Moons and Smaller Solar Systems Flashcards
Light colored rock surface of the moon that is older more cratered and extends several kilometers above the average elevation of the moon
Highlands
Large dark flat areas on the moon believed to be craters formed by large impacts from space that then filled with volcanic lava
Maria
A circular depression on the surface of the moon caused by the impact of a meteoroid
Crater
The time it takes the moon to make one complete cycle relative to the stars
Sidereal Month
The time it takes the moon to go through one complete cycle of phases
Synodic Month
The phase of the moon that occurs when the moon is on the same meridian as the sun at 12 noon local solar time
New Moon
The moon viewed when less than one half of its observed surface is illuminated
Crescent Moon
The moon viewed when more than one half of its illuminated surface is observed from the earth
Gibbous Moon
The moon when its 90 degrees east of the sun and appears as a quarter moon on an observers meridian at 6 pm local solar time
First-Quarter Phase
The moon when it is fully illuminated
Full Moon
The phase that occurs when the moon is 270 degrees east of the sun and appears on the observers meridian at 6 am local solar time
Last-Quarter Phase
The blocking of the light of one celestial body by another
Eclipse
A region of total darkness in a shadow during an eclipse an observer in the region sees total darkness
Umbra
Complete blocking of the sun seen by an observer in the umbra
Total Solar Eclipse
A semidark region of the moons shadow during an eclipse an observer in the penumbra sees only a partial eclipse
Penumbra
The earths dark shadow completely covers the moon
Total Lunar Eclipse
The periodic rise and fall of the water level along the shores of large bodies of water
Tides
Small interplanetary metallic and stony objects in space before they encounter the earth
Meteoroids
A metallic or stony object that burns up as it passes through the earths atmosphere and appears to be a shooting star
Meteor
A metallic and stony object from the solar system that strikes the earths surface
Meteorites
A relatively small object that is composed of rock dust and ices and that revolves about the sun in highly elliptical orbit
Comet
The cloud of cometary objects believed to be orbiting the sun far beyond the orbit of Neptune and from which the majority of comets originate
Oort Cloud
A doughnut shaped ring of space around the sun beyond the orbit of Neptune and that extends to well beyond the orbit of Pluto and Eris containing many short period comets
Kuiper Belt
Very small solid particles known as micro meteoroids that exist in the space between the planets
Interplanetary Dust
