Big Bang
The initial explosion that resulted in the formation and expansion of the universe
black hole
An object in space whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape.
blue shift
the displacement of the spectrum to shorter wavelengths in the light coming from distant celestial objects moving toward the observer.
Lightyear
the distance light travels in a year
Nebula
A large cloud of dust and gas in space
neutron star
A star that has collapsed under its own gravity
nuclear fusion
a nuclear reaction in which atomic nuclei of low atomic number fuse to form a heavier nucleus with the release of energy.
planetary nebula
a ring-shaped nebula formed by an expanding shell of gas around an aging star.
Protostar
A contracting cloud of gas and dust with enough mass to form a star
red shift
the change in the wavelength of light due to an object moving away from the observer.
Supernova
A gigantic explosion in which a massive star collapses and throws its outer layers into space
white dwarf
A small, hot, dim star that is the leftover center of an old star
asteriod
a solid, rocky and/or metallic body that independently orbits the sun.
comet
A ball of frozen dust and rock that orbits the sun and has a tail that glows
Doppler effect
An observed change in the frequency of a wave when the source or observer is moving
electromagnetic
All of the frequencies or wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation
Frequency
the number of complete wavelengths that pass a point in a given time
gas giants
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
Gravity
A force of attraction between objects that is due to their masses.
Meteoroid
A chunk of rock or dust in space
meteor
A streak of light in the sky produced by the burning of a meteoroid in Earth's atmosphere.
terrestrial planets
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars
solar system
sun, planets, and all the other objects that revolve around the sun