Our planet

1. Half of the Earth divided by the equator or prime meridian.
5. A powerful tropical cyclone with winds of at least 74 mph (119 km/h).
8. A luminous sphere of plasma held together by gravity and powered by nuclear fusion.
9. The act of sending a spacecraft, missile, or rocket into the air or space.
12. The force that attracts objects toward the center of the Earth or any other massive body.
13. The movement of air from high-pressure to low-pressure areas.
14. A human-made object placed in orbit around Earth or another celestial body for purposes such as communication, weather monitoring, or scientific research.
15. Information or objects used to support or prove a claim or conclusion.

2. Also called the Blue planet.
3. A secular term used to denote years before the start of the Common Era (CE), equivalent to BC (Before Christ).
4. A line or surface that bends and changes direction gradually.
6. An event where one celestial body blocks the light from or to another celestial body.
7. A dark shape produced by an object blocking light.
8. The expanse of air and space visible above the Earth, appearing as a dome over the horizon.
10. The U.S. government agency responsible for space exploration, scientific discovery, and aeronautics research.
11. (In two words) One of the 24 regions of the Earth where the same standard time is used, each typically differing by one hour from adjacent zones.