Astronomy Vocabulary

2. A vehicle propelled by the ejection of gas, used to travel into space.
4. The curved path that an object follows as it revolves around another object in space.
7. The movement of one object around another, usually in a circular path.
9. Bang Theory The scientific theory that the universe began as a singular point and expanded.
10. A small icy body that, when passing close to the Sun, develops a tail of gas and dust.
11. Space Telescope A telescope launched into space in 1990, providing detailed images of distant galaxies.
16. A large system of stars, gas, dust, and dark matter bound together by gravity.
18. Dwarf A small, dense star that is the remnant of a low or medium-mass star after it has exhausted its fuel.
20. Axis The imaginary line around which an object spins or rotates.
21. Planets The four planets closest to the Sun, including Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.
22. An artificial object that orbits a planet or other celestial body.
23. The blocking of light from one celestial body by another, such as a lunar or solar eclipse.
25. The time when the Sun is farthest from the equator, resulting in the longest or shortest day of the year.
26. A group of stars that form a recognizable pattern, often named after mythological figures.

1. Planets The planets farther from the Sun, including Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
3. Moon The phase of the Moon when it is fully illuminated from Earth’s perspective.
5. Space Station A large spacecraft where astronauts live and work in space, orbiting Earth.
6. The distance that light travels in one year, about 9.46 trillion kilometers.
8. A stretched-out circle or oval shape, like the orbit of the Earth.
12. Hole A region in space where gravity is so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape.
13. The time when day and night are of equal length.
14. Small rocky or metallic objects that travel through space before entering Earth's atmosphere.
15. A cloud of gas and dust in space, often a region where stars are born.
17. A small rocky body that orbits the Sun, mainly found in the asteroid belt.
19. Galaxy A galaxy with an elliptical shape, typically containing older stars and little gas.
22. Shuttle A reusable spacecraft used for traveling to and from space.
24. Galaxy A galaxy with a spiral shape, like the Milky Way.