Download Solar System Vocabulary

VOCABULARY
irregular – does not have an even or
symmetrical shape; does not have a formal
pattern
Synonym: uneven
His teeth were not even or straight, so the dentist
said they were irregular and needed braces.
minor – lesser in size or
importance
Synonym: secondary
Antonym: major
Asteroids are called minor planets because they are
not as big as regular planets like Earth and Jupiter.
composed –made or formed by combining
things, parts, or elements
Synonym: created
Antonym: decomposed
taken apart
Comets are composed, or made up of ice,
dust and gasses.
elliptical – having the form of an
ellipse
Synonym: egg-shaped
oblong
Comets orbit the sun in large elliptical
orbits.
vaporize – turn to vapor (mist,
steam, or gas)
Synonym: evaporate
If you vaporize a liquid or solid, it means
you changed it into a vapor or gas.
coma – the hazy cloud around the
nucleus of a comet
The coma of a comet surrounds the
nucleus.
nucleus – the center or core
Synonym: inside
The nucleus of an atom or cell is the central
pat of it.
visible – can be seen
Synonym: observable
viewable
The siren’s lights were clearly visible.