Solar System Crossword

1. A round object that orbits the Sun but has not cleared other objects out of its path.
5. The force that pulls objects toward each other. It keeps planets in orbit around the Sun.
7. An icy object that orbits the Sun and forms a glowing tail when it gets close to the Sun.
9. Known for its large ring system.
11. A meteoroid that survives its trip through the atmosphere and lands on Earth.
13. The four large gas planets furthest from the Sun: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
14. Known as the 'red planet'.
15. A small rock that orbits the Sun. It is smaller than an asteroid.
18. An object that orbits a planet.
19. Planet that rotates on its side.
21. The hottest planet.
23. The four rocky planets closest to the Sun: Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.
25. The largest planet.
26. A region between Mars and Jupiter where many asteroids orbit the Sun.
27. The smallest planet.

2. An imaginary line through the center of a planet that it spins around.
3. The number of planets in our solar system.
4. The Sun is mainly composed of this gas.
6. A large object that orbits the Sun, is round, and clears its path of debris.
8. A meteoroid that enters Earth’s atmosphere and burns up (a “shooting star”).
10. The Sun and all the objects that travel around it, including planets, moons, asteroids, and comets.
12. Planet furthest from the sun.
16. A doughnut shaped ring located beyond Neptune.
17. The only planet that supports life.
20. The spinning of a planet on its axis (causes day and night).
22. The only star in our solar system.
24. A small, rocky object that orbits the Sun, mostly found between Mars and Jupiter.