Space

Question 1

Orbit

Answer 1

the circular path of an object as it revolves around another object

Question 2

Solar system

Answer 2

a system of objects that revolve around a star

Question 3

Galaxy

Answer 3

a group of solar systems, dust, and gas held together by gravity; our solar system is part of the Milky Way galaxy

Question 4

Universe

Answer 4

everything that exists in, on and around the Earth

Question 5

Satellite

Answer 5

an artificial body placed in orbit around the earth or moon or another planet in order to collect information or for communication.

Question 6

Impact crater

Answer 6

a crater on a planet or moon caused by the impact of a meteorite or other object, typically circular with a raised rim.

Question 7

Rotation

Answer 7

turning around on an axis; spinning (related word: rotation)

Question 8

Revolution

Answer 8

a forcible overthrow of a government or social order, in favor of a new system.

Question 9

Season

Answer 9

a period of the year determined by the position of Earth as it revolves around the sun

Question 10

Equinox

Answer 10

the time or date (twice each year) at which the sun crosses the celestial equator, when day and night are of equal length (about September 22 and March 20).

Question 11

Solstice

Answer 11

either of the two times in the year, the summer solstice and the winter solstice, when the sun reaches its highest or lowest point in the sky at noon, marked by the longest and shortest days.

Question 12

Mare

Answer 12

The lunar maria /ˈmɑːriə/ (singular: mare /ˈmɑːreɪ/) are large, dark, basaltic plains on Earth’s Moon, formed by ancient volcanic eruptions. They were dubbed maria, Latin for “seas”, by early astronomers who mistook them for actual seas.

Question 13

Eclipse

Answer 13

an event that happens when the shadow of an object in space falls on the surface of another object

Question 14

Umbra

Answer 14

the fully shaded inner region of a shadow cast by an opaque object, especially the area on the earth or moon experiencing the total phase of an eclipse.

Question 15

Penumbra

Answer 15

the partially shaded outer region of the shadow cast by an opaque object.

Question 16

Astronomical Unit (AU)

Answer 16

Amount of distance in a light-year, in AU. Definition of astronomical unit. For general reference, we can say that one astronomical unit (AU) represents the mean distance between the Earth and our sun. An AU is approximately 93 million miles (150 million km).

Question 17

Ellipse

Answer 17

A closed, symmetric curve shaped like an oval, which can be formed by intersecting a cone with a plane that is not parallel or perpendicular to the cone’s base. The sum of the distances of any point on an ellipse from two fixed points (called the foci) remains constant no matter where the point is on the curve.

Question 18

Terrestrial planet

Answer 18

A terrestrial planet, telluric planet, or rocky planet is a planet that is composed primarily of silicate rocks or metals. Within the Solar System, the terrestrial planets are the inner planets closest to the Sun, i.e. Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.

Question 19

Gas giant

Answer 19

a large planet of relatively low density consisting predominantly of hydrogen and helium, such as Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, or Neptune.

Question 20

Asteroid

Answer 20

a small object made of rock or metal that orbits the sun

Question 21

Comet

Answer 21

a body of ice and dust that travels in a long narrow orbit around the sun

Question 22

Meteor

Answer 22

a small body of matter from outer space that enters the earth’s atmosphere, becoming incandescent as a result of friction and appearing as a streak of light.

Question 23

Meteorite

Answer 23

a piece of rock or metal from space that strikes Earth’s surface

Question 24

Geocentric

Answer 24

having or representing the earth as the center, as in former astronomical systems.

Question 25

Heliocentric

Answer 25

having the sun as the center

Question 26

Gravity

Answer 26

a force that exists between any two objects that have mass (related word: gravitational)

Question 27

Tide

Answer 27

the rise and fall of the ocean’s surface levels due to the gravitational pull of the sun and moon (related word: tidal)

Question 28

Waxing

Answer 28

noun. the moon at any time after new moon and before full moon, so called because its illuminated area is increasing. Compare waning moon.

Question 29

Waning

Answer 29

noun. the moon at any time after full moon and before new moon (so called because its illuminated area is decreasing). Compare waxing moon.

Question 30

Gibbous moon

Answer 30

adjective. The definition of gibbous refers to a moon in between a half-moon but less than a full moon, or something that protrudes or creates an obvious bulge. When the moon is more than half full, this is an example of a gibbous moon. When you have a humpback, this is an example of a gibbous back.

Question 31

Crescent moon

Answer 31

A crescent is a thin, curved shape that’s thicker in the middle and tapers to thin points at each end, like the little sliver of moon you might notice in the sky. Crescent was first used to describe the shape of the waxing, or growing moon, and if you listen closely you can hear its similarity to increase.

Question 32

Full moon

Answer 32

the phase of the moon in which its whole disk is illuminated.

Question 33

New moon

Answer 33

the phase of the moon when it is in conjunction with the sun and invisible from earth, or shortly thereafter when it appears as a slender crescent.

Question 34

Quarter moon

Answer 34

Third Quarter. The moon is one-half illuminated by the sun. Occurs when the moon’s illumination is decreasing, Waning Crescent. The moon is less than one-half illuminated by the sun but less than one quarter illuminated.

Question 35

Perihelion

Answer 35

the point in the orbit of a planet, asteroid, or comet at which it is closest to the sun.

Question 36

Aphelion

Answer 36

the point in the orbit of a planet, asteroid, or comet at which it is furthest from the sun.