Note: On each unit test you are allowed to use one page (8"x11") of notes ... both sides. Keep that copy for the final exam. This is my favorite unit ... by far! I hope you find the material mind boggling. Since the final exam is just around the corner and this material is fresh in your minds, you can expect a tad more material on the final exam from this unit than any of the previous four units. Look in the Quizzes/Tests folder for information about the final exam.
Are we alone in this universe? The search of life in the universe has come up empty so far. As a result, I have left some interesting question for you to discover for yourself in one of the unit research topics. However, things got very interesting in 2025 when astronomers detected biosignatures from the exoplanet K2-18b. Please note this is NOT proof (yet) of life beyond Earth, but it certainly the closest thing I've yet to witness! Please watch these videos - here and here.
Links to the Reading Material
Strange Objects in our Universe
You are required to watch this video. The title of the lecture is The Day We Found the Universe. It gives an overview about an important time in astronomy about a century ago (plus an update on current information about galaxies). Please look in the Assignments folder (at the bottom) for a study guide, another link to the video, and a no point value assessment to see if you filled out the study guide questions correctly. Material on this video will be included on test 5 AND the final exam. Just fill out the study guide while you are watching the video and you will do just fine.
Key Terms
absolute magnitude (Mv)
Alpha Centauri
apparent magnitude (mv)
big bang theory
black dwarf
black hole
brown dwarf
Cepheid variable
Chandrasekhar limit
closed universe
cosmic background radiation
critial density
dark energy
dark matter
elliptical galaxy
Eta Carinae
event horizon
flat universe
fusion
gamma ray bursts (GRB)
giants (red)
Gliese 229B
globular cluster
Halo
H-R diagram
hypernovae
Hubble law (law of redshifts)
inflationary universe
irregular galaxy
K2-18b
light-year
local group
luminosity
luminosity class
main sequence stars
Milky Way
multiverse
nebulae
neutron star
open cluster
open universe
parsec
planetary nebula
pulsar
quasars
Sagittarius A* (or Sgr A*) - pronounced A-star
Sirius
spectral class
spiral galaxy
steady state theory
supergiant
supernovae
variable stars
white dwarf
Before you take Test #5, please try practice Quiz #5. This practice quiz has no point value, but gives you a chance to see typical test questions and gauge if you are really ready to take the test.
ŠJim Mihal 2004, 2014, 2025- permission to copy for
any non-profit educational purpose