Goal 3 Science VocabularyThird Grade

Sun, Moon, Stars

solar system

Planet

the sun and the objects that orbit around it

large body of rock or gas that orbits the sun

Constellation

sun

a group of stars that form a pattern

the center of the solar system, also a star

moon

star

Earth’s only natural satellite

a hot ball of glowing gases

elliptical

magnitude

magnitude of a solar eclipse

circular path, circular orbit

measurement of an eclipse

meteor

meteorite

A complete stone meteorite (L6 chondrite) recovered in McLennan County, Texas. This meteorite was part of the spectacular February 15,

2009 fireball filmed by a cameraman in Austin.

Streak of light or the path we see when a meteorite

passes through the earth’s atmosphere,

also known as a falling star

metal, rocks, and other debris found in the solar system that reaches the ground, can be large or

small

asteroid

comet

chunk of rock or metal that orbits the sun

large ball of ice and dust that orbits the

sun

opaque

transparent

light cannot shine through

light can shine through

translucent

orbit

light is filtered through

the path an object takes as it moves around

another object in space

reflection

rotation

bouncing of light off an object

spinning of an object on its axis

revolution

solar

movement of one object around another

object

of or about the sun

lunar

sundial

of or about the moon

measures time by the position of the sun

shadow

eclipse

created when an object is in the path of a direct light source

when one object moves into the shadow

of another

binoculars

telescope

axis

( tilt )

devices that help people see objects at a

distance

an imaginary line that goes through the North Pole and South Pole of

Earth

waxing

waning

                                                                                                                

  °.

phase of the moon during afternoon and

night hours

phase of moon during early morning and

morning hours

phase

craters

the illuminated part of the moon we see, the different shapes of the

moon

happens when one object impacts another

terminator

planisphere

an imaginary line that separates day and

night on earth

star chart