Contents
- Preface
1Science and the Universe: A Brief Tour
2Observing the Sky: The Birth of Astronomy
7Other Worlds: An Introduction to the Solar System
13Comets and Asteroids: Debris of the Solar System
14Cosmic Samples and the Origin of the Solar System
18The Stars: A Celestial Census
20Between the Stars: Gas and Dust in Space
21The Birth of Stars and the Discovery of Planets outside the Solar System
27Active Galaxies, Quasars, and Supermassive Black Holes
- AHow to Study for an Introductory Astronomy Class
- BAstronomy Websites, Images, and Apps
- CScientific Notation
- DUnits Used in Science
- ESome Useful Constants for Astronomy
- FPhysical and Orbital Data for the Planets
- GSelected Moons of the Planets
- HFuture Total Eclipses
- IThe Nearest Stars, Brown Dwarfs, and White Dwarfs
- JThe Brightest Twenty Stars
- KThe Chemical Elements
- LThe Constellations
- MStar Chart and Sky Event Resources
- Index
Review Questions
Review Questions
Why are asteroids and comets important to our understanding of solar system history?
Give a brief description of the asteroid belt.
Describe the main differences between C-type and S-type asteroids.
Vesta is unusual as it contains what mineral on its surface? What does the presence of this material indicate?
Compare asteroids of the asteroid belt with Earth-approaching asteroids. What is the main difference between the two groups?
Briefly describe NASA’s Spaceguard Survey. How many objects have been found in this survey?
Who first calculated the orbits of comets based on historical records dating back to antiquity?
Describe the nucleus of a typical comet and compare it with an asteroid of similar size.
Describe the two types of comet tails and how each are formed.
What classification is given to objects such as Pluto and Eris, which are large enough to be round, and whose orbits lie beyond that of Neptune?
Describe the origin and eventual fate of the comets we see from Earth.
What evidence do we have for the existence of the Kuiper belt? What kind of objects are found there?
Give brief descriptions of both the Kuiper belt and the Oort cloud.