Our universe - science final

Celestial bodies

Natural objects found in space (stars, planets, moons, galaxies)

Stars

Huge balls of hot gas emitting their own light and energy through nuclear fusion

Planets

Objects that orbit a star

Moons

Natural satellites that orbit planets

Asteroids

Rocky objects found in the asteroid belt between mars and Jupiter

Comets

Objects made of rock, dust, and ice that develop a glowing tail when near the sun

Where do comets originate from?

In the outer solar system, they’re thrown inwards by gravitational disturbances

Coma

The tail of the comet made up of dust and gas

Meteor

A space rock that burns up in earths atmosphere

Meteorite

A space rock that reaches earths surface

Astronomy

The study of objects and phenomena in space

Astronomer

A scientist who studies space

Cosmology

The study of the origin, structure, and changes in the universe

Constellation

A group of stars that form a pattern in the sky

Solar prominence

Large spirals extended outwards into the corona

Sun spot

Where magnetic activity takes place

Solar flare

A huge variation of brightness on the sun’s surface

Corona

A low density cloud made up of plasma

Photosphere

A thin outer layer of gas surrounding the envelop

Solar envelop

Huge mass of circulating gas

Core

The inner most area of the sun (14 million degrees Celsius)

Solar winds

A stream of charged particles separating

Average star

Our sun is a medium sized star

Auroras

Light displays caused by solar wind interactions (northern/Southern lights)

Solar eclipse

When the moon moves between the earth and the sun blocking sunlight

Lunar eclipse

The earth moves between the moon and the sun causing a shadow of the moon

Facts about the moon

Order of the planets

Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune

What are the rocky (terrestrial) planets?

Mercury, Venus, earth, mars

What are the gas giants?

Jupiter and Saturn

What are the ice giants?

Uranus and Neptune

What is the hottest planet?

Venus

What is the largest planet?

Jupiter

What is the planet with the most rings?

Saturn

What is the stormiest planet?

Jupiter

What is the coldest planet?

Neptune

Big bang theory

The theory that the universe originated in a huge explosion that released all matter and energy

Life cycle of a star

All stars begin in a stellar nebula (cloud of gas and dust)

What is the process of an average star?

Stellar nebula-average star-red giant-planetary nebula-white dwarf

What is the process of a massive star?

Stellar nebula-massive star-red supergiant-supernova-neutron star/black hole

What is the main purpose of a telescope?

To gather light and form an image

How does the Hubble space telescope work?

It uses visible and some infrared light

Facts about the James Webb space telescope