Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous

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Miscellaneous > Astronomy

spiral galaxy

Physics; Astronomy

A galaxy made up of a disk, spiral arms, and a bulge at its center. The size of the disk and the bulge vary. The galaxy is composed of a mixture of old and young stars, as well as ...

venn diagram

Physics; Astronomy

A diagram consisting of two or more overlapping circles. It is often used in mathematics to show relationships between sets. In other applications, Venn diagrams are useful for ...

yellow star

Physics; Astronomy

Stars that live for a medium length of time (about 10 billion years) and are neither extremely cool nor hot. Earth’s Sun is an example of a yellow star.

asterism

Physics; Astronomy

A pattern formed by stars not recognized as one of the official 88 constellations. Examples include the Summer Triangle, the Big Dipper, and the Winter Circle.

barred spiral galaxy

Physics; Astronomy

A type of spiral galaxy having a linear extension, or “bar,” made of stars and interstellar matter, passing through its center.

blue star

Physics; Astronomy

A very hot star with a short lifetime. Blue stars exist for a few million years. Sirius (Alpha Canis Majoris) is an example of a blue star.

bulge

Physics; Astronomy

A rounded structure in the centers of some galaxies, composed primarily of old stars, and having some gas and dust. The bulge of the Milky Way is about 10,000 lightyears across.