Solar System Vocabulary

Question 1

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

Answer 1

Orbit

Question 2

a system of objects that revolve around a star

Answer 2

Solar system

Question 3

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

Answer 3

Galaxy

Question 4

everything that exists in, on and around the Earth

Answer 4

Universe

Question 5

a natural or artificial object that revolves around another object in space

Answer 5

Satellite

Question 6

An ________ is an approximately circular depression in the surface of a planet, moon, or other solid body in the Solar System or elsewhere, formed by the hypervelocity impact of a smaller body.

Answer 6

Impact crater

Question 7

the spinning of a celestial body, such as a planet, around an axis

Answer 7

Rotation

Question 8

the orbiting of an object around another object

Answer 8

Revolution

Question 9

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

Answer 9

Season

Question 10

the time when the sun crosses the plane of the earth’s equator, making night and day of approximately equal length all over the earth and occurring about March 21

Answer 10

Equinox

Question 11

either of the two points on the ecliptic at which its distance from the celestial equator is greatest and which is reached by the sun each year about June 21 and December 21.

Answer 11

Solstice

Question 12

any flat, dark plain of lower elevation on the Moon.

Answer 12

Mare

Question 13

the temporary blockage of sunlight by the Moon as it travels between Earth and the Sun

Answer 13

Solar eclipse

Question 14

The dark central region of a shadow such as the cone of complete shadow cast by an object

Answer 14

Umbra

Question 15

A region of lighter shadow that may surround a dark central region

Answer 15

Penumbra

Question 16

Distance from the center of the Earth to the center of the sun (about 93 million miles)

Answer 16

Astronanomical Unit

Question 17

An oval or flattened circle

Answer 17

Ellipse

Question 18

A planet that has a rocky surface

Answer 18

Terrestrial planet

Question 19

A large planet that consists mostly of gasses such as Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, or Neptune

Answer 19

Gas giant

Question 20

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

Answer 20

Asteroid

Question 21

A body that produces a coma of gas and dust, a small icy body that orbits the sun

Answer 21

Comet

Question 22

A streak of light in the sky produced by a particle entering earths atmosphere at high speed

Answer 22

Meteor

Question 23

A small object from outer space that passes through earths atmosphere and reaches earth’s surface

Answer 23

Meteorite

Question 24

Earth centered theory of the solar system

Answer 24

Geocentric

Question 25

A sun centered theory of the universe

Answer 25

Heliocentric

Question 26

The force that objects exert on one another because of their mass

Answer 26

Gravity

Question 27

The rise and fall of the ocean’s due to the gravitational pull of the sun and the moon

Answer 27

Tide

Question 28

The gradual increase of the illuminated surface of the moon

Answer 28

Waxing

Question 29

The gradual decrease in the illuminated surface of the moon

Answer 29

Wanning

Question 30

More than half but less than fully illuminated

Answer 30

Gibbous moons

Question 31

The illuminated surface is less than a quarter illuminated

Answer 31

Crescent moon

Question 32

Entire surface is illuminated

Answer 32

Full moon

Question 33

The entire surface is not illuminated

Answer 33

New moon

Question 34

Half of the moon is illuminated

Answer 34

Quarter moon