AST01: Major Historical Events in Astronomy

Questions and Answers

Who developed the Laws of Planetary Motion in 1609?

Isaac Newton

Tycho Brahe

Johannes Kepler (correct)

Galileo Galilei

What is the focus of Astrochemistry?

The study of life origin, evolution, and its future in the universe

The study of the largest structure of the universe, and the universe itself

The study of the chemical abundance, reactions and interactions inside stars, interstellar medium, solar system, galaxies, and of the Universe (correct)

The study of the universe's origin and evolution

What is the study of the comparative analysis of the chemical, physical, environmental, astrophysical, biological, and atmospheric inquiry of different planets?

Astronomy Education

Ethnoastronomy

Archaeoastronomy

Planetology (correct)

What is the average distance between the Earth and the Sun?

149 million kilometers or 93 million miles Signup and view all the answers

In what year was the Manila Observatory established?

1865 Signup and view all the answers

What is the branch of astronomy that deals with the transmission of astronomical learning, concepts, and knowledge?

Astronomy Education Signup and view all the answers

What is Cosmology focused on?

The study of the largest structure of the universe, and the universe itself Signup and view all the answers

According to Laplace's Nebula Theory, what was the original state of the cloud of gas?

It was spinning slowly Signup and view all the answers

Who launched Sputnik 1 in 1957?

The Soviet Union Signup and view all the answers

What is the distance traveled by light in one year?

1 light year Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the decree that declared the celebration of the National Astronomy Week every third week of February?

Proclamation Decree No. 130 Signup and view all the answers

Who became the first man in space in 1961?

Yuri Gagarin Signup and view all the answers

What is the main drawback of Laplace's Nebula Theory?

It proposes that planets were formed by the condensation of annular rings around the Sun Signup and view all the answers

What was discovered in 1930 by Clyde Tombaugh?

Pluto Signup and view all the answers

What branch of astronomy deals with the unique practices, beliefs, and traditions of a certain group of people in relation to astronomy?

Ethnoastronomy Signup and view all the answers

When was the Philippine Space Agency established?

2019 Signup and view all the answers

What is the equivalent of 3.26 light years?

1 parsec Signup and view all the answers

What does Archaeoastronomy illustrate?

The recovery of cultural and analysis of astronomical material Signup and view all the answers

According to Schmidt-Lyttleton Accretion Theory, what happens to the material from the cloud?

It gets focused gravitationally Signup and view all the answers

What is the main difference between the Schmidt-Lyttleton Accretion Theory and the Proto-planet Theory?

The state of turbulence in the initial cloud Signup and view all the answers

What is plotted on the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram?

The temperature of stars against their luminosity Signup and view all the answers

Who modified the Schmidt Accretion Theory to remove the need for a third body?

Lyttleton Signup and view all the answers

What is the characteristic feature of the Capture Theory?

Planar structure with highly elliptical orbits Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of stars are Main Sequence stars?

80%-90% Signup and view all the answers

What is the initial state of the cloud in the Proto-planet Theory?

In a state of hypersonic turbulence Signup and view all the answers

What is the characteristics of Red Giant stars?

High luminosity, low surface temperature, and large radius Signup and view all the answers

What type of galaxy has a ball-shaped nucleus inside a disc with spiral arms?

Spiral Galaxy Signup and view all the answers

What is the contribution of Prentice to the Modern Laplacian Theory?

Providing a mathematical explanation of planetary formation Signup and view all the answers

What is the mass range of the disc in the Solar Nebula Theory?

0.01 to 0.1 solar masses Signup and view all the answers

What determines the color of a star in a spectrum?

Its surface temperature Signup and view all the answers

Who proposed the Solar Nebula Theory?

Cameron Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram?

To understand the internal structure and evolutionary stage of stars Signup and view all the answers

What type of galaxy is characterized by a simple ball shape and dominated by old red and yellow stars?

Elliptical Galaxy Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary difference between the Solar Nebula Theory and the Modern Laplacian Theory?

The role of angular momentum in planetary formation Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of galaxies are Spiral Galaxies?

25%-30% Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of Barred-Spiral Galaxies?

Spiral arms emerge from the ends of a linear or football-shaped cloud of stars Signup and view all the answers

What is the raw material from which stars can be formed in the disk of the galaxy?

Cold molecular and atomic hydrogen Signup and view all the answers

What type of nebula is formed when a hot interstellar cloud emits visible light?

Emission Nebula Signup and view all the answers

What type of stars produce ultraviolet radiation that can ionize the hydrogen and other atoms in emission nebulae?

Type O and B stars Signup and view all the answers

What is the characteristic of dust particles in reflection nebulae?

They reflect light from nearby stars Signup and view all the answers

What type of nebula hides the stars it contains?

Dark Nebula Signup and view all the answers

What happens to planetary nebulae as they grow larger?

They expand into space and fade Signup and view all the answers

What is the source of ultraviolet radiation that ionizes surrounding clouds of gas?

Hot newly formed stars Signup and view all the answers

What is the characteristic of old stars that started out resembling the Sun?

They have expelled their outer atmospheric layers Signup and view all the answers

What type of nebula is formed when old stars expel their outer atmospheric layers?

Planetary Nebula Signup and view all the answers

What is the characteristic feature of the Kuiper Belt?

A very distant version of the Asteroid Belt that extends from the orbit of Neptune out to a distance of well beyond 50 AU from the Sun Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram?

To study the evolution of stars Signup and view all the answers

Which region of the solar system is the origin of most comets?

The Kuiper Belt and the Oort Cloud Signup and view all the answers

What is Ceres?

A dwarf planet in the Asteroid Belt Signup and view all the answers

What is the Oort Cloud?

A shell of frozen bits of ice and rock that surrounds the entire solar system with a shell of frozen bits of ice and rock Signup and view all the answers

Which dwarf planet is in the Kuiper Belt?

Pluto Signup and view all the answers

What is the Asteroid Belt?

The gap between Mars and Jupiter where hundreds of thousands of known asteroids orbit the Sun Signup and view all the answers

What is Haumea?

A dwarf planet in the Kuiper Belt Signup and view all the answers

What type of galaxy is characterized by having a ball shape and dominated by old stars?

Elliptical Galaxies Signup and view all the answers

Which type of galaxy features spiral arms that emerge from the ends of a linear cloud of stars?

Barred-Spiral Galaxies Signup and view all the answers

What is a defining characteristic of Spiral Galaxies?

Presence of spiral arms and a central nucleus Signup and view all the answers

Which classification of galaxies exhibits little sign of star-forming activity?

Elliptical Galaxies Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of galaxies are estimated to be spiral galaxies?

25-30% Signup and view all the answers

What defines the characteristics of Dwarf Galaxies?

They are small and contain fewer stars Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes Peculiar Galaxies from other types of galaxies?

They have unusual shapes and features Signup and view all the answers

Which of these galaxy types typically lacks any significant structure such as spiral arms?

Elliptical Galaxies Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic feature of elliptical galaxies?

They possess a simple ball shape with mainly old stars. Signup and view all the answers

Which type of galaxy is known for having a central bar-shaped structure?

Barred-Spiral Galaxy Signup and view all the answers

What results in the peculiar shape of peculiar galaxies?

Galactic collisions causing distortions. Signup and view all the answers

Dwarf galaxies are characterized by which of the following?

Very few stars and low mass. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement is true about low surface brightness galaxies?

They can appear faint despite having ample gas. Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes spiral galaxies from other galaxy types?

They have distinct spiral arms. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following structures comprises the Milky Way Galaxy?

Bulge, disk, and halo. Signup and view all the answers

Galaxy clusters are characterized by which of the following?

Being the largest gravitationally bound structures. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Major Historical Events in Astronomy

1054: Chinese astronomers observed the supernova that formed into Crab Nebula
1570: Tycho Brahe conducted a detailed survey of the night sky
1609: Johannes Kepler developed the Laws of Planetary Motion
1687: Isaac Newton developed the Universal Law of Gravitation
1781: Discovery of Uranus by William Herschel
1801: Discovery of Ceres by Giuseppe Piazzi
1846: Discovery of Neptune by Urbein Le Verrier
1930: Discovery of Pluto by Clyde Tombaugh
1957: Launch of Sputnik 1
1961: Yuri Gagarin becomes the first man in space
1965: Discovery of Cosmic Microwave Background
1975: Venera 9 becomes the first probe to land on Venus
1976: Viking 1 becomes the first probe to land on Mars
1977: Voyager 1 and 2 launch
2015: New Horizons Pluto Flyby

Astronomy in the Philippines

1865: Astronomy in the Philippines started with the establishment of the Manila Observatory (Meteorologica De Manila) in Intramuros by Jesuit Scientists, founded by Fr. Federico Faura
1993: Former President Fidel V. Ramos signed Proclamation Decree No. 130, declaring the celebration of National Astronomy Week every third week of February
2000: Philippines registered as an Associate Member of the International Astronomical Union (IAU)
2019: Philippine Space Agency was established through R.A. 11363

Branches of Astronomy

Cosmology: focused on the largest structure of the universe, studying its origin and evolution since the Big Bang
Astrochemistry: focuses on the chemical abundance, reactions, and interactions inside stars, interstellar medium, solar system, galaxies, and the Universe
Astrobiology: covers the origin, evolution, and future of life in the universe, investigating the possible migration of the human race to other worlds
Ethnoastronomy/Archaeoastronomy/Historical Astronomy: describes unique practices, beliefs, and traditions of a certain group of people in relation to astronomy
Astronomy Education: deals with the transmission of astronomical learning, concepts, and knowledge for formal education or community outreach
Planetology: studies the comparative analysis of the chemical, physical, environmental, astrophysical, biological, and atmospheric inquiry of different planets in the solar system and exoplanets

Conversions in Astronomy

Light Year: distance traveled by light in one year
Astronomical Unit (AU): average distance between the Earth and the Sun (149 million kilometers or 93 million miles)
Parsec: 3.26 light years

Models and Theories of the Solar System

Laplace's Nebula Theory (1796): the theory states that the solar system began from a huge cloud of gas that collapsed under gravity, flattening to conserve angular momentum, and formed planets by condensation of annular rings around the Sun
Schmidt-Lyttleton Accretion Theory (1944): the Sun passed through a huge cloud of gas, acquiring matter to form planets, with the material getting focused gravitationally
Proto-planet Theory (1960): the solar system started with a cloud of dust and gas in a state of hypersonic turbulence, resulting in aggregation of masses at various places
Capture Theory (1964): the theory considers an interaction between a condensed solar mass star and a protostar of lesser mass, resulting in the formation of planets with planar structure and highly elliptical orbits
The Solar Nebula Theory (1973): the theory begins with a slowly rotating nebula, with planet formation starting with a disc of 0.01 to 0.1 solar masses
The Modern Laplacian Theory (1974): the theory starts with a cool gas cloud that condensed, with the angular momentum of the central body being only 1% of the system

Nebulas, Star Clusters, Galaxies

Galaxies: huge grouping of stars, planets, star clusters, nebulae, black holes, dust, dark matter, and everything else, bound together by mutual gravity
Types of Galaxies:
- Lenticular Galaxies (S0 class): with galactic disk, don't have spiral arms, little sign of star-forming activity in their disk, dominated by old red and yellow stars
- Elliptical Galaxies (E0 circular - E7 elongated): simple ball shape, old stars and globular star clusters, implying that any star formation has long since ended
- Spiral Galaxies (Sa - Sd (loose)): have vast, rotating discs of stars, dust, and gas, with a ball-shaped nucleus inside a disc with spiral arms
- Barred-Spiral Galaxies (SBa - SBd): are spiral galaxies in which the spiral arms don't seem to emerge from the galaxy center but from the ends of a linear or football-shaped cloud of stars that straddle the center
Types of Nebulae:
- Planetary Nebula: the atmosphere of old stars that started out resembling the Sun but then expelled their outer atmospheric layers
- Emission Nebula: a hot interstellar cloud, emitting visible light, resulting in a glowing cloud
- Reflection Nebula: the cloud is not hot enough to emit visible light, dust particles reflect light from nearby stars
- Dark Nebula: a cloud of dust and cold gas, which does not emit visible light, hiding the stars it contains

Peculiar Galaxies

Formed due to galactic collisions, resulting in a distorted shape of both galaxies
Smaller galaxies can collide with a larger one, going straight to its heart

Dwarf Galaxies

Small, with diameters of only a few thousand light-years or less
Most abundant type of galaxy in the universe
Low luminosity and low mass

Low Surface Brightness Galaxies

Can be as large as other galaxies, but with few stars, making them appear less bright
Rich in gas, but lack star formation

Galaxy Clusters

Large-scale structures in the universe, consisting of hundreds to thousands of galaxies bound together by gravity
Can contain masses equivalent to hundreds of trillions of solar masses
Rich clusters contain over a thousand galaxies, mostly elliptical and concentrated towards the center
Poor clusters contain fewer than a thousand galaxies, spread over a larger region

Milky Way Galaxy

Main Parts

Bulge: contains older, Population II stars
Disk: contains stars, gas, and dust, with a mix of Population I and Population II stars
Halo: contains old stars, globular clusters, and significant amounts of dark matter

Star Clusters

Grouping of stars, bound together by gravity

Gas and Dust

Interstellar medium (ISM) is composed of 90% hydrogen and traces of helium
Cold clouds or molecular hydrogen
Important for star formation and galaxy evolution

Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram

Plots the temperature of stars against their luminosity (theoretical HR diagram) or color of stars against their absolute magnitude (observational HR diagram)
Helps determine a star's internal structure and evolutionary stage
Main sequence stars spend 80-90% of their lives in this stage
Red giant and super red giant stars have high luminosities, lower surface temperature, and larger radii

Stellar Evolution

Helium-burning stars
White Dwarf Stars: the shed-off core of red giant stars
Nebulas, star clusters, and galaxies are all part of the stellar life cycle

Galaxy Types

Lenticular Galaxies (S0 class): no spiral arms, dominated by old red and yellow stars
Elliptical Galaxies (E0 circular - E7 elongated): simple ball shape, old stars and globular star clusters
Spiral Galaxies (Sa - Sd): vast, rotating discs of stars, dust, and gas, with a ball-shaped nucleus and spiral arms
Barred-Spiral Galaxies (SBa - SBd): spiral galaxies with a linear or football-shaped cloud of stars straddling the center

Interplanetary Bodies of the Solar System

Asteroid Belt

Gap between Mars and Jupiter where hundreds of thousands of asteroids orbit the Sun
Dwarf planet Ceres is located in this region

Kuiper Belt

Distant version of the Asteroid Belt, extending from Neptune's orbit to beyond 50 AU from the Sun
Dwarf planets Pluto, Haumea, Makemake, and Eris are located in this region

Oort Cloud

Surrounds the entire solar system with a shell of frozen bits of ice and rock, stretching out to about a quarter of the way to the nearest star
Origin of most comets

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Description

This quiz covers significant historical events in astronomy, from ancient supernova observations to modern planet discoveries. Test your knowledge of astronomy's major milestones!