Space Vocab

Question 1

Astronomical unit

Answer 1

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

Question 2

Axis of rotation

Answer 2

An imaginary line about witch a turning body such as earth rotates

Question 3

Asteroid

Answer 3

A small solid rocky body that orbits the sun

Question 4

Crescent moon

Answer 4

The illuminated surface is less then a quarter illuminated

Question 5

Comet

Answer 5

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

Question 6

Eclipse

Answer 6

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

Question 7

Ellipses

Answer 7

An oval or flattened circle

Question 8

Equinox

Answer 8

In a orbit, a position and time in witch sun shines equally on both hemispheres

Question 9

Full moon

Answer 9

The entire surface of the moon is illuminated

Question 10

Galaxy

Answer 10

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

Question 11

Gibbous moon

Answer 11

More then half but less then fully illuminated

Question 12

Gravity

Answer 12

The force that objects exert on another because of their mass

Question 13

Gas giant

Answer 13

A large planet that consists mostly of gases that are in a dense area

Question 14

Geocentric Theory

Answer 14

Earth centered theory of the solar system

Question 15

Heliocentric theory

Answer 15

A sun centered theory of the universe

Question 16

Impact crater

Answer 16

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

Question 17

Meteorite

Answer 17

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

Question 18

Meteor

Answer 18

A brief streak of light produced by a particle entering Earths atmosphere at high speed

Question 19

Mare

Answer 19

A large dark plain of solidified lava on the moon

Question 20

New moon

Answer 20

The entire surface of the moon is not illuminated

Question 21

Orbit

Answer 21

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

Question 22

Penumbra

Answer 22

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

Question 23

Quarter moon

Answer 23

Half of the moon is is illuminated

Question 24

Revolution

Answer 24

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

Question 25

Season

Answer 25

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

Question 26

Solar system

Answer 26

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

Question 27

Solstice

Answer 27

In a orbit, a position and tome during witch one hemisphere receives the maximum sunlight

Question 28

Satellite

Answer 28

An object that orbits a more massive object

Question 29

Tide

Answer 29

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

Question 30

Terrestrial planet

Answer 30

A planet that has a rocky surface

Question 31

Type of galaxy

Answer 31

Spiral

Question 32

Universe

Answer 32

Space and all the matter and energy in it

Question 34

Umbra

Answer 34

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

Question 34

Waning

Answer 34

The gradual decrease in the illuminated surface of the moon

Question 35

Waxing moon

Answer 35

The gradual increase of the illuminated surface of the moon