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
What is the composition of the Moon, and how does it compare to the composition of Earth? Of Mercury?
Why does the Moon not have an atmosphere?
What are the principal features of the Moon observable with the unaided eye?
Frozen water exists on the lunar surface primarily in which location? Why?
Outline the main events in the Moon’s geological history.
What are the maria composed of? Is this material found elsewhere in the solar system?
The mountains on the Moon were formed by what process?
With no wind or water erosion of rocks, what is the mechanism for the creation of the lunar “soil?”
What differences did Grove K. Gilbert note between volcanic craters on Earth and lunar craters?
Explain how high-speed impacts form circular craters. How can this explanation account for the various characteristic features of impact craters?
Explain the evidence for a period of heavy bombardment on the Moon about 4 billion years ago.
How did our exploration of the Moon differ from that of Mercury (and the other planets)?
Summarize the four main hypotheses for the origin of the Moon.
What are the difficulties with the capture hypothesis of the Moon’s origin?
What is the main consequence of Mercury’s orbit being so highly eccentric?
Describe the basic internal structure of Mercury.
How was the rotation rate of Mercury determined?
What is the relationship between Mercury’s rotational period and orbital period?
The features of Mercury are named in honor of famous people in which fields of endeavor?
What do our current ideas about the origins of the Moon and Mercury have in common? How do they differ?