MOD Stars/HR Diagrams/Measuring the Sky

Front

What is a star?

Back

A sphere of plasma held together by its own gravity undergoing nuclear fusion.

Front

What is the azimuth for a star in a diagram?

Back

The angle measured from the north point of the horizon, typically in degrees.

Front

What hand signal would represent 10 degrees?

Back

A common hand signal for 10 degrees is to hold your hand flat with fingers extended, representing a small angle.

Front

Which layer of a star do we see?

Back

Photosphere.

Front

Which of the following letters does not represent a spectral class?

Back

Y.

Front

What is the photosphere?

Back

The visible surface of a star from which light is emitted.

Front

What is the corona of a star?

Back

The outermost layer of a star's atmosphere, visible during a solar eclipse.

Front

What is a Hertzsprung-Russell diagram?

Back

A scatter plot of stars showing the relationship between their absolute magnitudes or luminosities versus their stellar classifications or effective temperatures.

Front

What is a spectral class?

Back

A classification system for stars based on their temperature and the characteristics of their spectra.

Front

What is nuclear fusion in stars?

Back

The process by which two light atomic nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus, releasing energy.