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Unit 2 vocab words
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| solar system | A gravitationally bound system consisting of a star (the Sun) and the objects that orbit it, including eight planets, their moons, dwarf planets, asteroids, and comets. |
| heliocentric | An astronomical model in which the Sun is at the center of the solar system, with the Earth and other planets revolving around it. |
| geocentric | An ancient astronomical model in which the Earth is at the center of the universe, with the Sun, Moon, stars, and planets orbiting it. |
| parallax | The apparent shift in the position of an object when viewed from two different locations or perspectives. Astronomers use this effect to measure distances to nearby stars. |
| gravity | The universal force of attraction acting between all matter. It’s what keeps planets in orbit and objects on the ground. |
| orbit | The curved path, usually elliptical, followed by a celestial object (like a planet or moon) around a star or planet due to gravity. |
| aphelion | The point in a planet's orbit where it is farthest from the Sun. |
| perihelion | The point in a planet's orbit where it is closest to the Sun. |
| centripetal force | A force that acts on a body moving in a circular path and is directed toward the center around which the body is moving. |
| solar nebula | A large cloud of gas and dust from which our solar system is believed to have formed. |
| planetesimal | Small, solid objects formed from grain-to-grain accretion in the early solar system; they are considered the "building blocks" of planets. |
| nuclear fusion | The process where hydrogen atoms join to form helium, releasing the massive energy that powers the Sun. |
| sunspot | A dark, cooler patch on the Sun’s surface caused by intense magnetic activity. |
| solar flare | A sudden, violent explosion of radiation from the Sun's surface. |
| prominence | A huge, glowing loop of gas that extends outward from the Sun's surface into its atmosphere. |
| terrestrial planet | A compact, rocky planet like Earth, Venus, Mars, or Mercury. |
| astronomical unit | A unit of distance equal to the average gap between Earth and the Sun (about 93 million miles). |
| gas giant | A massive planet made mostly of hydrogen and helium, like Jupiter or Saturn. |
| planetary ring | A disk-shaped band of rocks, ice, and dust that orbits a planet. |
| dwarf planet | A round object that orbits the Sun but isn't large enough to have "cleared its neighborhood" of other debris (like Pluto). |
| Kuiper Belt | A giant "donut" of icy objects beyond Neptune's orbit. |
| Kuiper Belt object | Any object (like a comet or dwarf planet) located within the Kuiper Belt. |
| comet | Any object (like a comet or dwarf planet) located within the Kuiper Belt. |
| Oort cloud | A massive, spherical shell of icy bodies that surrounds the very outer edge of our solar system. |
| asteroid | A small, rocky object orbiting the Sun, mostly found in the belt between Mars and Jupiter |
| meteoroid | A small piece of rock or metal traveling through space. |
| meteor | The bright streak of light (a "shooting star") seen when a meteoroid burns up in Earth's atmosphere. |
| meteorite | A piece of space rock that survives the trip through the atmosphere and actually hits the ground. |
Created by:
Walter Daniels
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