Astronomy DSST Practice Test Questions and Answers

Quasar Short for "quasi-stellar radio source," a bright, point-like object that produces the luminosity of 100 to 1,000 galaxies within a region the size of a solar system. Pulsar A rapidly rotating neutron star which emits radiation in magnetic pulses. Redshift A shift in the lines of an object's spectrum toward the red end. It indicates that an object is moving away from the observer. The larger it is, the faster the object is moving. Asterism A cluster of stars (or a small constellation). Equinox Either of the two celestial points at which the celestial equator intersects the ecliptic plane. Ecliptic Plane the plane of the Earth's orbit around the Sun. Brown Dwarf "Failed" star; a star not massive enough to sustain nuclear fusion. Calderas Depressions that form when a volcano collapses, as opposed to craters formed by meteoroid impact. Red Giant A star that expands and cools once it runs out of hydrogen fuel.