Advanced STARS Pathfinder Honor Level 3 Q How

Advanced STARS { Pathfinder Honor Level 3

Q: How can you account for the apparent daily motion of the stars? Click for Q & A A: Because the earth rotates & revolves and our galaxy spins, too.

Q: What is a planet? A: A planet is a large body that is largely alone in it’s orbits around the sun. Click for Q & A

Q: What is a satellite? A: A satellite is an object that orbits a planet. There are two basic types of satellites: natural, and artificial. Our Moon is a natural satellite. The other type of satellite is an artificial satellite, and these are most often used for communications (think satellite TV dishes). . Click for Q & A

https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=f. GTq 14 q. Cw. Jk Q: What is a comet? A: A comet is a small body in the solar system that orbits the Sun and (at least occasionally) exhibits a coma (or atmosphere) and/or a tail — both due primarily to the effects of solar radiation upon the comet's nucleus, which itself is a minor planet composed of rock, dust, and ices. Click for Q & A

Q: What is a meteor? A: A meteor is the visible path of a meteoroid that enters the Earth's (or another body's) atmosphere, commonly called a shooting star or falling star. An individual meteor can only be seen for at most a few seconds while a comet can be seen for days or weeks. Click for Q & A

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Q: What is a nebula? A: A nebula is an interstellar cloud of dust, gas and plasma. Interstellar is a word meaning "between or among the stars. " Nebulae are among the most beautiful objects in the night Click for Q & A sky can be seen for days or weeks.

Q: What is a constellation? A: A group of stars forming a recognizable pattern that is traditionally named after its apparent form or identified with a mythological figure. Modern astronomers divide the sky into eighty-eight constellations with defined boundaries. Click for Q & A

Q: What is a fixed star? A: A fixed star (from the Latin stellae fixae) is any celestial object that does not seem to move in relation to the other stars of the night sky. Hence, a fixed star is any star except for the Sun. A nebula or other star-like object may also be called a fixed star. . Click for Q & A

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Q: What is a sunspot? A: A sunspot is a region on the Sun's surface that is marked by a lower temperature than its surroundings and intense magnetic activity, forming areas of low surface temperature. Click for Q & A

Q: Define celestial sphere A: The celestial sphere is an imaginary rotating sphere of "gigantic radius", with the Earth at its center. All objects in the sky can be thought of as lying upon the sphere. Click for Q & A

Q: Define celestial pole A: The two celestial poles are the imaginary points where the Earth's spin axis intersects the celestial sphere. The north celestial pole currently has nearly the same coordinates as the bright star Polaris (which is Latin for "Pole Star"). Click for Q & A

Q: Define celestial equator A: The celestial equator is a great circle on the imaginary celestial sphere, which is actually the plane of the terrestrial equator extended out into the universe Click for Q & A

Q: Define ecliptic A: The Ecliptic is the apparent path of the Sun traced out along the sky in the course of the year. More accurately, it is the intersection of the celestial sphere with the ecliptic plane, which is the geometric plane containing the mean orbit of the Earth around the Sun. Click for Q & A

Q: What connection is there between the ecliptic and the vernal and autumnal equinoxes? What dates are usually associated with the equinoxes? The ecliptic is the path followed by the sun across the celestial sphere during the year. It crosses the celestial equator twice during the year, once at the Autumnal equinox and once at the Vernal equinox. The Vernal Equinox occurs on either March 20 or March 21. The Autumnal Equinox occurs on either September 22 or 23. . Click for Q & A

Q: Show the relative positions of the earth and moon during high and low tides. Click for Q & A

Q: Define horizon Click for Q & A A: The horizon is the line that separates earth from sky.

Right Ascension Marked in hours which relates to the hours as the sun goes around the celestial equator (or as viewed from the equator)

Right Ascension & Declination Start at 3: 30

Q: Define right ascension A: Right Ascension is the astronomical term for one of the two coordinates of a point on the celestial sphere when using the equatorial coordinate system. It is equivalent to terrestrial longitude. . Click for Q & A

Q: Define declination A: Declination is one of the two coordinates of the equatorial coordinate system, the other being either right ascension or hour angle. Dec is comparable to latitude, projected unto the celestial sphere, and is measured in degrees north and south of the celestial equator. Therefore, points north of the celestial equator have positive declination, while those to the south have negative declination. Click for Q & A

Q: Define transit A: A transit is the astronomical event that occurs when one celestial body appears to move across the face of another celestial body, as seen by an observer at some particular vantage point. Click for Q & A

Q: Define conjunction A: Conjunction means that, as seen from some place (usually the Earth), two celestial bodies appear near one another in the sky Click for Q & A

Q: Explain the major difference between a refractor and reflector type of telescope

Q: Explain the major difference between a refractor and reflector type of telescope A: A refractor telescope is a type of optical telescope that refracts or bends light at each end using lenses. A: A reflector telescope is a telescope which uses a combination of curved and flat mirrors to reflect light and form an image, rather than lenses to refract or bend light to form an image. Click for Q & A

Q: Describe an equatorial telescope mounting A: An equatorial mount is a mount used for moving a telescope or camera Click for Q & A along two perpendicular axes of motion (right ascension and declination). The telescope mount's axis of right ascension should be pointed directly towards whichever celestial pole is above the horizon to work correctly.

Q: Know the history of the signs of the zodiac A: By 2, 000 BC, the Egyptians and Mesopotamians marked the seasons by the constellations we now call Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius. The division of the ecliptic into the zodiacal signs originates in Babylonian ("Chaldean") astronomy in the early to mid 1 st millennium BC (likely during Median/"Neo. Babylonian" times). The signs were named after the nearby constellations at the time of Ptolemy, most of which were named after animals, hence the term zodiac (from Greek zodiakos, "circle of little animals"). Click for Q & A

Q: What are the 12 constellations called the signs of the zodiac? Click for Q & A

Q: What is the difference between astronomy and astrology? A: Astronomy is a science that studies everything outside of the earth's atmosphere, such as planets, stars, asteroids, galaxies; and the properties and relationships of those celestial bodies. Astronomers base their studies on research and observation. It is a study of God’s creation. Astrology, on the other hand, is the belief that the positioning of the stars and planets determine a person’s character and affect the way events occur on earth. This belief is not biblical and the study of it, worshiping the heavens, and consulting horoscopes is warned against in the Bible. See: Deut. 4: 19, 2 Kings 23: 5, Isaiah 47: 13 -15 , and Daniel 2: 27 -28 Click for Q & A

Q: How are the letters of the Greek alphabet used to name stars in a constellation? A: The brightest star in a constellation is called alpha plus the constellation name. The second brightest is named beta, the third brightest is named gamma, and so forth. The best known example of this is Alpha Click for Q & A

Q: Give five illustrations of the use of the letters of the Greek alphabet in naming the stars of a constellation. A: Centauri which is the brightest star in the constellation Centaur. However, Alpha Centauri is actually a binary star, so the first two stars in our list can be Alpha Centauri A, and Alpha Centauri B. Acrux, Becrux, and Gacrux are three brightest stars in Crux, the Southern Cross, and are so named as an abbreviation of Alpha-Crux, Beta. Crux, and Gamma-Crux. Click for Q & A

Q: Locate the 15 first-magnitude stars as they appear throughout the year. Find star #1: Sirius Click for Q & A

Q: Locate the 15 first-magnitude stars as they appear throughout the year. Find star #2: Arcturus Click for Q & A

Q: Locate the 15 first-magnitude stars as they appear throughout the year. Find star #4: Vega Find star #5: Altair This is the summer triangle Click for Q & A

Q: Locate the 15 first-magnitude stars as they appear throughout the year. Find star #6: Capella Click for Q & A

Q: Locate the 15 first-magnitude stars as they appear throughout the year. Find star #7: Betelgeuse Find star #8: Rigel Find star #9: Procyon Click for Q & A

Q: Locate the 15 firstmagnitude stars as they appear throughout the year. Find star #10: Aldebaran Find star #11: Pollux They are the remaining stars in the Winter Circle Click for Q & A

Q: Locate the 15 first-magnitude stars as they appear throughout the year. Find star #12: Spica Click for Q & A

Q: What does the Bible say about Orion, the Pleiades, and Arcturus? Read Job 9: 9 – “He made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the chambers of the south; ” Read Job 38: 31, 32 – “Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades, Or loose the belt of Orion? Can you bring out Mazzaroth [constellations] in its season? Or can you guide the Great Bear with its cubs? ” Read Amos 5: 8 – “He made the Pleiades and Orion; He turns the shadow of death into morning and makes the day dark as night; He calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out on the face of the earth; The L The ORD is His name.

Q: Which planets can NOT be seen without the aid of a telescope? A: Uranus and Neptune Click for Q & A

Q: Which two planets can be only seen near the hours of sunrise and sunset? A: Mercury and Venus Click for Q & A

Q: Describe the planet, Mercury It is closest to the sun Ø It has very little atmosphere Ø It’s often struck by other objects in space, so it has lots of craters. Ø A year at Mercury is 88 days Ø Mercury is the smallest planet in the solar system Ø After earth, it is the 2 nd densest planet Ø Mercury has just 38% of the gravity on earth Ø It’s orbit is an ellipse rather than circular Ø Click for Q & A

Q: Describe the planet, Venus Ø Ø Ø Ø It is the 2 nd closest planet to the sun It is the closest planet to Earth Venus orbits the sun every 224. 7 earth days It’s rotation is very slow. It takes 243 earth days to complete 1 rotation. So a year on Venus is shorter than a day on Venus rotates in the opposite direction of other planets It is the hottest planet in the solar system: 863° F After the moon it is the 2 nd brightest natural object in the sky and is sometimes referred to as the morning or evening star Click for Q & A

Q: Describe the planet, Earth It is the perfect distance from the sun for a temperate environment Ø It is the only planet with an atmosphere containing 21% oxygen – perfect for us Ø It is the only planet with liquid water on it. Ø …. Ø Click for Q & A

Q: Describe the planet, Mars It is the 4 th planet from the sun Ø It is known as the red planet due to its appearance when seen from earth at night Ø It is the only planet besides Earth that has seasons Ø It has a rotational period nearly the same as earth Ø Its orbit takes 687 days Ø Mars has 2 moons Ø It has the largest dust storms in the solar system Ø It has the tallest mountain in the solar system Ø Click for Q & A

Q: Describe the planet, Jupiter It is the 5 th planet out from the sun Ø Jupiter is made mostly of gases and is therefore known as a ‘gas giant’ Ø It is 2 ½ times larger than all the other planets in the solar system combined Ø It has the shortest day of all the planets: 9 hours and 55 minutes Ø It orbits the sun once every 11. 8 earth years Ø It’s atmosphere is divided into cloud belts and zones. Ø The Great Red Spot is a huge storm on Jupiter Ø Click for Q & A

Q: Describe the planet, Saturn Ø Ø Ø Ø Saturn is the 6 th planet from the sun and the most distant which can be seen with the naked eye It is the 2 nd largest planet It is a gas giant composed of gases similar to hydrogen, helium, methane, among others It quickly rotates every 10 hours and 34 minutes Similar to Jupiter it’s upper atmosphere is divided into zones and bands of clouds and it has oval- shaped storms It has the most extensive rings in the solar system It has 150 moons and many smaller moonlets Four space craft have visited Saturn Click for Q & A

Q: Describe the planet, Uranus Ø Ø Ø Ø Ø Uranus is the 7 th planet from the sun It is the first planet discovered with a telescope. Uranus is tipped on its side with an axial tilt of 98 degrees It rotates once every 17 hours and 14 minutes It revolves around the sun every 84 earth years It is known as an ice giant It’s atmosphere is made of water, ammonia, and methane ice which give it it’s pale blue color It gets the coldest temperatures (-224° C) It has 2 sets of very thin dark colored rings Click for Q & A

Q: Describe the planet, Neptune is the 8 th planet from the sun Ø It is the smallest of the ice giants Ø It spins very rapidly and rotates every 18 hours. Ø It is very stormy. High speed winds whip around the planet. Ø The atmosphere is made of hydrogen, helium and methane. The methane absorbs red light which is why it appears blue. Ø It has 14 moons Ø Click for Q & A

Review Constellations from basic Star Honor {

Can you find it? Big Dipper Ursa Major Click for Answer

Can you find it? Little Dipper Polaris – North Star Click for Answer Ursa Minor

Betelgeuse Bellatrix Can you find it? Orion Rigel Click for Answer

Can you find it? Gamma Cassiopeia Click for Answer

Can you find it? Auriga Capella Click for Answer

Errai Can you find it? Click for Answer Cepheus

Can you find it? Bootes Arcturus Click for Answer

Congratulations! You earned the Advanced STAR HONOR If you have time, you can do a star game: http: //www. kidsastronomy. com/fun/

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