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Space Vocabulary for Journal through: March 29, 2011
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1. System – A system is made up of parts that work together.
2. Solar system – A large solar system is a large planetary system that
consists of a combination of many smaller planetary systems and objects.
3. Planet – A planet is any of the celestial bodies (other than comets or
satellites) that revolve around the sun in the solar system.
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Star – A star is a ball of gases that gives off light and heat.
Sun – The sun is a yellow, average, middle-aged star.
Asteroids – Asteroids are pieces of rock and metal similar to that which
formed planets.
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7. Comet – A comet is a lump of ice, rock, frozen gas, and dust that orbits the
sun.
8. Meteoroid – A meteoroid is small pieces of comet that move through space.
9. Meteorite – A meteorite is a meteoroid that strikes the earth.
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10. Meteor – A meteor is a small meteoroid that burns up in Earth’s atmosphere.
11. Asteroid Belt – the Asteroid Belt is a region between Mars and Jupiter
where most asteroids are found.
12. Light-year - A light-year is used to measure distance in space. It is equal to
the distance that light travels in one year.
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13. Galaxy – A galaxy is a group of stars, gases, and dust held together by
gravity and that travels through space.
14. Universe – The universe is all matter and energy, including the earth, all
solar systems and galaxies.
15. Atmosphere – The atmosphere is the layer of gases that surrounds the
earth.
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16. Astronomy – Astronomy is the study of outer space and all the objects in it.
Science Vocabulary on Space will be updated as we enter it into our journals.
17. Axis – An axis is an imaginary line that goes through the center of a planet
from top to bottom.
18. Rotation – Rotation is the spinning of a planet on its axis.
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19. Orbit – An orbit is the curved path of a satellite around another body in
space.
20. Natural satellite – A natural satellite is a celestial body that orbits a planet
or smaller body. Example: our moon
21. Big Bang Theory – The Big Bang Theory is a scientific theory explaining the
formation of the planets.
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22. Gases – One of the states of matter is gas. Gases make up the air in our
atmosphere.
23. Black hole – A black hole is a massive star that has collapsed in on it and
whose gravity is so strong that it pulls everything in, even light.
24. Constellation – A constellation is a group of stars that forms a pattern in the
sky.
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25. The Milky Way – The Milky Way is a spiral galaxy where Earth is located.
26. Nebula – A nebula is a cloud of gas and dust in space that forms stars.
27. Sunspots – Sunspots are dark areas on the sun cooler than the surrounding
areas.
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28. Galilean moon – The Galilean Moons are the four moons of Jupiter
discovered by Galileo Galilei in January 1610.
29. Quasar – A quasar is a burst of bright light and energy from a black hole
that has pulled in matter.
30. Solar eclipse – A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the
earth and the sun.
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31. Lunar eclipse – A lunar eclipse occurs when the earth blocks the sun’s light
from the moon.
Science Vocabulary on Space will be updated as we enter it into our journals.
32. Absolute magnitude – Absolute magnitude is the measure of the amount of
light a star actually gives off.
33. Apparent magnitude – Apparent magnitude is the measure of the amount of
a star’s light we see on Earth.
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34. Phases – The changes in the moon’s appearance are called phases. There are
8 phases.
35. Maria – Maria are large, dark areas of the moon that were once mistaken for
seas and oceans.
36. Solar noon – Solar noon is defined as the time when the sun is highest in the
sky.
Science Vocabulary on Space will be updated as we enter it into our journals.