Critical+Vocabulary

Hertzsprung-Russel Diagram- A way of using a graph to classify stars with temperature and brightness. Magnitude- The absolute or relative size, extent or importance of something. Luminosity- How a star can be seen because it emits light. Nebula- A large amount of gas and dust in space spread out in an immense volume. Main Sequence- An area on the Hertzsprung-Russel Diagram that runs from the upper left to the lower right corner that holds more than 90% of all stars. Giant- A very big star that is much bigger than the sun. Super Giant- An extremely large star that is bigger than the giant. Supernova- The explosion of a dying Giant or Super giant star. Dwarfs- A dwarf star is not a giant or super giant star, it is really just an average star. Galaxy-A giant structure that contains dust, gases, and hundreds of billions of stars. Fusion- The process by which two or more atomic nuclei join together to form a single heavier nucleus. Black Hole- The remains of an extremely massive star pulled into a small volume by gravity. Neutron Star- A tiny star that stays after the explosion of a super nova. Protostar- The earliest stage of a stars life. Scientific Theory- A well tested concept that explains a wide rage of observations. Big Bang Theory- A scientific theory that explains how the universe was created with a giant explosion. Lightyears- The distance light travels in a year. Light Second-the distance that light travels in free space in one second.