The Solar System Vocabulary

Astronomical Unit

• A unit of length that measures from the distance from Sun to the Mars

• A unit of length that measures from the distance from Earth to the Sun

• A unit of length that measures from the distance from Earth's moon to the Sun

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Dwarf Planet

• Any body that orbits the Sun

• A celestial body that meets three of four criteria that define a planet; a dwarf planet does not clear its orbit of other objects

• A celestial body that has a rocky surface

Nebula

• A cloud of gas and dust in space

• A type of star

• A type of galaxy

Nuclear Fusion

• a reaction in which one nuclei releases huge amounts of oxygen

• a reaction in which two nuclei come together, releasing huge amounts of light and heat

• A process where one nuclei combines with three other hydrogen nuclei

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-1

NGSS.HS-PS1-8

Solar System

• the Sun and all the objects that revolve around the Sun, held by the Sun’s gravity

• The Galaxy and all the objects that are inside of it

• The Sun and all the asteroids that revolve around it

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

NGSS.MS-ESS1-2

Inner planets

• the four solid, dense, rocky planets - Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars - located inside the asteroid belt of our solar system

• The four gas planets- Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune

• The group of asteroids that orbit around the Sun

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

year

• The time it takes for Earth to orbit the Sun

• The time it takes for a planet to orbit the Sun

• The time it takes a planet to rotate on its axis

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

gas giants

• the study of rocks, processes, and history of Earth

• The four smallest planets, which are composed of gases and rock

• the four large outer planets - Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune - which are composed of the gases hydrogen and helium

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

The Great Red Spot

• enormous, oval-shaped storm on Jupiter

• A large, circular crater on Mars

• A bright star in the night sky

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Planetary Rings

• A type of jewelry worn around the neck

• rings of dust and rock encircling a planet in a thin plane

• A type of celestial body made up of gas and dust

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-2

NGSS.MS-PS2-4