Space vocabulary

A rocky or metallic object that orbits the sun and is much smaller than a planet

• star

• asteroid

• moon

• planet

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

A celestial body that consist primarily of ice and dust and often develops a long tail

• asteroid

• moon

• galaxy

• comet

A large collection of stars, gases, and dust that are part of the universe bound together by gravitational forces

• galaxy

• solar system

• planet

• star

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-2

Dark rock that does not have any light of its own

• comet

• asteroid

• moon

• star

A large body in space that orbits a star and does not produce its own light

• star

• comet

• galaxy

• planet

When one object orbits another

• revolution

• rotation

• star

• comet

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-2

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

Spins in a direction around an imaginary line called an axis

• star

• asteroid

• rotation

• revolution

A star and all the planets and other bodies that orbit it

• solar system

• galaxy

• asteorid

• comet

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-2

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

A large object in space that is made of gas and produces its own light

• comet

• moon

• star

• planet