Vocab Flashcards
(33 cards)
Orbit
The path of an object as it moves around another object due to gravity
Solar System
The sun and family of orbiting planets and moons and other objects
Galaxy
Million and billions of stars held together in a group by their own gravity
Universe
Space and all the matter and energy in it
Satelite
An object that orbits a more massive object
Impact crater
A round pit left behind the surface of a planet after a smaller object strikes the surface
Rotation
An imaginary line about which a turning body such as earth rotates
Revolution
The motion of one body around another, such as the earth in its orbit around the sun
Seasons
One of a pattern of temperatures changes and other weather trend over the course of a year
Equinox
In an orbit, a position and time in which the sun shines equally on north hemispheres
Solstice
In an orbit, a position and time during which hemisphere receives the max sunlight
Mare
A large dark plain of solidified
Eclipse
An event during which one object in space casts a shadow onto another
Umbra
The dark central region of a shadow such as the come of complete shadow cast by an object
Penumbra
A region lighter shadow that may surround a dark central region
Astronomical unit
Average distance from the sun which is 93,000,000 miles
Ellipse
An oval or flattened circle
Terrestrial Planet
A planet that has a rocky surface
Gas Giant
A large planet that consists mostly gases in a dense form
Asteroid
A small solid rocky body that orbits the sun
Comet
A body that produces a coma of gas and dust, a small icy body that orbits the sun
Meteor
A brief streak with of light produced by a particle entering earths atmosphere and reaches the surface
Geocentric
Earth centered theory of the solar system
Heliocentric
A sun centered theory of the universe
