The Solar System and Beyond

Home > Flashcards > Print Preview


  1. rotation
    Earth spinning around its axis.
  2. orbit
    Earth moves around the Sun in a regular, curved path called this.
  3. revolution
    The movement of Earth around the Sun.
  4. lunar highlands
    Mountainous areas of the Moon
  5. maria
    smooth, dark regions on the Moon that formed when lava flowed onto the Moon's surface.
  6. Eclipse
    event that occurs when the Moon moves between the Sun and Earth or when Earth moves between the Sun and th Moon and casts a shadow.
  7. Tides
    alternate rise and fall of sea level caused by the gravitational attractions of the Moon and Sun.
  8. Astronomincal Unit
    a unit of measure equal to the distance from Earth to the Sun or about 150 million km
  9. Comet
    large body of ice and rock that orbits the Sun; a comet develops a bright, glowing tail as it nears the Sun.
  10. Meteorite
    Any rock from space that survives its plunge through the atmosphere and lands on Earth's surface.
  11. Solar System
    The nine planets and numerous other objects that orbit the Sun, all held in place by the Sun's gravity.
  12. Constellation
    group of stars that forms a pattern in the sky.
  13. galaxy
  14. Light Year
    About 9.5 trillion km -- the distance that light travvels in one year.
  15. Supernova
    Very bright explosion of a supergiant that takes places after its core collapses.

Card Set Information

The Solar System and Beyond
2012-01-23 15:21:54
Speech Sounds Solar System Beyond

The Solar System and Beyond Vocab Cards
Show Answers:

What would you like to do?

Home > Flashcards > Print Preview