Unit 2: ASTRONOMY

STUDENT NOTES PACKET

ABSTRACTThis unit covers the origin of the universe, stars and galaxies, the solar system, and the Earth, Moon, and Sun as an interacting system.

STUDENT NAME:____________________________________________

NYS Regents Earth Science Mr. BurgessUnit 2: Astronomy Notes PacketAfter Unit 2 you should be able to:

o Understand scaling: solar system, galaxy, universe

o Understand that we are a part of a spiral galaxy known as the Milky Way

o Know the approximate age of the universe and solar system

o Understand the Big Bang theory and supporting evidence such as cosmic background radiation and red-shift of light

o Understand the process of fusion taking place in the Sun

o Understand how the solar system formed, what layered the planets, and how they were separated into two distinct groups: Jovian and Terrestrial

o Differentiate between a comet and an asteroid

o Understand how moon phases are observed

o Understand the difference between the sidereal period and synodic period of the moon

o Understand what impacts the formation of high and low tides

o Differentiate between lunar and solar eclipses

o Use the Electromagnetic Spectrum, Characteristics of Stars, and Solar System Data charts in the ESRT

Unit 2 vocabulary you should be able to use and understand:

o Universeo Staro Suno Solar systemo Galaxyo Milky Way galaxyo Spiral galaxyo Singularityo Big Bang theoryo Cosmic background radiationo Radiationo Visible light o Wavelengtho Electromagnetic spectrumo Red-shifto Blue-shifto Doppler Effect

o Luminosityo Supernovao Massiveo Giant staro White dwarfo Main sequence staro Fusiono Atomso Gravityo Densityo Terrestrial planeto Jovian planeto Gas gianto Period of revolutiono Period of rotationo Equatorial diametero Eccentricityo Masso Moon

o Cometo Asteroido Impact cratero Celestial objecto Sidereal periodo Synodic periodo Waxingo Waningo Crescento Gibbouso Tideso High tideo Low tideo Spring tideo Neap tideo Solar eclipseo Lunar eclipse

The universe is vast. Incredibly, incredibly vast. Even with modern technology, humans are unable to leave even our solar system within the timeframe of their lives. Astronomy is therefore much more abstract and theoretical than other disciplines here on Earth.

Scaling the Universe

The true dimensions of the universe are unknown, but it has been said (in an expression) that there are as many stars as grains of sand on all the beaches of the world.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________ many solar systems

that make up

______________________________________________________________________________________

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NYS Regents Earth Science Mr. BurgessUnit 2: Astronomy Notes Packet

Galaxies

Galaxies take on a variety of shapes (spiral, elliptical, irregular)

The Milky Way is known as a _________________________________________________________, with our solar system located in one of the outer arms

There are ______________________________________________ of galaxies that make up the visible universe

Age of the Universe

Our universe is estimated to be about _______________________________________________________________________

This estimate is based on the projected expansion from a singularity (single point) based on current evidence

The Big Bang

The Big Bang is the current accepted

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

Approximately __________________________________________________________________ there was a rapid expansion and differentiation of matter that created the universe

Evidence for the Big Bang

The Big Bang is supported by two pieces of evidence:

________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

To understand the evidence supporting the Big Bang, you must first understand radiation traveling through space.

Electromagnetic radiation travels in _________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

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NYS Regents Earth Science Mr. BurgessUnit 2: Astronomy Notes Packet

Cosmic Background Radiation

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________, believed to be from a time period following the Big Bang

Red Shift of Visible Light

Light from distant sources that

_________________________________________________________ from an observer

experiences ____________________________ in the wavelength towards the

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

This phenomenon of wavelength alteration is known as the ____________________________________________________________________________

When an object is moving ___________________________________ an observer, the waves are ______________________________ and

it is _______________________________

This is evidence that this matter was once together at a singularity

Stars

________________________________________________________________________

Stars are classified by

______________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Larger stars have a short lifespan and can explode in a violent ______________________

We see stars in the night sky that have burned out long ago but their light is still traveling towards us

Fusion

______________________________________________ unites lighter elements

and produces heavier ones

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NYS Regents Earth Science Mr. BurgessUnit 2: Astronomy Notes Packet

______________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________ heating

Earth 93 million miles away

The Beginnings of Our Solar System

Our solar system is approximately

___________________________________________________________________

The force of _____________________________ caused fragments of debris to begin

clumping together within a spinning disc

Our ______________________ would later begin the process of ___________________________

in the center of the spinning disc

8 Planets

8 planets would form within this spinning disc

The ______________________________________ material was

_______________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

This formed ______________________________________________________________ known as

the ___________________________________________planets

The ________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________ formed beyond the

asteroid belt

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NYS Regents Earth Science Mr. BurgessUnit 2: Astronomy Notes Packet

Terrestrial Planets

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

Jovian Planets

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

Other Components of Our Solar System

_________________________________________ (primarily ice and dust)

_________________________________________ (rocky and metallic)

Impact evidence is recorded in the geologic record

(__________________________) along with mass extinctions but

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Additional Solar System Data

____________________________________________________

Our moon is critically important to life here on Earth. In addition to our tides, the moon is responsible for maintaining Earth’s rate of rotation.

The Moon

The Moon

_____________________________________________

________________________________________ (sidereal

period)

Coincidentally, the moon’s period of rotation is equal to its period of revolution meaning that we will only ever see one side of the moon

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NYS Regents Earth Science Mr. BurgessUnit 2: Astronomy Notes PacketMoon Phases

The Moon enters ________________________________ as it orbits Earth

________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ is slightly

longer (________________________________________________________________) than its orbit due to Earth’s revolution around the

Sun.

Tides

The Moon exhibits _______________________________________________ on the Earth

This pull ___________________________________________________________ as

well as on the opposite side of the Earth (____________________________)

_________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ and the lowest on Earth (spring tides)

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NYS Regents Earth Science Mr. BurgessUnit 2: Astronomy Notes Packet

The __________________ has a more significant influence on _____________ even though it is smaller than the Sun because

_______________________________________

Tides are ______________________________________________________ (high to low)

Eclipses

Eclipses are named for the ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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