Space Flashcards
Asteroid
Lump of rocky debris floating around the solar system.
Dwarf planet
Spherical object that has failed to clear out its orbital track of the sun.
Exoplanet
Planet that orbits a star that is not our sun.
Orbit
Objects in constant free fall around the circumference of the earth.
Uses of satellite.
Communication, observation
Moon
Object that orbits a planet and has its own gravity
Planet - three criteria
Must be spherical under its own gravity.
Must directly orbit the sun.
Has to have cleared out its orbital track of the sun
Solar system
Area of space dominated by the suns gravity
Star
An object so huge that under its own gravity it is capable of fusing hydrogen into helium and release heat and light energy.
Sun
Name for the star in our solar system.
Mass and weight across planets.
Mass stays constant no matter where something is, compared to weight which changes depending on the gravitational field strength.
Distances in space
Calculated by using how long light takes to get somewhere.
