Astronomy Unit Flashcards (Earth Science)

An Astronomical unit is a unit of measurement equal to the average distance between the Sun and Earth, which is about 149,600,000 km.

A light year is a unit of measurement equal to the distance light travels in one year, which is about 9.46 x 10^12 km.

The sun is only 8 light minutes away from the Earth.

<p>A parsec is a unit used in astronomy to describe large distances, where one parsec equals 3.26 light-years.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The nearest spiral galaxy to us is the Andromeda Galaxy.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The sun contains 99% of the mass in the solar system.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The solar system most likely evolved from a swirling cloud of dust, known as the nebular theory.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>A constellation is a grouping of stars in the night sky into a recognizable pattern.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>There are 9 planets in the solar system.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>There are 67 satellites (moons) known in the solar system.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The terrestrial planets are Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>A terrestrial planet is similar in size, composition, and density to Earth and consists mainly of rocky material.</p> Signup and view all the answers