| Term | Definition |
|---|
| Geocentric Model | Earth centered model where earth is at the center of planets and stars |
| Heliocentric Model | Sun centered model of solar system |
| Ptolemy | Alexandrian astronomer who proposed a geocentric system of astronomy that was undisputed for a long time |
| Nicholas Copernicus | Stated the first heliocentric theory, but flawed because he did not have evidence |
| Tycho Brahe | Danish mathematician who worked as an astronomer for 20 years |
| Johannes Kepler | German astronomer who first stated laws of planetary motion |
| Galileo Galilei | Italian astronomer and mathematician who was the first to use a telescope to study the stars |
| Solar System | The Sun with the celestial bodies that revolve around it in its gravitational field |
| Sun | Star at the center of the Solar System |
| Core | Central part of the Sun where nuclear fusion starts |
| Radiation Zone | Region of very tightly packed gas where energy is transferred mainly in the form of electromagnetic radiation |
| Convection Zone | Outermost layer of the Sun's interior that forms gas loops |
| Photosphere | Intensely luminous surface of the Sun |
| Chromosphere | A gaseous layer of the Sun's atmosphere extending from the Photosphere to the Corona that is visible during a total eclipse of the Sun |
| Corona | Outermost region of the Sun's atmosphere |
| Sunspots | Relatively cool spots on the Sun's surface |
| Prominences | Reddish loops of gas |
| Solar Flares | Storm on the sun that shows up as a bright burst of light on the Sun's surface |
| Solar Wind | A stream of protons moving radially from the Sun |
| Terrestrial Planets | 4 planets that are close to the Sun and have rocky surfaces |
| Outer Planets | 4 gas giants and Pluto |
| Mercury | The smallest planet and the nearest to the Sun |
| Venus | Second planet from the sun and the closest planet to Earth in size and density and has a high-pressure carbon dioxide atmosphere |
| Earth | Third planet from the Sun where life exists |
| Mars | Fourth planet from the Sun where liquid water may have existed |
| Jupiter | Largest planet and the fifth from the Sun with the most moons |
| Saturn | Sixth planet from the Sun which is surrounded by three planar concentric rings of ice particles |
| Uranus | Seventh planet from the Sun that rotates in an abnormal position |
| Neptune | Eighth planet from the Sun that is very windy |
| Pluto | Dwarf planet that is the farthest from the Sun and revolves in an egg-shaped orbit |
| Comet | Relatively small extraterrestrial body consisting of a frozen mass that travels around the sun in a highly elliptical orbit |
| Nucleus | Frozen center of a comet |
| Coma | Luminous cloud of particles surrounding the nucleus of a comet |
| Tail | Streak of gas and dust that is part of a comet |
| Asteroid | Small celestial body composed of rock and metal that moves around the Sun |
| Mars and Jupiter | The location of most asteroids |
| Meteoroid | Small extraterrestrial body that is the remains of a comet or asteroid |
| Meteor | Small extraterrestrial body that hits the Earth's atmosphere but cannot make it down to Earth's surface |
| Meteorite | Stony or metallic object that is the remains of an object that has reached the Earth's surface |
| Goldilocks Conditions | Liquid water, oxygen, and a suitable temperature |
| Dried Rivers | What could have once supported life on Mars |
| Europa | Moon of Jupiter that may have liquid water |
Combine with other sets
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