The Solar System

1. Describe the nebular theory and how it accounts for the characteristics of the inner and outer planets and the motions of objects in the solar system

2. Describe the major features of the Sun, including its interior, photosphere, sunspots, solar cycle, chromosphere, and corona.

3. Identify the major properties of each of the inner and outer planets:
o Mercury
o Venus
o Earth
o Mars
o Jupiter
o Saturn
o Uranus
o Neptune

4. Describe the Moon's origin.

5. List the Moon's phases in sequential order, and describe how to identify each phase visually.

6. Explain the occurrence of lunar and solar eclipses

7. Compare and contrast asteroids, Kuiper Belt objects, and the Oort Cloud.

Stars and Galaxies

8. Describe the motions of celestial objects as viewed from Earth.

9. What is a light-year? Is it a measurement of time, distance, or speed?

10. Distinguish between a star's apparent brightness and its luminosity

11. What does the color of a star tells us about its temperature?

12. Describe the relationship between stellar luminosity and surface temperature as portrayed in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram for Main Sequence stars, Giant stars and White Dwarf stars.

13. Summarize the stages of stellar development from formation to death for a Sun like star and more massive stars.

14. What is the difference between a nova and a supernova?

15. Give the major attributes of black holes.

16. Distinguish between elliptical, spiral, and irregular galaxies.

17. Describe how galaxies are organized into superclusters.

The Structure of Space and Time

18. What is Hubble's Law?

19. Describe the Big Bang and three lines of evidence that support it

20. Summarize general relativity and successful predictions made by this theory.

21. Describe the evidence for dark matter and its role in the formation of galaxies.

22. Discuss the significance of the presence of dark energy.

23. Compare and contrast three scientifically possible fates of the universe.