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Lunation is the average time for one lunar cycle or the moon’s synodic period. As the Moon orbits the Earth, while the Earth orbits the sun, the Moon exhibits different lunar phases. The amount of light reflected to the sun is relative to the position of the Sun, Earth and Moon.
A magnetometer is the instrument that scientists use in order to measure the direction and/or strength of the magnetic field within the scope of the instrument. Magnetism differs from one place to another so it is important to measure how strong the magnetic field is in a specific location in the Earth’s magnetic field or
In astronomy, a fireball is a meteor that is brighter than any of the planets seen in the sky. Consequently, any meteor that is bright enough to cast a shadow on the earth is also called a fireball. Fireballs that detonate or explode in the air or in the atmosphere (those that don’t reach the
In defining a plane, you can describe it as a flat two-dimensional surface. But how could a not perfectly co-planar Milky Way have a plane? Galaxies are normally irregular in shape. In space or in a galaxy, a plane is described as where most of the galaxy’s mass lies. It is then called the galactic
In studying a heavenly body, knowing the composition of the crust is not enough. Beneath the crust there lies the mantle, which is the intermediate zone of a planet located between the crust and the core. For example, the earth’s mantle is within 32 km to 2,900 km from its crust. The mantle makes up
Stellar mass loss is a phenomenon that occurs in massive stars. This phenomenon is observed when a big portion of the mass of a star is triggered by specific events. Stellar mass loss happen can also when a giant star loses its material little by little into interstellar space or due to binary companion.
Ever heard of the refrigerator manufacturer Kelvinator? Ever wondered why it was named so? It’s because of the unit of thermodynamic temperature called the Kelvin. Unless you’re a science major or have eidetic memory and remember everything you’ve been taught in school, you may only be familiar with Celsius and Fahrenheit. But the Kelvin is
Our solar system consists of the Sun, nine planets, their moons, planetoids/asteroids, meteors, and comets. The members of the solar system or the Sun’s family are the planets which revolve around the Sun. Planets rotate on their axis and shine through borrowed light from the Sun. Many have mistaken the Sun for a planet. In
What Kind of Star is the Sun? Read More »
In everyday conversation, most people usually use the words mass and weight interchangeably. In common usage, both mass and weight may be expressed in kilograms. For example, a person may say that his weight or mass is 75 kg. Although both properties of matter, mass and weight are two different terms and each has its
The general meaning of the word inclination is the angle between a reference plane and another plane or axis of direction. When it comes to astronomy, it is defined as a measure of the tilt of a certain planet’s orbital plane in relation to that of Earth.
