Solar System

Front

Solar System Noun

---

[soh-ler sis-tuhm]

Back

Solar System

---

The collection of the Sun and all objects gravitationally bound to it, including planets, moons, asteroids, and comets.

---

Example: This diagram shows the Moon orbiting the Earth, held in its path by the force of gravity, but it does not show the Solar System.

Front

Gravity Noun

---

[grav-i-tee]

Back

Gravity

---

A fundamental force of attraction between two objects with mass, responsible for keeping planets in orbit around stars.

---

Example: The force of gravity is a mutual attraction that pulls two objects with mass, like the Earth and the Moon, toward each other.

Front

Terrestrial Planet Noun

---

[tuh-res-tree-uhl plan-it]

Back

Terrestrial Planet

---

A planet composed primarily of silicate rocks or metals with a solid surface, like Earth, Mars, Venus, and Mercury.

---

Example: This infographic shows Mars, a rocky inner planet, and explicitly labels its type as 'terrestrial,' providing a clear example of this category.

Front

Dwarf Planet Noun

---

[dworf plan-it]

Back

Dwarf Planet

---

A celestial body orbiting the Sun that is massive enough to be spherical but has not cleared its orbital neighborhood.

---

Example: This image shows examples of dwarf planets, which are celestial bodies that orbit the Sun and are nearly round but have not cleared their orbital path.

Front

Asteroid Belt Noun

---

[as-tuh-roid belt]

Back

Asteroid Belt

---

A torus-shaped region in the Solar System, located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, containing many asteroids.

---

Example: This diagram shows the Main Asteroid Belt, a ring of rocky objects, is located in our solar system in the vast space between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.

Front

Gaseous Planet Noun

---

[gas-ee-uhs plan-it]

Back

Gaseous Planet

---

A large planet composed mainly of gases, such as hydrogen and helium, with a small rocky core.

---

Example: This image shows the four gaseous planets in our solar system—Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune—which are large planets composed mostly of gases.

Front

Orbit Noun

---

[or-bit]

Back

Orbit

---

The gravitationally curved path of an object around a point in space, such as a planet around a star.

---

Example: This diagram shows the Earth's elliptical orbit, which is the curved path it follows around the Sun due to gravity, including its closest and farthest points.

Front

Rotation Noun

---

[roh-tey-shuhn]

Back

Rotation

---

The circular movement of an object, such as a planet, spinning around its own central axis.

---

Example: The image shows the Earth spinning on its tilted axis, which is called rotation. This rotation causes different parts of the planet to face the Sun, creating day and night.

Front

Revolution Noun

---

[rev-uh-loo-shuhn]

Back

Revolution

---

The movement of one celestial body in an orbit around another, such as Earth's year-long journey around the Sun.

---

Example: This diagram shows the Earth's revolution, its year-long orbit around the Sun, which causes the seasons due to the planet's constant axial tilt.

Front

Solar Wind Noun

---

[soh-ler wind]

Back

Solar Wind

---

A continuous stream of charged particles, primarily electrons and protons, flowing outward from the Sun's upper atmosphere.

---

Example: This diagram shows the solar wind as a stream of particles flowing from the Sun and being deflected by Earth's magnetic field.