Space Vocab

Question 1

What is Orbit

Answer 1

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

Question 2

What is SolarSystem

Answer 2

a system of objects that revolve around a star

Question 3

What is Galaxy

Answer 3

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

Question 4

What is Universe

Answer 4

everything that exists in, on and around the Earth

Question 5

What is Satellite

Answer 5

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

Question 6

What is Impact crater

Answer 6

a large, circular pit in the surface of a planet or other body in space usually formed when two bodies in space collide

Question 7

What is Rotation

Answer 7

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

Question 8

What is Revolution

Answer 8

the orbiting of an object around another object

Question 9

What is Season

Answer 9

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

Question 10

What is Equinox

Answer 10

the twice-a-year occurrence during which Earth’s axis is perpendicular (at a 90 angle) to a line joining the Sun and Earth’s center

Question 11

What is Solstice

Answer 11

the twice-a-year occurrence during which the Sun appears at the highest point in the sky as seen from the North or South pole

Question 12

What is Mare

Answer 12

a fully mature female horse or other equine animal

Question 13

What is eclipse

Answer 13

an event whereby one astronomical body passes between two other astronomical bodies

Question 14

What is Umbra

Answer 14

the fully shaded inner region of a shadow cast by an opaque object, especially the area on the earth or moon experiencing the total phase of an eclipse.

Question 15

Penumbra

Answer 15

the partially shaded outer region of the shadow cast by an opaque object.

Question 16

Astronomical

Answer 16

the mean distance from the center of the Earth to the center of the sun (about 149.6 million kilometers); used to measure distances in the solar system

Question 17

Ellipse

Answer 17

a regular oval shape, traced by a point moving in a plane so that the sum of its distances from two other points (the foci) is constant, or resulting when a cone is cut by an oblique plane which does not intersect the base.

Question 18

Terrestrial planet

Answer 18

Within the Solar System, the terrestrial planets are the inner planets closest to the Sun, i.e. Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. The terms “terrestrial planet” and “telluric planet” are derived from Latin words for Earth (Terra and Tellus), as these planets are, in terms of structure, Earth-like.

Question 19

Gas giant

Answer 19

a large planet of relatively low density consisting predominantly of hydrogen and helium, such as Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, or Neptune.

Question 20

eclipse

Answer 20

an event whereby one astronomical body passes between two other astronomical bodies

Question 21

Umbra

Answer 21

the fully shaded inner region of a shadow cast by an opaque object, especially the area on the earth or moon experiencing the total phase of an eclipse.

Question 22

Penumbra

Answer 22

the partially shaded outer region of the shadow cast by an opaque object.

Question 23

Astronomical

Answer 23

the mean distance from the center of the Earth to the center of the sun (about 149.6 million kilometers); used to measure distances in the solar system

Question 24

Ellipse

Answer 24

a regular oval shape, traced by a point moving in a plane so that the sum of its distances from two other points (the foci) is constant, or resulting when a cone is cut by an oblique plane which does not intersect the base.

Question 25

Terrestrial planet

Answer 25

Within the Solar System, the terrestrial planets are the inner planets closest to the Sun, i.e. Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. The terms “terrestrial planet” and “telluric planet” are derived from Latin words for Earth (Terra and Tellus), as these planets are, in terms of structure, Earth-like.

Question 26

Gas giant

Answer 26

a large planet of relatively low density consisting predominantly of hydrogen and helium, such as Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, or Neptune.

Question 27

Asteroid

Answer 27

An asteroid is a large, irregularly shaped object in space that orbits our Sun. If one of these giant rocks ends up on a collision course with Earth, we are in for big trouble. An asteroid is like a comet. … Around a million asteroids are located between Mars and Jupiter in an area called the “asteroid belt.”

Question 28

Comet

Answer 28

a body of ice and dust that travels in a long narrow orbit around the sun

Question 29

Meteor

Answer 29

a streak of light in the sky that forms when a piece of rock from space burns up in Earth’s atmosphere (related term: shooting star)

Question 30

Meteorite

Answer 30

a piece of rock or metal from space that strikes Earth’s surface

Question 31

geocentric

Answer 31

having the Earth as the center

Question 32

heliocentric

Answer 32

having the sun as the center

Question 33

gravity

Answer 33

a force that exists between any two objects that have mass (related word: gravitational)

Question 34

Tide

Answer 34

the regular fluctuation of sea water driven by the gravitational pull of the Moon and Sun on Earth’s oceans and other large bodies of water

Question 35

Waxing

Answer 35

Waxing Crescent. The moon is less than one-half illuminated by the sun but less than one quarter illuminated. Occurs when the moon’s illumination is increasing, First Quarter. The moon is one-half illuminated by the sun.

Question 36

Waning

Answer 36

During the Waning Crescent Moon phase, the illuminated part of the Moon decreases from the lit up semicircle at Third Quarter until it disappears from view entirely at New Moon. Waning means that it is getting smaller while crescent refers to the curved shape similar to a banana or a boat.

Question 37

Gibbous moon

Answer 37

The definition of gibbous refers to a moon in between a half-moon but less than a full moon, or something that protrudes or creates an obvious bulge. When the moon is more than half full, this is an example of a gibbous moon. When you have a humpback, this is an example of a gibbous back.

Question 38

Crescent moon

Answer 38

Image result for crescent moon definitionfullmoonphases.com
crescent. A crescent 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. Crescent 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.

Question 39

Full moon

Answer 39

The full moon is the lunar phase when the Moon appears fully illuminated from Earth’s perspective. This occurs when Earth is located between the Sun and the Moon. This means that the lunar hemisphere facing Earth – the near side – is completely sunlit and appears as a circular disk.

Question 40

New moon

Answer 40

In astronomy, the new moon is the first lunar phase, when the Moon and Sun have the same ecliptic longitude. At this phase, the lunar disk is not visible to the unaided eye, except when silhouetted during a solar eclipse. Daylight outshines the earthlight that dimly illuminates the new moon.

Question 41

Quarter moon

Answer 41

The lunar phase or phase of the Moon is the shape of the directly sunlit portion of the Moon as viewed from Earth. The lunar phases gradually change over the period of a synodic month, as the orbital positions of the Moon around Earth and of Earth around the Sun shift.

Question 42

Perihelion

Answer 42

Like the Earth’s orbit around the Sun, the Moon’s path around the Earth is elliptical. The point in the Moon’s orbit that is closest to the Earth is called the Perigee and the point farthest from the Earth is known as the Apogee

Question 43

Aphelion

Answer 43

DescriptionApsis denotes either of the two extreme points in the orbit of a planetary body about its primary body. The plural term, “apsides,” usually implies both apsis points; apsides can also refer to the distance of the extreme range of an object orbiting a host body.