Astronomy Vocab 2nd Half

Periodic rise and fall of sea level caused by the gravitational attraction among Earth, the Moon, and the Sun.

• Season

• Vernal Equinox

• Tide

• Meteor

Point in a planet’s orbit where it is closest to the Sun

• Perigee

• Perihelion

• Meteor

• Synchronous Rotation

Occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun and the Moon casts a shadow on Earth, blocking Earth’s view of the Sun.

• Partial Eclipse

• Total Eclipse

• Solar Eclipse

• Lunar Eclipse

Streak of light produced when a meteoroid falls toward Earth and burns up in Earth’s atmosphere.

• Meteor

• Comet

• Perihelion

• Season

Describes the state at which the Moon’s orbital and rotational periods are equal.

• Synchronous Rotation

• Solar Eclipse

• Tide

• Precession

Short-term period of climatic change caused by regular variations in temperature, hours of daylight, and weather patterns that are due to the tilt of Earth’s axis.

• Synchronous Rotation

• Tide

• Meteor

• Season

Closest point in the Moon’s elliptical orbit to Earth.

• Perigee

• Season

• Precession

• Apogee

Occurs when the sun is directly overhead at 23.5’ south latitude, around December 21, and results in the minimum number of daylight hours for the northern hemisphere.

• Winter Solstice

• Summer Solstice

• Autumnal Equinox

• Vernal Equinox

Wobble in Earth’s rotational axis.

• Tide

• Perigee

• Precession

• Barycenter

Occurs only during a full moon, when Earth passes between the Sun and the Moon, and Earth’s shadow falls on the Moon.

• Partial Eclipse

• Lunar Eclipse

• Total Eclipse

• Solar Eclipse