A
Altitude: The measure of how high a star is above the horizon. Altitude is measured in degrees from 0 to 90. At 90 degrees, a star is directly above you.
Artificial light: Light that comes from something made by humans. Some examples are flashlights and streetlights.
Artificial light: Light that comes from something made by humans. Some examples are flashlights and streetlights.
C
Celestial: Another word for the sky and space. Celestial objects are objects out in space.
Celsius (C): A scale for measuring temperature. Water freezes at 0 degrees and boils at 100 degrees Celsius.
Circumpolar: Means around the pole. There are constellations that turn around both the North and South celestial poles.
Constellation: The name for a group of stars that form a distinct shape. Also refers to the region of the sky where the group of stars appears.
Celsius (C): A scale for measuring temperature. Water freezes at 0 degrees and boils at 100 degrees Celsius.
Circumpolar: Means around the pole. There are constellations that turn around both the North and South celestial poles.
Constellation: The name for a group of stars that form a distinct shape. Also refers to the region of the sky where the group of stars appears.
E
Equator: An imaginary ring around the middle of the Earth that is used in making maps and giving directions. The Equator is the only place on Earth where you can see all the constellations.
F
Fahrenheit (F): A scale for measuring temperature. Water freezes at 32 degrees and boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit.
L
Light Pollution: Artifical light that makes starlight difficult to see.
M
Magnitude: A scale to measure brightness. Low magnitude numbers mean an object is very bright. The brightest stars (not counting the sun)
shine in the magnitude range of -1, 0, +1.
shine in the magnitude range of -1, 0, +1.
N
Natural light: Light that doesn’t come from made by humans. Sunlight and starlight are natural light.
P
Pattern: Something that happens in a regular and repeated way. Also, a repeated design, color, or shape. For example, a checkerboard pattern.