AY 101 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Celestial Spheres, Foucault Pendulum, Deferent And Epicycle
Document Summary
What do we absolutely know for certain: the universe is hierarchical and empty, we think, therefore we are. How do sciences operate and evolve: theory and observation. What is the most important characteristic of a scienti c theory, distinguishing it from other kinds of theories: makes testable predictions allowing it to be supported or falsi ed. What is the cause of the most basic and obvious changes in the appearance of celestial objects: rotation of the earth. If you are stuck on earth, how can you tell the earth is rotating: foucault pendulum, coriolis effect. Why does the amount of daylight change throughout the year: due to earth"s tilt with respect to the sun. Why do we see different stars at night at different times of the year: star pattern rotates around us every 23 hours 56 minutes due to earth"s tilt.