Space Vocabulary test March 28, 2018 Flashcards
Orbit
The path of an object as it moves around another object due to gravity
Solar system
The sun and family of orbiting planets and moons and other objects
Galaxy
Millions and billion of stars held together in a group by their own gravity.
Universe
Space and all the matter and energy in it.
Satellite
An object that orbits a more massive object
Impact crater
A round pit left behind on the surface of a planet after a smaller object strikes the surface
Rotation
An imaginary line about which a turning body such as earth rotates
Revolution
The motion of one body around another, such as the earth in its orbit around the sun
Season
One of a pattern of temperature changes and other weather trend over the course of the year
Equinox
In an orbit, a position and time in which the sun shines equally on both hemispheres
Solstice
In an orbit, a position and time during which hemisphere receives the maximum sunlight.
Mare
A large dark plain of solidified lava on the moon
Eclipse
An event during which one object in space casts a shadow onto another
Umbra
The dark central region of a shadow such as the cone of complete shadow cast by an object
Penumbra
A region lighter shadow that may surround a dark central region
Astronomical unit
Average distance from the sun which is 93,000,000 miles
Ellipse
An oval or flattened circle
Terrestrial planet
A planet that has a rocky surface
Gas giant
A large planet that consists mostly of gases in a dense form
Asteroid
A small solid rocky body that orbits the sun
Comet
A body that produces a coma of gas and dust, a small icy body that orbits the sun
Meteor
A brief streak of light produced by a particle entering earths atmosphere at high speed
Meteorite
A small object from outer space that passes through earths atmosphere and reaches the surface
Geocentric
Earth centered theory of the solar system
