Astronomy Discussion 5 & Homework Assignment

topic should be addressed in sufficient detail to fully describe the properties of the concepts involved and should be at least three paragraphs with four (4) to five (5) sentences each. The posting should be in your own words with a minimal use of quotes.

What if the Sun were not rotating? What about it would be different?

1. Describe the structure of the H-R Diagram, i.e. what does it relate?

Stars are identified with a spectral type.  What are the spectral types from hottest to coolest?

Rank the following spectral types from hottest to coolest: A2, F7, K9, O8, F3, G2

2. What is hydrogen fusion? This process is sometimes called “hydrogen burning”. How is hydrogen burning fundamentally unlike the burning of a log in a fireplace? 

3. What is a neutrino, and why are astronomers so interested in detecting neutrinos from the Sun?

4. What is the difference between absolute and apparent magnitudes?

5. Why do stellar parallax measurements work only with relatively nearby stars?