Across
- 1. The galaxy that contains our Solar System. It's a spiral-shaped collection of stars.
- 4. The force that attracts objects toward each other, especially the pull of Earth that makes things fall.
- 7. The path an object takes as it moves around another object in space.
- 9. Higher high tides and lower low tides that occur when the Sun, Moon, and Earth are aligned in a straight line.
- 10. A small rocky object that orbits the Sun.
- 13. The angle at which a planet's axis is tilted compared to its orbit around the Sun.
- 14. The different times of the year (spring, summer, fall, winter) that have varying weather, caused by the Earth’s axial tilt as it orbits the Sun.
- 15. An imaginary line that a planet spins around. For Earth, this line goes through the North and South Poles.
- 17. A small piece of rock or dust when it hits the ground.
- 18. How heavy something is because of the gravitational pull on it.
- 19. Tiny particles of matter floating in space or on planets, moons, and other surfaces.
- 20. A moon that appears to get larger each night, from the new moon to full moon.
- 22. Everything that exists, including all galaxies, stars, planets, and space.
- 24. The star at the center of our solar system that provides light and heat to the planets.
- 26. Sunlight that hits the Earth at a shallow angle, making it weaker and cooler.
- 28. When the Earth moves between the Sun and the Moon, and the Earth's shadow falls on the Moon, making it look dark.
- 30. Half of the Earth, either Northern or Southern.
- 32. A natural object that orbits a planet.
Down
- 2. A moon that appears to get smaller each night, from the full moon to new moon.
- 3. The region around a star where conditions might be just right for life, not too hot or too cold, but just right.
- 5. The spinning of a planet around its axis.
- 6. The layer of gasses surrounding a planet or moon.
- 8. A huge group of stars, dust, gas, and other objects bound together by gravity.
- 11. Shaped like an oval or a slightly stretched circle.
- 12. The movement of an object in a circular or elliptical path around another object, one year.
- 16. A small icy object that orbits the Sun. When close to the Sun, it has a bright head and a tail that points away from the Sun.
- 17. The amount of matter in an object.
- 19. Sunlight that hits the Earth at a steep angle, making it stronger and warmer.
- 21. Substances like air that can spread out and fill any space available.
- 23. The different shapes of the visible part of the Moon from Earth, which change in a cycle every month.
- 25. When the Moon moves between the Earth and the Sun, blocking the Sun's light for a short time.
- 27. Tides with the least difference between high and low tides, which happen when the Sun and Moon are at right angles to each other.
- 29. A small piece of rock or dust that burns up when it enters Earth's atmosphere, often seen as a shooting star.
- 31. A large object that orbits a star (like our Sun) and doesn’t produce its own light.