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Questions and Answers
Which of the following is a unit of distance used for large distances in space?
Which of the following is a unit of distance used for large distances in space?
What is the name of the first ever photographed black hole?
What is the name of the first ever photographed black hole?
The black hole, located in the core of the distant galaxy M87, was named the Event Horizon Telescope.
The Milky Way galaxy is a spiral galaxy.
The Milky Way galaxy is a spiral galaxy.
True
What is the apparent path of the Sun among the stars called?
What is the apparent path of the Sun among the stars called?
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What is the name of the largest particle accelerator in operation?
What is the name of the largest particle accelerator in operation?
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What does the term 'precession' refer to in astronomy?
What does the term 'precession' refer to in astronomy?
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What is the name of the imaginary line around the sky directly above Earth's equator?
What is the name of the imaginary line around the sky directly above Earth's equator?
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A sidereal day is shorter than a solar day.
A sidereal day is shorter than a solar day.
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What is the average length of time taken for a complete cycle of lunar phases called?
What is the average length of time taken for a complete cycle of lunar phases called?
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Which of the following is NOT a feature of the Moon's synchronous rotation?
Which of the following is NOT a feature of the Moon's synchronous rotation?
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What is the name of the event that occurs when the Sun is completely hidden behind the Moon?
What is the name of the event that occurs when the Sun is completely hidden behind the Moon?
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What is the period in time called in which the pattern of lunar and solar eclipses repeats?
What is the period in time called in which the pattern of lunar and solar eclipses repeats?
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What is the name given to the time between successive crossings of the sun on the local meridian?
What is the name given to the time between successive crossings of the sun on the local meridian?
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What type of year is measured by the time it takes for the Earth to complete one orbit around the Sun relative to the stars?
What type of year is measured by the time it takes for the Earth to complete one orbit around the Sun relative to the stars?
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What is the name of the calendar that is currently used worldwide?
What is the name of the calendar that is currently used worldwide?
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The concept of a cosmic calendar is that the entire history of the universe is scaled down to a single year.
The concept of a cosmic calendar is that the entire history of the universe is scaled down to a single year.
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Study Notes
Astronomy: Our Place in the Cosmos
- Astronomy is a global endeavor, with scientists from over 100 countries collaborating to make observations and conduct experiments, emphasizing global cooperation.
- The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is a major particle accelerator used to study fundamental particles, which comprise all matter.
- The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) is an international collaboration of telescopes that produced the first image of a black hole.
- The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) is a radio telescope located in the Atacama Desert, constructed by multiple countries.
- The Japanese spacecraft Hayabusa successfully collected and returned samples from the asteroid Itokawa, a significant achievement in space exploration.
- India's Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) is a significant space mission, studying the surface and atmosphere of Mars and the effects of the solar wind.
- International cooperation in space exploration is prominent, with organizations like NASA and the South African Space Agency collaborating on tasks involving communication, navigation, and tracking.
- The Chinese spacecraft Chang'e 4 was the first spacecraft to land on the far side of the Moon.
From Solar System to Universe
- The Large Hadron Collider (LHC), located at CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research), is the largest particle accelerator, simulating the universe's beginning.
- CERN's Globe of Science develops an extensive understanding of major scientific elements and phenomena
- Scientific notation is used for recording very large or small numbers in concise formats.
- Astronomical units (AU) represent the average distance from Earth to the Sun.
- Stars are self-luminous balls of gas, generating energy through nuclear fusion.
- Galaxies are large systems of stars, gas, dust, and nebulae, bound by gravity.
- The Milky Way is a spiral galaxy, with arms of stars, gas, and dust, where our solar system is located.
Calendars and Time
- The cosmic calendar represents the history of the universe on an annual scale, showing major events like the formation of the Milky Way, the development of primitive life on Earth, and recorded human history, all within the last few seconds of the year
- Calendars are crucial in organizing time and events.
- Different civilizations have developed and used diverse calendars to mark time and track seasonal changes.
- Constellations are groupings of stars that have been identified and named throughout history, with ancient cultures relating them to figures from mythology.
- 88 official constellations cover the night sky, with others having less formal definitions and groupings known as asterisms.
- Units of time, like days and months, have been determined through observing objects in the sky. Apparent motions and cycles of celestial bodies determine lengths in hours and days, while revolutions determine years.
The Celestial Sphere and Apparent Motions
- The Celestial Sphere model makes observations of the universe easier. The Sun and moon's positions appear to be rotating around Earth.
- Earth's rotation causes the apparent daily motion of the Sun, planets, and stars across the sky.
- Seasonal changes occur due to Earth's tilted axis in relation to its orbital plane around the Sun.
- Eclipses are events that occur when the Sun, Earth, and Moon align in a specific way.
- Solar eclipses occur during the day, while lunar eclipses occur at night.
- Understanding the motions of objects in the sky, along with cycles like the Moon's phases, are critical for timekeeping, calendars and predictions.
Timekeeping and Cycles
- Precise measurements of time are essential for understanding motions, cycles, and events within the universe.
- Observing motions and cycles of celestial bodies provides a continuous record of time.
- Timekeeping practices have developed over centuries, leading to more complex and accurate systems from the ancient era, to the calendars used today.
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Description
Explore the significance of international collaboration in astronomy through landmark projects such as the Large Hadron Collider and the Event Horizon Telescope. Delve into the achievements of various countries in space exploration, including India's Mars Orbiter Mission and Japan's Hayabusa spacecraft. Learn how these efforts contribute to our understanding of the universe.
