ASTR-1010 Lecture 1: Astronomy Midterm 1 Review
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Multiple choice, short answer, no math problems. Star: large, glowing ball of gas that generates heat and light through nuclear fusion. Has to be massive enough to generate its own energy. Planet: moderately large object, which orbits a star, it shines because of reflected light. Moon: an object, which orbits a planet (but does not directly orbit a star). Asteroid: relatively small and rocky object, which orbits a star (not massive enough to be a planet and not enough mass due to gravity to cause it to form into a spherical shape). Every 100 million years or so there are massive asteroids that hit earth (dinosaur extinction) Comet: relatively small and icy object, which orbits a star. Left over from the formation of the universe. Connect the dot patterns that people throughout time have thought they saw by looking at the stars. Stars have physically nothing to do with each other.