Astronomy Flashcards

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Asteroid

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A small, rocky body orbiting the Sun, mostly found in the asteroid belt.

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Asteroid Belt

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A region between Mars and Jupiter containing numerous asteroids.

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Comet

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A small icy body that develops a glowing tail when near the Sun.

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Copernicus

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An astronomer who developed the heliocentric model of the solar system, placing the Sun at the center.

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Dwarf Planet

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A celestial body that orbits the Sun but has not cleared its orbit of other debris (e.g., Pluto).

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Earth

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The third planet from the Sun, known for supporting life due to its atmosphere and liquid water.

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Eccentricity

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A measure of how stretched out an orbit is; an orbit with high eccentricity is more elongated.

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Elliptical Orbit

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The oval-shaped path that planets follow around the Sun.

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Exoplanet

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A planet that orbits a star outside our solar system.

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Gas Giants (Jovian)

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The large outer planets with thick atmospheres of hydrogen and helium, like Jupiter and Saturn.