Stars and Galaxies Review

Front

What is a galaxy?

Back

A galaxy is a massive system that consists of stars, stellar remnants, interstellar gas, dust, and dark matter, bound together by gravity.

Front

What are the main types of galaxies?

Back

The main types of galaxies are Spiral, Elliptical, and Irregular galaxies.

Front

What is a Spiral Galaxy?

Back

A Spiral Galaxy is a type of galaxy characterized by its spiral arms that wind outward from the center, containing stars, gas, and dust.

Front

What is an Elliptical Galaxy?

Back

An Elliptical Galaxy is a type of galaxy that has an ellipsoidal shape and lacks the distinct features of spiral galaxies, often containing older stars.

Front

What is an Irregular Galaxy?

Back

An Irregular Galaxy is a galaxy that does not have a distinct regular shape, often resulting from gravitational interactions.

Front

What is the closest star to Earth?

Back

The closest star to Earth is Proxima Centauri.

Front

What color of star is the hottest?

Back

Blue stars are the hottest, followed by white, yellow, and red stars.

Front

What is the significance of the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram?

Back

The Hertzsprung-Russell diagram is a scatter plot of stars showing the relationship between their absolute magnitudes or luminosities versus their stellar classifications or effective temperatures.

Front

What is a light-year?

Back

A light-year is the distance that light travels in one year, approximately 5.88 trillion miles (9.46 trillion kilometers).

Front

What is a supernova?

Back

A supernova is a powerful and luminous explosion that occurs at the end of a star's life cycle, often resulting in the formation of a neutron star or black hole.