The Solar System Flashcards
ORBIT
an objects path around the Sun
ASTEROID
millions of small rocky objects that orbit the Sun, in the Asteroid Belt between Mars and Jupiter.
COMET
is made of gas, dust, and ice and moves around the Sun in a oval-shaped orbit (elliptical).
ASTRONOMICAL UNIT (AU)
the average distance from Earth to the Sun.
PERIOD OF REVOLUTION
the time it takes an object to travel once around the Sun.
PERIOD OF ROTATION
the time it takes an object to make one complete rotation around itself.
OUR STAR
the Sun and it is the center of our Solar System.
STAR
an object in space made of gases in which nuclear fusion reactions occur that emit energy.
PLANETS
- Cleared its neighborhood
- Orbit the Sun
- Round in shape
DWARF PLANET
- has NOT cleared their neighborhood
- is NOT a satellite
- Round in shape
- Orbits the Sun
TERRESTRIAL PLANET
are the planets closest to the Sun, are made of rock and metal and have solid outer layers.
INNER PLANETS
Mercury
Venus
Earth
Mars
OUTER PLANETS
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
GREENHOUSE EFFECT
occurs when a planets atmosphere traps solar energy and causes the surface temperature to increase. (Venus)
GALILEAN MOONS
the four largest moons of Jupiter - Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. They are all made of rock and ice.
METEOROID
is a small rocky particle that moves through space.
METEOR
is a streak of light in Earths atmosphere made by a glowing meteoroid.
METEORITE
a meteor that strikes on a planet or moon.
IMPACT CRATER
is a round depression formed on a surface of a planet, moon, or other space object, by the impact of a meteorite.
SHORT-PERIOD COMET
a comet that takes less than 200 Earth years to orbit the Sun.
LONG-PERIOD COMET
a comet that takes millions of Earth years to orbit the Sun.
SATELLITE
can be a natural or man-made object that is in orbit around the Sun.
GAS GIANTS
are the outer planets made of hydrogen and helium, they have thick gas and liquid layers covering a solid core. The gas giants are significantly larger than the terrestrial planets.
