Asterism

In addition to the 88 official constellations, the sky contains a number of less formally
defined groupings called asterisms. The Big Dipper, for example, is a well-known
asterism that is part of the constellation Ursa Major (the Great Bear). Another asterism
is the Great Square of Pegasus (Figure 2-2b), which in- cludes three stars from Pegasus
plus Alpheratz from Andromeda. The star charts at the end of this book will introduce
you to the brighter constellations and asterisms.

astronomical unit
The astronomical unit (AU) (p. 3) is the average distance from Earth to the sun. Mars, for example, orbits
1.5 AU from the sun. The light-year (ly) (p. 4) is the distance light can travel in one year. The nearest star is
4.2 ly from the sun.

Circle

constellations
Astronomers divide the sky into 88 constellations (p. 12). Although the constellations originated in Greek
and Middle Eastern mythology, the names are Latin. Even the modern constellations, added to fill in the
spaces between the ancient figures, have Latin names. Named groups of stars that are not constellations are
called asterisms (p. 12).

ecliptic (25)
The apparent path of the sun around the sky.

Epicycle
Uniformly rotating circles were key elements of ancient astronomy. Claudius Ptolemy created a
mathematical model of the Aristotelian universe in which the planet followed a small circle called the
epicycle that slid around a larger circle called the deferent.

geocentric universe (48)
A model universe with Earth at the center, such as the Ptolemaic universe. Created by philosopher Aristotle

heliocentric universe (50)
A model of the universe with the sun at the center, such as the Copernican universe.

ellipse
An ellipse is a figure that can be drawn around two points, called the foci, in such a way
that the distance from one focus to any point on the ellipse and back to the other focus
equals a constant. This makes it easy to draw ellipses using two thumb- tacks and a loop
of string. Press the thumbtacks into a board, loop the string about the tacks, and place a
pencil in the loop. If you keep the string taut as you move the pencil, it traces out an
ellipse.

Keplers laws
1 first law says that the orbits of the planets around the sun are ellipses with the sun at
one focus.
2 second law says that an imagi- nary line drawn from the planet to the sun always
sweeps over equal areas in equal in- tervals of time.
3 third law relates a planets orbital period to its average distance from the sun.

Laws of gravity
Newton motioan laws
I. A body continues at rest or in uniform motion in a straight line unless acted upon by some force.
II. The change of motion (a) of a body of mass m is propor- tional to the force (F) acting on it and is in
the direction of the force.
F 5 ma
III. When one body exerts a force on a second body, the second
body exerts an equal and opposite force back on the first body.

period
A complete cycle of lunar phases takes 29.53 days, which is known as the moons synodic period

Phases of Moon
The lunar phases wax from new moon to first quarter to full moon and wane from full moon to third quarter
to new moon.

umbra
is the region of total shadow

penumbra,
sunlight is dimmed but not extinguished.

Planets (Ancient)
The locations of the sun and planets along the zodiac (p. 28) are dia- gramed in a horoscope (p. 28), which
is the bases for the ancient pseudoscience (p. 29) known as astrology.

The Celestial Sphere
Ancient astronomers believed the sky was a great sphere surround- ing Earth with the
stars stuck on the inside like thumbtacks in a ceiling. Modern astronomers know that
the stars are scattered through space at different distances, but it is still convenient to
think of the sky as a great starry sphere enclosing Earth.

Polaris
now know that Polaris is important because of its position, not be- cause of its
brightness.

retrograde motion
The apparent backward (west- ward) motion of planets as seen against the background of stars.

scientific method (7)
The reasoning style by which scientists test theories against evidence to understand how nature works.

Scientific Notation
The system of recording very large or very small numbers by using powers of 10.

Solar Eclipse
solar eclipse. If the moon covers the entire disk of the sun, you see a total eclipse. If it
covers only part of the sun, you see a partial eclipse.

Lunar Eclipse
Lunar eclipses are not always total. If the moon passes a bit too far north or south, it
may only partially enter the umbra, and you see a partial lunar eclipse. The part of the
moon that remains in the penumbra receives some direct sunlight, and the glare is
usually great enough to prevent your seeing the faint coppery glow of the part of the
moon in the umbra.

summer solstice
The point on the celestial sphere where the sun is at its most northerly point.
Also, the time when the sun passes this point, about June 22, and summer begins
in the Northern Hemisphere.

winter solstice (26)
The point on the celestial sphere where the sun is farthest south. Also, the time
of year when the sun passes this point, about December 22, and winter begins in
the Northern Hemisphere.

vernal equinox (26)
The place on the celestial sphere where the sun crosses the celestial equator
moving northward. Also, the time of year when the sun crosses this point, about
March 21, and spring begins in the Northern Hemisphere.

autumnal equinox (26)
The point on the celestial sphere where the sun crosses the celestial equator
going southward. Also, the time when the sun reaches this point and autumn
begins in the Northern Hemisphereabout September 22.

zodiac (28)
A band centered on the ecliptic and encir- cling the sky.