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Sun, Earth, and Moon

Earth’s Rotation Vocabulary

Sun Earth’s medium size star center of the solar system made of hydrogen and helium gases creates energy from nuclear fusion has an atmosphere

Earth 3rd planet from the sun Rocky “terrestrial planet” Has an atmosphere Sustains life

Moon A natural satellite for a planet Earth has one moon Visible by reflected light from the sun No atmosphere A lot of craters

Crater Bowl shaped indentions on the surface of a

planet, moon, or asteroid caused by a collision with another object

Satellite A body or object that revolves around a larger

body in space

Rotation = Ro “day” tion The spinning of the Earth on its axis 24 hours (1 day) Spins counter clockwise CAUSES Day and Night and the Sun to Appear to

Move across the Sky

Axis An imaginary line that passes through Earth’s

center at its North and South poles Axis is at a tilt

Day How long it takes the Earth to rotate; 24 hours

Shadow Shade cast upon a surface by something blocking

light, we see this due to Earth’s rotation. Morning and evening – shadows are the longest Noon – shadows are the shortest

Night The period between dusk and dawn. Facing away from the sun

Revolution To travel in a closed path around an object such

as the Earth does around the sun, (1 year, 365 days) Moon revolving around the Earth, (1 month)

orbit The path one object takes as it revolves around

another object in space

CompassDevice to determine directionN, S, E, W