Walter Sydney Adams

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/walter-sydney-adams

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. When was Walter Sydney Adams born?December 20, 1876
2. When did Walter Sydney Adams die?May 11, 1956
3. What nationality was Walter Sydney Adams?American
4. What is the primary field?Astronomy, Astrophysics
5. What is the affiliated institution?Mount Wilson Observatory
6. Who was Walter Sydney Adams?Walter Sydney Adams was a brilliant astronomer who lived from 1876 to 1956. He used light from stars to learn about their temperatures, pressures, and the elements they contain.

Spectroscopy: The scientific discipline concerned with the interaction of radiation and matter, used to analyze celestial objects' composition and physical properties.
Doppler Shift: The change in frequency or wavelength of a wave in relation to an observer moving relative to the wave source, used to measure radial velocity.
Stellar Radial Velocity: The component of a star's velocity directed along the line of sight, indicating its speed towards or away from Earth.
Spectral Classification: A system for categorizing stars based on their spectral characteristics, primarily temperature and composition.