the solar system vocabulary berg

The Solar System

By Mrs. Berg

Solar System

• noun    The sun and the celestial bodies that orbit the sun, including planets, satellites, asteroids, comets, dust, and gas.

Jupiter

• noun    1.  The fifth planet from the sun in the solar system. This is the largest planet in the Solar System.

• 2.  This planet is named after the Supreme god of the Romans in Roman mythology.

Mars

• noun    1.  In Roman mythology, this planet is named after the god of war.

• 2.  The fourth planet from the sun in the solar system. This planet is also known as the Red Planet.

Mercury

• noun    1.  This planet is named after the messenger of the gods (from Roman mythology). 2.  This planet is the closest planet to the sun.

Neptune

• noun    1.  The eighth planet from the sun in the solar system, except every 248 years when Pluto will be closer to the sun. 2.  This planet is named for the god of the sea in Roman mythology.

Pluto

• noun    Pluto is now called a dwarf planet. It was recently changed from a regular planet. It is the ninth planet in our solar system.

• It is named for the god of the underworld in Greek mythology.

Saturn

• noun    1.  The sixth planet from the sun in the solar system. This planet has two bright prominent rings. 2.  This planet is named for the god of agriculture and vegetation in Roman mythology.

Uranus

• noun    1.  The seventh planet from the sun in the solar system. This planet's blue color is the result of methane gas in the atmosphere. 2.  This planet is named for the god of the heavens and the father of the Titans in Greek mythology.

Venus

• noun    1.  In Roman mythology, this planet is named after the goddess of love and beauty. 2.  The second planet from the sun in the solar system. It has a diameter of about 7,500 miles and a dense, cloudy atmosphere.

asteroids

• noun    Any of numerous small celestial bodies composed of rock and metal that move around the sun (mainly between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter).  

Astronomical Unit

•    noun    A unit of length equal to the average distance from Earth to the sun (93 million miles).

93,000,000 miles

atmosphere

• noun    The mixture of gases that surrounds a planet.

axis

• noun    An imaginary line through the middle of a body or planet, through which that object spins.

comets

• noun    A relatively small, icy celestial body with a long tail of light that revolves around the sun.

gravity

• noun    The force by which a planet or other body tends to draw objects toward its center.

mass

• noun    The property of a body that causes it to have weight in a gravitational field.  

meteors

• noun    A piece of rock or metal from space that enters the earth's atmosphere at high speed and burns up.

moons

• noun    Any planet's natural satellite.

orbit

• noun    The curved path in which a planet, satellite, or spacecraft revolves around another body.

Geosynchronousorbit

low Earthorbit

Polar Orbit

eccentricorbit

planets

• noun    Any of the celestial bodies (other than comets or satellites) that revolve around the sun in the solar system.  

revolution

• noun    One complete circular movement made by one object around another object.

rings

• noun    circular bands that surround planets made up of space dust, ice, and other material. Saturn is known for its rings.

rotation

• noun    The act of turning on, or around, an axis. On Earth, this is equal to 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4 seconds.

sun

• noun    The star that all of the nine planets revolve around. It is the center of our solar system. It provides light and heat to all of the solar system.

temperature

• noun    A physical property that tells you how hot or cold matter is.