

closest distance a moon can approach without breakup

mass of the Sun used as a standard unit

13. galactic corona

visible without telescope

stars in a galaxy's flat disk

astronomical object catalog

hot, ionized gas surrounding the galaxy

14. tropical year

earth's orbit-based year length

measure of star's color and temperature differences

rotation speed leading to shape deformation or breakup

apparent shift of nearby objects

15. Sun

point where orbit crosses celestial plane heading south

abundance of elements heavier than helium

study of planets

closest star at galaxy's center of our solar system

16. zero-age main sequence

point where orbit crosses celestial plane moving north

stars beginning hydrogen fusion

bright central region of some galaxies, high energy emissions

flat surface containing orbit

17. orbital node

distant astronomical objects beyond solar system

minimum mass for hydrogen fusion in star

large planet with icy composition, e.g., Neptune

point where orbit crosses ecliptic

18. geocentric

centered on Earth

hot, blue, massive star with high surface temperature

spherical collection of old stars

slow westward shift of rotational axis over time

19. field star

star not part of a star cluster

study of space-time ripples from massive bodies

compact star group at galaxy center

dense central core of a galaxy or star cluster

20. ephemeris

table listing astronomical object positions over time

dusk or dawn light period

cloud of gas collapses under gravity

physics governing celestial bodies and universe

Vocabulary Quiz:

1. quadratic field strength

2. night sky

3. sidereal year

4. extinction

5. critical rotation

6. apsis

7. cosmogony

8. exobiology

9. osculating orbit

10. coronal loop

11. barycenter

12. Roche limit

13. galactic corona

14. tropical year

15. Sun

16. zero-age main sequence

17. orbital node

18. geocentric

19. field star

20. ephemeris

Select vocabulary category you want to browse:

Vocabulary Quiz:

1. quadratic field strength

2. night sky

3. sidereal year

4. extinction

5. critical rotation

6. apsis

7. cosmogony

8. exobiology

9. osculating orbit

10. coronal loop

11. barycenter

12. Roche limit

13. galactic corona

14. tropical year

15. Sun

16. zero-age main sequence

17. orbital node

18. geocentric

19. field star

20. ephemeris

Select vocabulary category you want to browse:

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