Astronomy Vocabulary

2. a sudden intense explosion of energy and radiation from the surface of the Sun
7. a large celestial body that orbits a star is spherical and has cleared its orbital path
8. an eclipse event where Earth passes directly between the Sun and the Moon casting its shadow on the Moon
16. the process where hydrogen nuclei join together to form helium releasing massive amounts of energy
17. a celestial body that orbits the Sun and is round but has not cleared its orbital path
18. a massive shining sphere of hot gas that generates its own light and heat through nuclear fusion
20. a tide with the smallest difference between high and low water occurring during quarter moon phases
21. the layer of the Sun where energy travels outward through electromagnetic radiation
22. a vast cloud of interstellar gas and dust where new stars often form
23. a large cool star that expands near the end of its life after running out of hydrogen in its core
24. stellar property that determines the color of a star
25. Occurs twice a year when the Sun reaches its highest or lowest point in the sky, marking the longest and shortest days.
26. the central layer of the Sun where nuclear fusion generates energy
27. a tide with the largest difference between high and low water occurring during new and full moons

1. a cooler dark area on the surface of the Sun caused by magnetic activity
3. the actual brightness of a star measured from a fixed standard distance
4. Occurs twice a year when the Sun crosses the celestial equator, meaning day and night are of nearly equal length.
5. a measurement equal to the average distance between Earth and the Sun
6. the small hot dense remnant left behind after a medium-mass star runs out of fuel
9. The spinning of Earth on its axis, which causes day and night.
10. an event where the Moon passes directly between Earth and the Sun blocking sunlight from Earth
11. Numerical facts, figures, and other information gathered through observations or experiments.
12. a large bright loop of gas that extends outward from the Sun surface along magnetic field lines
13. the layer of the Sun where hot plasma rises and cool plasma sinks in circulating currents
14. The attractive force between any two objects with mass; what holds the solar system together.
15. the magnitude of a star as it appears from Earth
19. the primary diagonal band on the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram where stars spend most of their lives fusing hydrogen
23. The motion of one body around another, like the Earth orbiting the Sun.