Astronomy Module 2 Vocabulary

A cluster of stars that is a subset of a constellation

• Precession

• Nadir

• Asterism

• Zodiac

The Sun's apparent annual path among the constellations

• Nadir

• Ecliptic

• Asterism

• Zenith

Varying shape of Earth's orbit, e.g. how an elliptical is 100,000 year long cycle

• Eccentricity

• Meridian

• Precession

• Obliquity

_______ is the half of an imaginary great circle on the Earth's surface, terminated by the North Pole and the South Pole, connecting poits of equal longitude.

• Constellation

• Nadir

• Zodiac

• Meridian

The scientific study of theuniverse beyond the Earth

• Astrology

• Starology

• Astronomy

• Staronomy

The tilt angle of the Earth's axis changes over time. The greather the tilt the greater the differences in the seasons.

• Eccentricity

• Obliquity

• Astronomy

• Astrology

Direction of the Earth's axis changes over time. The Earth wobbles like a top on its axis 26,000 year cycle.

• Meridian

• Asterism

• Obsession

• Precession

The point of the celestial sphere that is directly opposite the zenith and vertically downward from the observer.

• Zodiac

• Zenith

• Nadir

• Meridian

An imaginary sphere of very arge radius surrounding Earth and to which the planets, stars, suns, and moon seem to be attached.

• Zenith Sphere

• Celestial Sphere

• Astrological Sphere

• Circumpolor Sphere

The constellations on the celestial sphere through which the ecliptic passes Origin of Astrology

• Zodiac

• Meridian

• Asterism

• Precession