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Questions and Answers
What does the name 'Milky Way' refer to in terms of its appearance?
What does the name 'Milky Way' refer to in terms of its appearance?
- A dark circle in the sky
- A galaxy that is clearly defined
- A hazy band of light from stars (correct)
- A series of individual planets
Who was the first astronomer to resolve the Milky Way into individual stars using a telescope?
Who was the first astronomer to resolve the Milky Way into individual stars using a telescope?
- Edwin Hubble
- Galileo Galilei (correct)
- Harlow Shapley
- Heber Doust Curtis
What major conclusion was drawn from the 1920 Great Debate regarding the Milky Way?
What major conclusion was drawn from the 1920 Great Debate regarding the Milky Way?
- Galileo invented the concept of galaxies.
- The Milky Way is the only galaxy.
- The Milky Way is larger than all other galaxies.
- The Universe contains multiple galaxies. (correct)
What does the term 'via lactea' refer to in relation to the Milky Way?
What does the term 'via lactea' refer to in relation to the Milky Way?
What was the prevailing belief among astronomers about the Milky Way until the early 1920s?
What was the prevailing belief among astronomers about the Milky Way until the early 1920s?
Flashcards
Milky Way
Milky Way
The galaxy that contains our Solar System.
Milky Way's Appearance
Milky Way's Appearance
The disk-shaped structure of the Milky Way can be seen from Earth as a band of light across the night sky.
Milky Way's Name Origin
Milky Way's Name Origin
The Milky Way's name comes from the Latin 'via lactea', meaning 'milky way', which is a translation of the Greek 'galaxÃas kýklos', meaning 'milky circle'.
Milky Way's Place in the Universe
Milky Way's Place in the Universe
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Galileo's Discovery
Galileo's Discovery
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Study Notes
Milky Way Galaxy
- The Milky Way is the galaxy containing the Solar System.
- Its name comes from its appearance as a hazy band of light in the night sky.
- This band is formed by stars too faint to be individually seen with the naked eye.
- The term "Milky Way" translates from Latin and Greek, meaning "milky circle."
- The band's appearance is a result of Earth's position within the Milky Way's disk-shaped structure.
- Galileo Galilei used a telescope in 1610 to resolve the band into individual stars.
- Until the 1920s, most astronomers believed the Milky Way comprised all the universe's stars.
- The 1920 Great Debate helped to prove that the Milky Way is just one galaxy among many.
- Edwin Hubble's observations further demonstrated numerous galaxies existed beyond our own.
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