Asteroid Alert! Vocabulary

Front

What is a large, bowl-shaped hole in the ground usually caused by explosions or impacts?

Back

Crater

Front

What is a rocky object that orbits the Sun?

Back

Asteroid

Front

What is an object in space with an orbit that will bring it close to Earth?

Back

Near-Earth object (NEO)

Front

Which term describes a large, spherical object in space that orbits a star and is large enough that its gravity clears other objects from its orbit?

Back

Planet

Front

What is the curved path a planet or object takes as it travels through space?

Back

Orbit

Front

What is a small rocky or metallic body in outer space that can become a meteor when it enters the Earth's atmosphere?

Back

Meteorite

Front

What is a celestial object made of ice, dust, and rocky particles that orbits the Sun?

Back

Comet

Front

What is the term for the region of space where most asteroids are found, located between Mars and Jupiter?

Back

Asteroid Belt

Front

What is the term for a celestial object that is not a planet, star, or moon, and can be made of rock or metal?

Back

Asteroid

Front

What is the name of the force that keeps planets in orbit around the Sun?

Back

Gravity