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Chapter 19
Exploring Space
Term | Definition |
---|---|
Constellation | a group of stars that form a pattern in the sky |
Electromagnetic radiation | energy that travels across distances as certain types of waves |
Galaxy | millions or billions of stars held together in a group by their own gravity |
Impact crater | a round pit left behind on the surface of a planet or other body in space after a smaller object strikes the surface |
Lander | a craft designed to land on a planet's surface |
Light-year | the distance light travels in one year, which is about 9.5 trillion kilometers (6 trillion miles) |
Orbit | the path of an object in space as it moves around another object due to gravity |
Probe | a spacecraft that is sent into a plane'ts atmosphere or onto a solid surface |
Satellite | an object that orbits a more massive object |
Solar system | the Sun and its family of orbiting planets, moons, and other objects |
Space station | a satellite in which people can live and work for long periods |
Spectrum | radiation from a source separated into a range of wavelengths |
Telescope | a device that gathers visible light or another form of electromagnetic radiation |
Universe | space and all the matter and energy in it |
Wavelength | the distance between one peak and the next peak on a wave |