Astronomy
This word names the scientific study of stars, planets, and space
astronomy
The phase when the Moon is not visible from Earth because the side facing us is dark.
new moon
When the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth and blocks the Sun, it's called a _____ eclipse.
solar
The star at the center of our solar system.
sun
The event when a much smaller object travels across the face of a larger object as seen from a vantage point.
transit
A group of stars that make a pattern in the sky and often has a name (e.g., Big Dipper)
constellation
The phase when we see the whole lit side of the Moon.
When Earth comes between the Sun and the Moon and makes the Moon look dark, it's called a ____ eclipse.
lunar
A sudden burst of energy from the Sun that can send our particles and affect radio signals on Earth.
solar flare
A large cloud in space made of gas and dust where new stars can form; the word from the vocabulary means "a huge, spinning cloud of gas and dust.
nebula
The tool scientists use to look at faraway planets and stars from Earth.
telescope
The sequence of changes in the Moon's shape as seen from Earth (from new to full and back).
Moon phases
The special moment during a total solar eclipse when the Sun's outer atmosphere is visible
totality
The glowing outer layer of the Sun that can be seen during a total solar exclipse.
corona
Small pieces of rock or metal that travel through space; when they enter Earth's atmosphere and burn up, they can be seen as a streak of light
meteors
The path an object follows around a larger object in space (example: Earth's path around the Sun)
orbit
The phase halfway between new moon and full moon when half the Moon is lit and visible.
first quarter or last quarter
The bright ring sometimes seen around the Sun during a solar eclipse; it is the Sun's outer atmosphere called the ____
corona
A very strong explosion from the Sun that can look like a bright tongue or loop of light coming off the surface.
solar flare
The dark center part of a shadow where all light is excluded.
umbra
The imaginary line that shows how Earth leans as it spins; this tilt affects seasons
axis
The name for the Moon phase that comes right after a full moon when light begins to shrink.
waning gibbous
a person who is passionate about eclipses
umbraphile
the alignment of the Sun, Moon and Earth
syzygy
A huge group of stars, planets, gas, and dust that are all held together by gravity.
galaxy