Space basics
This term means natural events we can observe in space such as moon phases or eclipses
Astronomical phenomena
The changing appearance of the Moon as it orbits Earth
Lunar phases
Colorful natural lights seen in the night sky near the poles
Auroras
Icy space objects made of ice, dust, and rock that orbit the Sun
Comets
The most powerful explosions in the universe
Gamma ray bursts
Astronomical phenomena can be seen or detected in the sky, meaning they are...?
Observable
The Moon takes about this many days to complete one full cycle of phases
29-30 days
Auroras are also known by this name
Northern and southern lights
Comets are often nicknamed _________
"Dirty snowballs"
Powerful gamma ray bursts that could affect Earth happen about once every __________ years
10 000
These events are real, natural, and follow scientific rules
Natural and scientific events
What happens when the Moon blocks sunlight from reaching Earth?
Solar eclipse
Auroras are caused by particles coming from this object
The sun
A huge explosion that happens when a massive star dies
Supernova
The fast-spinning, super-dense leftovers of supernova explosions
Neutron stars
Astronomical phenomena help us understand how objects in space move and interact
Celestial mechanics
This happens when Earth’s shadow falls on the Moon
Lunar eclipse
Auroras usually happen near the poles because the_____________________ is strongest there
Magnetic field
A star that does not explode and becomes a dense leftover star instead
A white dwarf
Neutron stars are so dense that protons and electrons combine into__________
Neutrons
People have studied astronomical phenomena for this purpose, from ancient calendars to modern space travel
Understanding time and space exploration
The special alignment of the Sun, Moon, and Earth needed for eclipses
Syzygy
The Northern and Southern Lights are also called these two names
Aurora borealis and Aurora australis
What happens to stars that can't supernova?
They become a red giant and shed their layers to become a white dwarf
Faint radiation left over from the Big Bang that fills the universe
Cosmic microwave background