Astronomy Crossword (November 2022)

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Across
  1. 1. Astronomical name for the Moon.
  2. 4. 13 of the IAU's 88 recognized groupings of stars; term also used in astrology.
  3. 6. Astronomical object; only about 4,000 are visible to the naked eye at night and only one by day.
  4. 7. A minor planet of the inner Solar System, often characterized as rocky, metallic or icy bodies. One is credited with killing off the dinosaurs and spacecraft in September was purposively crashed into one.
  5. 9. An _________ Unit is the distance between the Earth and the Sun; averages about 93 million miles.
  6. 11. Composed of only two main stars, _______ Minor is the smallest of the 88 star groupings. You might think of it as still a puppy.
  7. 14. 21% of the air we breathe is composed of this gaseous element; the name is often synonymous with air.
  8. 17. 78% of the air we breathe is composed of this gaseous element.
  9. 18. From 1930 to 2006, this was considered our Solar System's ninth planet.
  10. 19. Astronomical event that occurs when an astronomical object or spacecraft is temporarily obscured by the passing into shadow of another body or having another body pass between it and the viewer. Solar and lunar versions are the most common.
  11. 21. Largest planet in the solar system, noted for its great red spot; it is one of the Solar System's two gas giants.
  12. 24. The closest planet to the Sun in our solar system.
  13. 26. Any grouping of stars that can be considered a recognized image in the sky. Both the Big and Little Dipper are examples.
Down
  1. 2. Term used to describe the entire expanse of outer space.
  2. 3. One of the 88 star groupings recognized by the International Astronomical Union (IAU); 44 groupings can be found in the Northern Hemisphere and 44 groupings can be found in the Southern Hemisphere.
  3. 5. The farthest known planet in Solar System; it is the only one of the eight planets to be first found by mathematic calculation rather than by telescopic observation.
  4. 8. Known for its series of rings, it has 83 known moons orbiting it and it the other gas giant.
  5. 10. Commonly called shooting or falling stars, they often give off a streak of light in the sky as they pass through our atmosphere.
  6. 12. Astronomical name for the Sun.
  7. 13. A _______ year is used to express astronomical distances; it is 5.88 trillion miles.
  8. 15. A gravitationally bound system of stars, interstellar gas, dust and dark matter. The Milky Way is the one we resided in.
  9. 16. Often considered Earth's sister planet.
  10. 20. Astronomical object; originally, these were called "wandering stars" or planetes asteres in Greek.
  11. 22. The Solar system planet you presently live on.
  12. 23. One of the Solar System's two ice giants; it has the coldest planetary atmosphere in the Solar System at -371°F.
  13. 24. Often called the "Red Planet", it the last of the four terrestrial planets.
  14. 25. An icy, small solar system body that releases gas when its approaches the Sun; Halley is the most famous example.