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The solar system
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Astronomical unit | Used to measure far distance in space 1 au=92,955,807.273 mi distance from sun to earth |
| Meteoroid | Chuck of rock smaller than a asteroid |
| Meteor | Streak of right |
| Meteorite | Space rock found on earth |
| Asteroids | A small object that orbits the sun and asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. |
| Mercury | Closest to the sun Not the hottest-so small it lacks gravity and atmosphere |
| Venus | Hottest plant Greenhouse effect Day is longer than a year-rotation time is longer than its revolution |
| Earth | Only plant with know life |
| Mars | Largest known mountain-Olympus mons Possible signs of life |
| Terrestrial planets | The four inner planets |
| Greenhouse effect | Occurs when a planet’s atmosphere traps solar energy and causes the temperature to increase |
| Jupiter | Largest planet Galilean moon Great red spot |
| Saturn | Most complex ring system Least dense plant-it would float Titan-largest moon |
| Uranus | Rotation axis is titled 90 degrees so it rotates like a bowling ball |
| Neptune | Longest period of revolution Swirling storms-windiest plant |
| Gas giant | Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune |
| Galilean moons | 4 moons Galileo discovered around Jupiter Io, Europe, Ganymede, Callisto |
| Dwarf planet | Pluto was the first Same as a planet but not larger than its neighbor Ceres in the asteroid belt |