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Astronomy
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| solar system | a group of objects in space that move around a central star |
| star | a huge burning sphere of gases; for example, the sun |
| orbit | the path an object such as a planet takes as it revolves around a central object |
| ellipse | the shape of Earth's orbit around the sun; an elongated or slightly flattened circle |
| planet | a large object that orbits around a star |
| rotation | the spinning of a planet on its axis |
| revolution | one object moving around another in an orbital path |
| axis | an imaginary line that runs through both poles of a planet; a rotating object spins around this imaginary line |
| comet | a small frozen mass of gas and dust revolving around the sun |
| asteroid | chunks of rock revolving around the sun between Mars and Jupiter |
| meteorite | a small, solid rock traveling through space |
| satellite | a small body, either man-made or natural, revolving around a larger body |
| astronomer | a person who studies stars, planets, and other objects in the sky |
| telescope | an instrument people use to observe distant objects with their eyes |
| constellation | the pattern formed by a group of stars in the sky |