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Astronomy Vocabulary
Astronomy study stack for Mrs. Tejnecky
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Astronomy | The study of the universe, and the celestial bodies within it |
| Geocentric | The having or representing the earth as the center of the solar system |
| Heliocentric | Having or Representing the Sun as the center of the solar system |
| Retrograde Motion | The apparent motion of a planet to move in the direction opposite of the other celestial bodies in the systems |
| Ellipse | An oval shape |
| Astronomical Unit | A unit of measurement equal to 149.6 million kilometers |
| Rotation | Spinning on an axis |
| Revolution | To orbit of another object |
| Precession | The slow movement of an axis around another axis due to torque |
| Perihelion | The point where a celestial body in it's orbit is closest to te sun |
| Aphelion | The point in the orbit around a celestial body in which it is farthest |
| Perigee | The point in a satellit is closest to Earth in it's orbit. |