Astronomy - Terms

Asteroid Belt

A region of space between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter where most of the asteroids in our solar system are found orbiting the sun

Asteroids

Small rocky bodies that orbit the sun, known as leftover building blocks; much smaller than planets

Astronomical Unit (A. U.)

an astronomical unit used to measure things within the solar system, 1 AU is defined as the average distance from earth to the sunn (apx 93mil miles)

Astronomy

The scientific study of the universe beyond Earth’s atmosphere including stars, planets, galaxies and black holes.

Aurora Borealis

A colorful natural light show in the sky caused by charged particles from the sun (solar wind) hitting earths atmosphere. The particles are directed by Earths magnetic field toward the poles, where it collides with gases that excite atoms and cause them to release energy in the form of light.

Big Bang Theory

The theory that our unvierse started from a hot, tiny dense point and expands as it collides with other things eventually creating asteroids, planets and moons

Black hole

A place in space where the gravitational pull is so powerful that nothing can escape, not even light. It is strong because matter has been squeezed into a tiny space, can happen when a star is dying. Black holes are invisible.

Celestial Objects

Any natural things in space lke stars, planets, moons, asteroids, comets, galaxies that aren’t man made.

Comets

A celestial object consisting of a nucleus of ice and dust, orbit the sun; when near the sun it lets out gas and dust particles pointing away from the sun; ice melt to gas