Exploration

2. Planet A round object that orbits the Sun and is massive enough to be spherical, but has not cleared other objects out of its orbital path (such as Ceres or Pluto).
5. Shower An event where many meteors streak across the night sky in a short period because Earth passes through a trail of comet or asteroid debris.
6. A relatively small, rocky, or metallic body that orbits the Sun, mostly found between Mars and Jupiter.
7. Belt A doughnut-shaped region located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter that contains millions of asteroids.
8. A small, icy body that releases gas and dust (forming a glowing "tail") when it gets close to the Sun.
10. A streak of light in the night sky ("shooting star") produced when a meteoroid burns up inside Earth's atmosphere.

1. A tiny building block of rock and dust that joined together in the early solar system to form planets and asteroids.
3. The layer of loose, fragmented rock and dust covering the surface of an asteroid, moon, or planet.
4. A piece of rock or metal from space that survives its trip through the atmosphere and lands on the ground.
9. A small chunk of rock or metal moving through outer space.