Earth, Moon, Sun Vocabulary Flashcards
Axis
The imaginary line through the earth that extends from the north pole to the south pole and is the center of earths rotation.
Cyclic Patterns
A phenomenon or process that involves multiple steps and repeats itself.
Eclipse
An obscuring of the light from a celestial body by the passage of an object between the celestial body and the observer or between the celestial body and the source of illumination.
Lunar Eclipse
When the full moon passes into the earth’s shadow, causing the moon to appear reddish in color when the sun, earth, and moon all line up directly usually lasting 3 and a half hours.
Lunar Phases
The shape of the illuminated portion of the moon as seen by an observer, usually on earth.
Moon
A celestial body that revolves around a planet.
Orbit
A curved path followed by a satellite as it revolves around an object.
Seasons
The four natural divisions of the year are based on changes in temperature due to varying amounts of sunlight received; caused by the tilting of the earth due to its revolution.
Solar Eclipse
When the moon passes between earth and the sun, covering the whole sun; occurs when the sun, moon and earth all line up, lasts for only 12 minutes.
Solar System
A star and the group of planets and other celestial bodies that are held by its gravitational attraction and revolve around it.
Star
A celestial body consisting of a mass of gas held together by its own gravity in which the energy is generated by nuclear reactions in its interior.
Sun
The luminous star around which the earth and other planets revolve, is composed mainly of hydrogen and helium.
Tilt
The slant of Earth’s axis, which is 23.5 degrees from vertical compared to Earth’s orbital plane around the sun. Results in the North 0ile always pointing toward the north star.
Rotation
The spinning or circular movement of an object around a circular/central axis.
Revolution
The motino of one body around another, like the earth around the sun.
