Solar System Flashcards
Nebula
a cloud of gas and dust in outer space
Solar Nebula
the gas and particles in a nebula condensed under it’s own gravity and created the solar system
Sunspot
a spot or patch appearing from time to time on the sun’s surface
Astronomical Unit
a unit of measurement of 149.6 million kilometers, the distance from the center of the earth to the center of the sun.
Terrestrial Planets
a planet that is composed primarily of silicate rocks or metals
Pro-grade Rotation
rotating and orbiting in a counterclockwise direction
Retrograde Rotation
the opposite direction as retrograde rotation
Gas Giant
a large planet with a relatively low density consisting mainly of hydrogen and helium
Satellite
an machine placed in orbit around the earth, moon, or another planet in order to collect information or for communication
Phase
a distinct period or stage in a process of change or forming part of something’s development
Eclipse
a celestial body obscured the light from or to another celestial body
Comet
a celestial object consisting of a nucleus of ice and dust and, when near the sun, a tail of gas and dust particles pointing away from the sun
Asteroid
a small rocky body orbiting the sun
Asteroid Belt
a ring of asteroids between Jupiter and Mars
Meteoroid
a small body moving in the solar system that would become a meteor if it entered the earth’s atmosphere
