space!

2. WAY The galaxy containing our solar system, named for its appearance as a dim glowing band in the sky.
5. The star at the center of our solar system that provides energy to Earth.
7. The force that pulls objects toward each other and keeps planets in orbit around the sun.
8. A high-powered tool used by astronomers to see distant objects in the sky.
11. A streak of light in the sky produced by a burning meteoroid entering Earth's atmosphere.
12. A large, glowing ball of gas that generates light and heat through nuclear fusion.
13. An icy body that releases gas or dust, often forming a long tail when passing near the sun.
14. A person who is trained to travel in a spacecraft and work in outer space.
16. A rocky object that orbits the sun, mostly found in a belt between Mars and Jupiter.
17. The largest planet in our solar system, famous for its Great Red Spot and many moons.

1. HOLE A region of space where gravity is so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape.
2. The fourth planet from the sun, known as the Red Planet due to iron oxide on its surface.
3. The path one celestial body takes as it revolves around another in space.
4. Everything that exists, including all matter, energy, planets, stars, and galaxies.
6. The sixth planet from the sun, known for its extensive and bright ring system.
7. A massive system of stars, gas, and dust held together by gravitational attraction.
9. The explosion of a star that has reached the end of its life, briefly outshining an entire galaxy.
10. A large, rocky or gaseous body that orbits a star and has cleared its neighborhood of debris.
11. A natural satellite that orbits a planet, often visible in the night sky by reflected sunlight.
15. YEAR The distance light travels in one year, used to measure vast stretches of space.