General astronomy

General astronomy

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General astronomy

perihelion

Astronomy; General astronomy

point in an object's orbit around the Sun that is closest to the Sun.

period-luminosity relation

Astronomy; General astronomy

how the average luminosity of Cepheid variable stars depends on their period of pulsation.

photosphere

Astronomy; General astronomy

the thin layer of the Sun where the gas just becomes thin enough for the photons from the interior can escape to space. It is the ``surface'' of the Sun.

photosynthesis

Astronomy; General astronomy

a process used by plants to convert water, carbon dioxide, and sunlight into carbohydrates and oxygen. The oxygen in the Earth's atmosphere is produced by this process.

planetary nebula

Astronomy; General astronomy

final mass-loss stage for a dying low-mass star in which the outer layers are ejected during the core's collapse to form a white dwarf.

plate tectonics

Astronomy; General astronomy

the scientific theory that describes the process of the movement of pieces of the Earth's lithosphere (called "plates") and how it explains the Earth's surface geology.

(stars): younger stars including the hot blue stars that have slightly elliptical orbits closely aligned with the disk plane of the Milky Way Galaxy. The youngest stars are found in the spiral arms ...