Space Vocabulary

2. a celestial object that orbits a planet or dwarf planet
3. object- any object that exists in space
5. a chunk of ice and dust that travels in a very long orbit around the Sun
8. the closed path of a celestial object or satellite as it travels around another celestial object
10. flare- gases and charged particles expelled above an active sunspot
11. prominence- low-energy gas eruptions from the Sun’s surface that extend thousands of kilometers into space
13. radius- the average distance between an object in the Solar System and the Sun
14. producing and giving off light; shining
16. force- the force of attraction between all masses in the Universe
17. a massive collection of gases, held together by its own gravity and emitting huge amounts of energy
19. radiation- energy emitted from matter, consisting of electromagnetic waves that travel at the speed of light

1. a large, round celestial object that travels around a star
4. spectrum- the range of wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation, extending from radio waves to gamma rays, and including visible light
6. unit- approximately 150 million kilometers; the average distance from the Earth to the Sun
7. the scientific study of what is beyond Earth
9. dark spots appearing on the Sun’s surface that are cooler than the area surrounding them
11. System- the Sun and all the objects that travel around it
12. borealis- a display of shifting colours in the northern sky caused by solar particles colliding with the matter in Earth’s upper atmosphere
15. everything that exists, including all energy, matter, and space
16. a huge, rotating collection of gas, dust, and billions of stars, planets, and other celestial objects
18. planet- a celestial object that orbits the Sun and has a spherical shape but does not dominate its orbit