Week 20 & 21 Vocabulary - Objects in Solar System

A yellow dwarf star at the center of our solar system, made up of hot, ionized gas called plasma, and the primary source of energy for life on Earth.

• Sun

• Moon

• Meteor

• Comet

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

NGSS.MS-ESS1-2

A naturally-formed body that orbits a planet, dwarf planet, or other non-star object. Known as natural satellites.

• Sun

• Moon

• Meteor

• Comet

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

A small particle from space that burns up as it enters Earth's atmosphere, often seen as a shooting star.

• Sun

• Moon

• Meteor

• Comet

An icy, rocky body that sometimes orbits the sun, often with a gas halo and tail. As it moves towards the sun, the heat melts the ice and dust, creating a bright tail.

• Sun

• Moon

• Meteor

• Comet

A large rocky object that orbits the sun, usually found in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Larger than a meteor or comet but smaller than a planet.

• Asteroid

• Moon

• Meteor

• Comet

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

What is the Kuiper Belt?

• A large rocky object that orbits the sun, usually found in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Larger than a meteor or comet but smaller than a planet. Asteroids are among the most ancient

• A spherical shell of icy objects that surrounds our solar system, extending from 5,000 to 100,000 astronomical units (AU) from the Sun.

• A doughnut-shaped region of icy bodies beyond Neptune to nearly 1,000 astronomical units (AU) from the sun. Made up of small, icy bodies including the dwarf planet Pluto.

• The average distance from the Earth to the Sun, about 93 million miles or about 149,600,000 kilometers. Used to measure distances within our solar system.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

What is the Oort Cloud?

• A large rocky object that orbits the sun, usually found in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Larger than a meteor or comet but smaller than a planet. Asteroids are among the most ancient

• A spherical shell of icy objects that surrounds our solar system, extending from 5,000 to 100,000 astronomical units (AU) from the Sun.

• A doughnut-shaped region of icy bodies beyond Neptune to nearly 1,000 astronomical units (AU) from the sun. Made up of small, icy bodies including the dwarf planet Pluto.

• The average distance from the Earth to the Sun, about 93 million miles or about 149,600,000 kilometers. Used to measure distances within our solar system.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

An OUTER gas giant planet like Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, or Neptune, which are large and mostly made of gas. Outside of the asteroid belt.

• Jovian Planet

• Terrestrial Planet

An INNER rocky planet like Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. These planet orbits are inside the asteroid belt.

• Jovian Planet

• Terrestrial Planet

The average distance from the Earth to the Sun, about 93 million miles or about 149,600,000 kilometers. Used to measure distances within our solar system.

• 1 Astronomical Unit (AU)

• 1 Astronomical Distance (AD)

• 1 Astrophysical Unit (AU)

• 1 Astronomical Length (AL)

Answer explanation

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3