Space Vocab

Question 1

The circular path of an object as it revolves around another object.

Answer 1

Orbit.

Question 2

The sun and its family of orbiting planets, and moons, and other objects.

Answer 2

Solar System.

Question 3

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

Answer 3

Galaxy.

Question 4

Space and all the matter and energy in it.

Answer 4

Universe.

Question 5

An object that orbits a more massive object.

Answer 5

Satellite.

Question 6

A round pit left behind on the surface of a planet, or other body in space after a smaller object hits the surface.

Answer 6

Impact crater.

Question 7

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

Answer 7

Axis of Rotation.

Question 8

The motion of one body around another, such as Earth and its motion around the sun.

Answer 8

Revolution.

Question 9

One part of the pattern of temperature changes over a course of a year.

Answer 9

Season.

Question 10

In an orbit, a position and time in which sunlight shines equally on the Northern and Southern Hemisphere.

Answer 10

Equinox.

Question 11

In an orbit, a position and time during which one hemisphere receives it maximum area of sunlight while the other hemisphere receives its minimum amount. The time of the year when the days are either longest or shortest.

Answer 11

Solstice.

Question 12

A large dark plain of solidified lava on the moon.

Answer 12

Mare.

Question 13

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

Answer 13

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 a lighter shadow that may surround a dark central region. The spreading cone of lighter shadow cast by an object.

Answer 15

Penumbra.

Question 16

Average distance from the Sun which is approximately 93,000,000 miles or 150 million kilometers.

Answer 16

Astronomical Unit (AU).

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 plane that consists mostly of gases in a dense form.

Answer 19

Gas Giants.

Question 20

A small, solid rocky body 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 brief streak of light 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 the surface.

Answer 23

Meteorite.

Question 24

Earth centered theory of the solar system.

Answer 24

Geocentric.

Question 25

A sun centered theory of the solar system.

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 levels caused by the gravitational pull of the moon.

Answer 27

Tide.

Question 28

The gradual increase of the illuminated surface of the moon.

Answer 28

Waxing.

Question 29

(of the moon) have a progressively smaller part of its visible surface illuminated, so that it appears to decrease in size.

Answer 29

Waning.

Question 30

It’s easy to see a waxing moon in the daytime because, at this phase of the moon, a large fraction of the moon’s day side is facing our way. … Any moon that appears more than half lighted but less than full is called a (blank) moon. The word (blank) comes from a root word that means hump-backed.

Answer 30

Gibbous moon.

Question 31

A (blank) is a thin, curved shape that’s thicker in the middle and tapers to thin points at each end, like the little sliver of moon you might notice in the sky. (Blank) was first used to describe the shape of the waxing, or growing moon, and if you listen closely you can hear its similarity to increase.

Answer 31

Crescent moon.

Question 32

the phase of the moon in which its whole disk is illuminated.

Answer 32

Full moon.

Question 33

the phase of the moon when it is in conjunction with the sun and invisible from earth, or shortly thereafter when it appears as a slender crescent.

Answer 33

New Moon.

Question 34

The moon is one-half illuminated by the sun. Occurs when the moon’s illumination is decreasing, Waning Crescent. The moon is less than one-half illuminated by the sun but less than one quarter illuminated.

Answer 34

Quarter Moon.