Download Astronomy Vocabulary - Thomas C. Cario Middle School

Astronomy Vocabulary
*Begins on p. 286 of Glencoe Textbook.
1. Axis: The imaginary vertical line around which Earth spins.
2. Rotation: Spinning of Earth on its axis, causes day and night to
occur. 1 rotation= 24 hours.
3. Revolution: Earth’s yearly orbit around the Sun.
4. Ellipse/ Elliptical Orbit: An elongated, closed curve. (Earth’s orbit
around the Sun.)
5. Solstice: The day when the Sun reaches its greatest distance north or
south of the equator. (Closest to Tropic of Cancer or Tropic of
Capricorn) Summer solstice= Longest day of the year. Winter
solstice= shortest day of the year.
6. Equinox: When the Sun is directly above the Earth’s equator. (90)
Day and night hours are nearly equal.
7. Moon Phases: Different forms that the moon takes in its
appearance from Earth. Depends on Earth, Moon, and Sun.
8. New Moon: Occurs when the moon is between the Earth and
the Sun. Lighted half faces the Sun, dark faces the Earth.
9. Waxing: Means more of the illuminated half can be seen
each night.
10.
Full Moon: Occurs when all of the Moon’s surface
facing Earth reflects light. Earth is between the Sun and
Moon.
11.
Waning: Means you see less of the illuminated half each
night.
12.
Solar eclipse: Occurs when the Moon moves directly
between the Sun and Earth and the moon casts a shadow on
the Earth.
13. Lunar eclipse: Occurs when the Moon moves into Earth’s
penumbra and Earth’s shadow appears on the Moon.
*Begins on p. 329.
14. Tide: The rise and fall in sea level.
15. Tidal Range: The difference between the level of
the ocean at high tide and low tide.
16. Spring Tide (332): When the Sun, Moon and Earth
are aligned causing high tides to be higher and low
tides to be lower than usual.
17. Neap Tide (332): When the Sun, Moon and Earth
form a right angle and low tides are higher and high
tides are lower than usual.
18. Photosphere (383): Lowest layer of the Sun’s
atmosphere and the layer from which light is given off.
(Surface) 6,000 k
19. Corona: Above the transition zone, largest layer,
millions of km’s, Temp  2000000 k.
20. Chromosphere: Above photosphere extends 2000
km and then there is a transition zone.
21. Solar Flares: Violent eruptions of gases near a sun
spot which brighten suddenly, shooting outward at high
speeds.
22. Solar Wind (bottom 383): Charged particles
continually escape from the Corona and move through
space.
23. Auroras: Can form when charged particles near the
poles cause gases in the atmosphere to glow.
24. Sun Spots: Areas of the Sun’s surface which
appear darker because they are cooler than surrounding
areas.
25. Prominences: Huge, arching columns of gas (Move
at speeds of 600 km/s to 1,000 km/s)
26. CME’s: When large amounts of electronicallycharged gas are ejected suddenly from the Sun’s
corona.
27. Irregular galaxy (395): Have many different
shapes and don’t fit into the spiral or elliptical
categories. They are the smallest of the different
types of galaxies.
28. Light year (381): The distance that light
travels in one year (9.5 Trillion km) . The nearest
star to Earth, besides the Sun, is called Proxima
Centauri and is 4.24 light years away.
29. Telescope (412): Two types: Optical and
Radio. Optical telescopes are used to collect
light and form images (can either be reflective or
refractive) and Radio telescopes use radio
emissions to detect objects in space, map the
Universe, and search for intelligent life.
30. Satellite (419): Any object that revolves
around another object.
31. Space probe (420): An instrument that
gathers info. and sends it back to Earth. Unlike
satellites, they can travel through the Solar
System, some have even gone to the edge of the
Solar System.
Astronomy Power Point Notes:
Planets
Planets may have a _____________ or _________ surface or a __________ surface. Gaseous
planets are considerably ____________ than _______________ planets.
Planets may have ___________. Some planets have a unique surface characteristic, for example
color or an atmospheric storm.
Movement of planets is based on revolution around the ___________ and rotation on the planet’s
______________.
Moons
Moons are studied in relation to the planet they _____________. Not all planets have
____________.
Most are rocky bodies covered with craters, but some have unique characteristics.
Movement of moons is based on revolution around their __________________.
Asteroids
Most asteroids are rocky bodies that orbit in a region in the solar system known as the
______________ _______, between Mars and Jupiter.
They vary in size and shape.
Movement is based on their revolution around the _________.
Some asteroids outside the asteroid belt have orbits that cross Earth’s orbit; scientists monitor
the positions of these asteroids.
Comets
Comets have a main body or head (composed of _________ and rock particles mixed with
_________, methane and ammonia) and a tail that emerges as the comet gets __________ to the
Sun during its orbit.
The tail always points ____________ from the Sun. Comets have a unique long, narrow
______________ orbit.
Meteoroids
Meteoroids are chunks of _____________ that move about within the solar system.
Location and movement result in the different terms:
o Meteor –
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
o Meteorite –
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________