solar system Flashcards
a large cloud of gas and dust in interstellar space a region in space where stars are born or where stars explode at the end of their lives
nebula
a cloud of gas and dust that formed our solar system
solar nebula
the combination of the nuclei of small atoms to form a larger nucleus releases energy
nuclear fusion
a dark area of the photo sphere of the sun that is cooler than the surrounding areas ans that has a strong magnetic
sunspot
one of the highly dense planets nearest to the sun mercury Venus mars and earth
terrestrial planets
the counterclockwise spin of a planet or moon as seen from above the planets north pole rotation in the same direction as the suns rotation
pro-grade rotation
the clockwise spin of a planet of moon as seen from above the planet’s north pole
retro-grade rotation
a planet that has a deep massive atmosphere such as Jupiter Saturn Uranus or Neptune
gas giant
a natural or artificial body that revolves around a planet
satellite
a relatively small rock body that travels through space
meteoroid
a meteoroid that reaches the Earth’s surface without burning up completely
meteorite
a bright streak of light that results when a meteoroid burns up in earth’s atmosphere
meteor
the region of the solar system that is between the orbits of mars and Jupiter and in which most asteroid orbit
asteroid belt
a small rocky object that orbits the sun usually in a band between the orbits of mars and Jupiter
asteroid
a small body of ice rock and comic dust that follows an elliptical orbit around the sun ans that gives off gas and dust in the form of a tail as it passes close to the sun
comet
