Solar System Vocabulary

Question 1

Orbit

Answer 1

1. The path of an object in space as it moves around another object due to gravity

Question 2

Solar system

Answer 2

2. The Sun and its family of orbiting planets and moons and other objects

Question 3

Galaxy

Answer 3

3. Millions and billions of stars held together in a group by their own gravity

Question 4

Universe

Answer 4

4. Space and all the matter and energy in it

Question 5

Satellite

Answer 5

5. An object that orbits a more massive object

Question 6

Impact crater

Answer 6

A round pit left behind on the surface of a planet after a smaller object strikes the surface

Question 7

Rotation

Answer 7

7. An imaginary line about which a turning body such as Earth rotates

Question 8

Revolution

Answer 8

The motion of one body around another, such as the Earth in its orbit around the Sun

Question 9

Season

Answer 9

9. One of a pattern of temperature changes and other weather trends over the course of a year

Question 10

Equinox

Answer 10

10. In an orbit, a position and time in which sun shines equally on both hemispheres

Question 11

Solstice

Answer 11

In an orbit, a position and time during which one hemisphere receives the maximum sunlight

Question 12

Mare

Answer 12

A large dark plain of solidified lava on the moon

Question 13

Eclipse

Answer 13

An event during which one object in space casts a shadow onto another

Question 14

Umbra

Answer 14

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

Question 15

Penumbra

Answer 15

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

Question 16

Astronomical unit

Answer 16

Average distance from the sun which is 93,000,000 miles

Question 17

Ellipse

Answer 17

An oval or flattened circle

Question 18

Terrestrial planet

Answer 18

18. A planet that has a rocky surface

Question 19

Gas giant

Answer 19

A large planet that consists mostly of gases in a dense form

Question 20

Asteroid

Answer 20

20. A small solid rocky body that orbits the Sun

Question 21

Comet

Answer 21

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

Question 22

Meteor

Answer 22

22. A brief streak of light produced by a particle entering Earth’s atmosphere at high speed

Question 23

Meteorite

Answer 23

A small object from outer space that passes through Earth’s atmosphere and reaches the surface

Question 24

Geosentrix

Answer 24

Earth-centered theory of the solar system

Question 25

Heliocentric

Answer 25

25. A Sun-centered theory of the universe

Question 26

Gravity

Answer 26

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

Question 27

Tide

Answer 27

27. The rise and fall of the oceans caused by the gravitational pull of the moon and sun

Question 28

Waxing

Answer 28

The gradual increase of the illuminated surface of the moon

Question 29

Waning

Answer 29

29. The gradual decrease in the illuminated surface of the moon

Question 30

Gibbous moon

Answer 30

More than half but less than fully illuminated

Question 31

Crescent moon

Answer 31

31. The illuminated surface is less than a quarter illuminated

Question 32

Full moon

Answer 32

32. The entire surface of the moon is illuminated

Question 33

New moon

Answer 33

33. The entire surface of the moon is not illuminated

Question 34

Quarter moon

Answer 34

34. Half of the moon is illuminated