quiz- cosmology

• Cosmology


  A branch of astronomy that studies the beginnings and development of the universe, from the Big Bang to the present and beyond
• Cosmology


  The scientific study of the large scale properties of the universe as a whole according to National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
• Observation of the universe

  • Studying stars
  • Studying galaxies
  • Studying planets
  • Studying comets
  • Studying black holes
  • Studying cosmic microwave background radiation
• Historical observation

  Ancient civilizations made significant astronomical observations, like tracking celestial bodies, predicting eclipses, and creating calendars
• Nicolaus Copernicus


  Revolutionized astronomy with his heliocentric model, placing the Sun at the center of the universe
• Galileo Galilei


  Using his improved telescope, provided empirical evidence supporting the heliocentric model, observing Jupiter's moons and Saturn's rings
• Optical telescope


  Telescopes that use lenses or mirrors to gather visible light, further classified into refracting telescopes (use lenses) and reflecting telescopes (use mirrors)
• Radio telescope


  Telescopes that detect and analyze radio waves emitted by celestial objects, designed to collect and focus radio waves using large parabolic dishes or arrays of smaller antennas
• Types of telescopes


  • Optical telescopes
  • Radio telescopes
  • Infrared telescopes
  • X-ray and Gamma-ray telescopes
• Pulsar


  Rotating neutron stars observed to have pulses of radiation at very regular intervals, with very strong magnetic fields that funnel jets of particles out along the two magnetic poles
• Quasar


  A supermassive black hole that is growing rapidly by gorging on huge amounts of gas, with the gas in the form of a spiraling "accretion disk" around the black hole becoming very hot and emitting light
• Cosmic microwave background (CMB)


  Leftover radiation from the Big Bang, when the universe began and underwent rapid inflation, expansion and cooling
• Space telescope


  Telescopes placed in orbit around the Earth to avoid atmospheric interference and observe celestial objects without the distortion caused by the Earth's atmosphere
• Infrared telescope


  Telescopes that detect and analyze infrared radiation emitted by celestial objects, used to study objects not easily visible in visible light
• 1. x ray and Gamma-ray telescope


  Telescopes that detect high-energy radiation emitted by celestial objects
• Light


  A form of electromagnetic radiation, a kind of energy that travels and spreads out as it goes, with visible light being just one small part of the electromagnetic spectrum
• Electromagnetic spectrum


  Encompasses all forms of electromagnetic radiation, each categorized by its wavelength
• Types of electromagnetic radiation

  • Radio waves
  • Microwaves
  • Infrared radiation
  • Visible light
  • Ultraviolet light
  • X-rays
  • Gamma rays
• Spectroscopy


  A technique that involves studying the interaction between matter and electromagnetic radiation, used in astronomy to analyze the spectra of light emitted or absorbed by celestial objects
• Photometry


  The science of measuring the brightness of celestial objects, used in astronomy to study the variable brightness of objects such as stars, galaxies, and asteroids
• Astrometry


  The branch of astronomy that involves precise measurements of the positions and movements of celestial bodies
• Big Bang


  The prevailing cosmological model for the observable universe, suggesting that the universe has been expanding from a hot, dense initial state known as the "singularity" around 13.8 billion years ago
• Exoplanet


  Planets outside our solar system, with the first exoplanets discovered in the late 20th century and the Kepler space telescope instrumental in discovering thousands of these planets
• Black hole


  Regions of spacetime where gravity is so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape from them, with the concept coming from Einstein's theory of general relativity and the first black hole, Cygnus X-1, discovered in 1971
• Dark matter


  Matter that does not emit light or energy, but has gravitational effects on galaxies
• Dark energy


  Thought to be causing the accelerated expansion of the universe, discovered through observations of distant supernovae
• Navigation

  For centuries, humans have used the stars to navigate, and in the modern era, satellites use principles of astronomy for precise global positioning systems (GPS)
• Time keeper

  The concept of time itself is based on astronomical observations, with our calendar based on the Earth's orbit around the Sun and our 24-hour day based on the Earth's rotation on its axis
• Communication

  Satellites, which are integral to global communications and weather forecasting, operate in geosynchronous orbits
• Scientific advancements

  Observational astronomy has led to some of the most significant scientific discoveries, including the Big Bang Theory, the discovery of exoplanets, and the understanding of black holes
• Age of the universe

  Estimated to be 13.8 billion years old, with an uncertainty of less than 1%
• Methods for estimating the age of the universe

  • Hubble's Law
  • Looking for the oldest stars
• Edwin Powell Hubble


  An American astronomer who played a crucial role in establishing the fields of extragalactic astronomy and observational cosmology
• Hubble's Law


  States that the rate at which a particular galaxy is moving away from us is directly proportional to its distance, allowing for the estimation of the age of the universe
• Oldest star


  The very first stars in the universe were formed from clouds of gas about 150 to 200 million years after the Big Bang, with the oldest star found being the Methuselah star or HD 140283, estimated to be 13.7 billion years old with an uncertainty of 700 million years
• Eternal Inflation Theory


  An extension of the Big Bang Theory, suggesting that our universe went through a rapid expansion for a brief period called inflation after the Big Bang
• Oscillating Universe Theory


  According to this theory, our universe is going through an endless series of stretches and contractions, beginning with the Big Bang and starting to expand
• Steady State Theory


  A theory of the mid-1990's that has been ruled out by our current understanding of science
• Shape of the universe

  Human beings have guessed at the shape of our universe for millennia, with ancient Israelites seeing it as a flat disc floating on a body of water, and Aristotle believing it to be a sphere
• Albert Einstein


  Best known for his theory of general relativity, which he first published in 1905 and which was controversial at the time for upending Newtonian gravitational theory