Science, Topic 12 Vocabulary

A unit of distance equal to the average distance between Earth and the sun

• astronomical unit

• light-year

• spectrum

• solar system

One of the rocky objects revolving around the sun that is too small and numerous to be considered a planet

• asteroid

• meteoroid

• meteorite

• nebula

The brightness of a star as seen from Earth

• absolute age

• absolute brightness

• apparent brightness

• astronomical unit

The brightness a star would have if it were at a standard distance from Earth

• absolute brightness

• apparent brightness

• protostar

• visible light

The initial explosion that resulted in the formation and expansion of the universe

• meteor shower

• radiation

• supernova

• big bang

A loose collection of ice and dust that orbits the sun, typically in a long, narrow orbit.

• comet

• wavelength

• nebula

• protostar

The energy transferred through space by electromagnetic waves

• electromagnetic waves

• light-year

• electromagnetic radiation

• visible light

A huge group of single stars, star systems, star clusters, dust, and gas bound together by gravity

• nebula

• universe

• galaxy

• spectrum

The distance that light travels in one year, about 9.46 million kilometers

• light-year

• apparent brightness

• astronomical unit

• visible light

A chunk of rock or dust in space, generally smaller than an asteroid

• comet

• meteoroid

• planet

• dwarf planet