Question | Answer |
Spiral Galaxy | A galaxy that has a center bulge with old stars and arms with new stars |
Elliptical Galaxy | A galaxy shaped like an egg or ball |
Irregular Galaxy | A galaxy with no defined shape |
Milky Way | Our galaxy, a spiral galaxy |
Galaxy | A large group of gas, dust, and billions of stars |
Solar System | A group of planets that revolve around a star |
Sun | The star at the center of our solar system |
Core | The center of the sun where its energy is produced |
Photosphere | The outer layer of the sun that we see |
Sunspots | Dark, cool spots on the sun’s surface |
Plages | Bright hot spots on the sun |
Solar Flares | Bursts of fire that shoot out from the sun’s surface into space |
Prominences | Loops of fire that go back to the sun’s surface |
Corona | The halo like layer that we can only see during a solar eclipse |
Diameter | A straight line that passes through the center of a circle or sphere |
Mass | How much matter is in an object |
Surface Gravity | The amount of gravitational pull experienced on the surface of an object |
Length of Rotation | How long it takes an object to spin on its axis once, or one complete day |
Length of Revolution | How long it takes an object to go around the sun, or one year |
Rotation | The spin of an object on its axis |
Orbit | The path that a body follows as it travels around another body in space |
Revolution | The motion of a body that travels around another body in space |
New Moon | None of the moon is visible. |
First Quarter | Exactly half of the Earth |
Full Moon | The entire side of the Moon facing the Earth is visible |
Third Quarter | Exactly half of the Earth |
Lunar Eclipse | The moon passes through the Earth’s shadow |
Solar Eclipse | The moon moves between the sun and the Earth |
Gravity | The force of attraction between objects, it keeps objects in orbit |
Tides | The daily changes in the level of the oceans and other large bodies of water |
High Tides | They occur on the side of the Earth facing the moon and on the opposite side. The water level is higher in these locations. |
Low Tides | They occur between the locations of the high tides. The water is pulled away from these locations so the water level is low. |
Earth’s Tilt | The cause of seasons on Earth |
Winter | When the northern hemisphere is tilted away from the sun |
Summer | When the northern hemisphere is tilted toward the sun |