Term | Definition |
waxing | To increase gradually in size. The illuminated part of the moon is getting bigger. It is getting brighter. |
wavelengths | the different energies represented in the electromagnetic spectrum |
waning | decrease gradually in size. The illuminated part of the moon is getting smaller. |
universe | All of space and everything in it. |
stars | Hot, glowing balls of gas that are mostly hydrogen & helium |
spring tide | Occurs during New and Full Moons (highest high tides and lowest low tides) |
seasons | Are caused by the tilt of the Earth on its axis; The angle at which the sunlight strikes the Earth |
rotation | spinning of Earth on its imaginary axis, which takes about 24 hours to complete, and causes day and night to occur |
revolution | The movement of an object around another object |
red shift | the change in the wavelength of light due to an object moving away from the observer. |
orbit | The path of an object as it revolves around another object in space |
nebulae | massive clouds of dust and gases where stars are born |
neap tide | When the tidal range is lowest. (first quarter and third quarter moons) |
meteor | A streak of light in the sky produced by the burning of a meteoroid in Earth's atmosphere |
magnitude | the brightness of a star |
light year | light distance travels in one year (9.5 trillion km) |
HR Diagram | a graph that shows the relationship between a stars magnitude and temperature. |
galaxy | large group of stars, dust, and gas held together by gravity; can be elliptical, spiral, or irregular |
comet | a small mass of dust and ice that orbits the sun in a long, oval-shaped path |
big bang theory | Theory of creation of Universe by instant expansion of an extremely small piece of matter of extremely high density and temperature |
axis | the center around which something rotates |
asteroid | a small, rocky object that orbits the sun; most are located in a band between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. |
radiant energy | energy that is transmitted in the form of (electromagnetic) radiation |
troposphere | The layer of atmosphere where weather occurs |
ozone layer | a layer in the stratosphere (at approximately 20 miles) blocks most ultraviolet radiation from the sun |
spectroscope | A tool used to observe and analyze different spectrums of light. |
constellation | a group of stars that form a pattern in the sky |
electromagnetic waves | energy that travels across distances without a medium; gamma rays, radio waves, etc. |
Milky Way | The gallaxy in which Earth is located. |