Solar System notes Flashcards
Nebula
A large cloud of gas and dust in interstellar space
Solar Nebula
The cloud of gas and dust that formed our solar system
Nuclear fusion
The combination of the nuclei of small atoms to form a larger nucleus
Sunspot
A dark place area of the photosphere of the sun that is cooler than the surrounding areas and that has a strong magnetic field
Terrestrial Planets
one of the highly dense planets nearest to the sun
Prograde Rotation
The counterclockwise spin of a planet pr moon as seen from above the planets north pole
Retrograde Rotation
The clockwise spin of a planet or moon as seen from above the planets north pole
Gas Giant
A planet that has a deep, massive atmosphere
Satellite
A natural or artificial body that revolves around a planet
New moon
The phase on the moon that you can’t see any of the moon
Waxing crescent
The phase of the moon where the right sliver of the moon is light up
1st quarter moon
The phase of the moon where the right quarter of the moon is light up
Waxing gibbous
The phase of the moon where the whole moon is light up except for the left sliver.
Full moon
The phase where all of the moon is light up
Waning gibbous
The phase in which the right sliver of the moon is not light.
Last quarter moon
The phase where the left quarter of the moon is light up
Waning crescent
The phase of the moon in which only the right sliver is lit up
Solar eclipse
When the moon comes between the earth and the sun, and the shadow of the moon falls on part of the earth
Lunar eclipse
When the earth comes between the sin and the moon, and the shadow of earth falls on the moon
comet
A small body of ice, rock, and comet dust that follows an elliptical orbit around the sun and that gives off gas and gust in the form of a tail as it passes close to the sun
Astroid
A small, rocky object that orbits the sun, usually in a band between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter
Asteroid belt
the region of the solar system that is between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter and in which most asteroids orbit
Meteoroid
a relatively small, rocky body that travels through space
Meteorite
a meteoroid that reaches the earth’s surface without burning up completely
Meteor
A bright streak of light that results when a meteoroid burns up in the Earth’s atmosphere
