OL-Space-Physics

Orbit

The gravitational path of one body around another, such as the Earth around the Sun.

Elliptical orbit

An orbit that is oval-shaped, where the distance from the Sun varies.

Orbital speed

The average speed at which a planet or other celestial body travels along its orbit.

Time Period

The time taken to complete one full orbit around another body.

Solar System

A collection of celestial bodies, including the Sun, planets, moons, asteroids, and comets that are bound by gravity.

Asteroid

A small rocky body that orbits the Sun, found primarily in the asteroid belt.

Meteoroid

A small rock or particle from space that enters the Earth's atmosphere.

Comet

A celestial body made of ice, dust, and rocky material that, when close to the Sun, displays a visible atmosphere and sometimes a tail.

Gravity

A force that attracts two bodies towards each other, dependent on their mass and the distance between them.

Black hole

A region in space where the gravitational pull is so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape from it.

Nebula

A large cloud of gas and dust in space, often a site for star formation.

Life cycle of a star

The progression of stages that a star goes through from its formation to its end.

Hydrogen fusion

The process by which hydrogen nuclei combine under extreme temperature and pressure to form helium, releasing energy.

Red shift

The phenomenon where light from a source moving away from an observer shifts toward longer wavelengths, indicating the source's velocity.

Milky Way Galaxy

The galaxy that contains our Solar System, characterized by its spiral shape.

Main sequence star

A phase in a star's life cycle where it fuses hydrogen into helium in its core, generating energy to counteract gravitational collapse.

Supernova

A powerful and luminous explosion of a star, marking the end of its life cycle.

Neutron star

A very dense star made mostly of neutrons, usually a remnant of a supernova.

Doppler effect

The change in frequency or wavelength of a wave in relation to an observer moving relative to the wave source.

Light-year

The distance that light travels in one year, used to measure astronomical distances.