Astronomy and Earth Science Glossary Terms

Key vocabulary flashcards for elementary astronomy and Earth science concepts based on glossary definitions.

Sun

The star closest to Earth

rotate

To turn or spin

axis

An imaginary line through Earth from the North Pole to the South Pole

day/night cycle

The repeating pattern of day and night that occurs every 24 hours

telescope

A tool that uses lenses and mirrors to make far away objects look larger and closer

Rover

a vehicle that lands on other planets to collect data

Probe

a tool used to collect samples from deep space

Reflect

To bounce back off a surface

New Moon

the phase of the Moon when it cannot be seen from Earth

Moon phases

the apparent shapes of the moon in the sky

Full Moon

when the moon looks like a whole circle from earth

Constellation

a group of stars that looks like a picture in the sky