Astronomy: English Vocabulary List

a branch of biology that deals with the study of life in space

"Astrobiology studies space."

"Astrobiology explores the possibility of life on other planets within our solar system and beyond."

related to the universe and the vast space outside the earth

"The cosmic dust settled."

"The cosmic radiation from outer space is constantly bombarding the earth but our atmosphere protects us from most of its harmful effects."

the complete and round-shaped moon as seen from the earth

"See the full moon."

"The full moon illuminated the forest path making it easy to hike without flashlights."

the moon when only half of its bright surface can be seen from the earth

"A half-moon is visible."

"The half moon hung in the evening sky looking like someone had cut it perfectly."

the moon when only a small portion of its bright side is visible from the earth

"It is new moon."

"During the new moon the sky is extremely dark making it ideal for stargazing."

the explosion that, according to most scientists, caused the existence of the universe

"The big bang started everything."

"According to the big bang theory, the universe began from an extremely hot and dense point billions of years ago."

the universe, particularly when it is thought of as a systematic whole

"The cosmos is very mysterious."

"Looking at the stars at night reminds us how small we are compared to the vast and beautiful cosmos around us."

any natural object in the space, such as the sun, moon, etc.

"The moon is a celestial body."

"A telescope allows you to observe celestial bodies like planets stars and distant galaxies clearly."

a pale band of light seen in the sky at night that contains the solar system and billions of other stars

"Our solar system is in the Milky Way."

"The Milky Way appears as a hazy band of light arching across a dark night sky."

(astronomy) the celestial zone in the sky where the sun, moon, and planets appear to move, traditionally divided into twelve equal segments, each associated with a distinct name and symbol

"The zodiac has twelve signs."

"Astrologers believe that the position of celestial bodies within the zodiac at birth influences personality traits."

an object in space that is a mass of ice and dust and when it nears the sun it starts illuminating in the shape of a tail

"A comet appeared in the sky."

"Astronomers observed a bright comet with a long, glowing tail streaking across the night sky."

a planet that is outside the solar system

"An exoplanet orbits another star."

"The discovery of an exoplanet in the habitable zone of its star has generated significant scientific interest."

a piece of rock coming from outer space that passes through the Earth's atmosphere, producing light

"A meteor burned up brightly."

"We watched a brilliant meteor streak across the darkness, a fleeting visitor from outer space."

a piece of rock or metal from space that has hit the surface of the earth

"A meteorite fell from sky."

"The meteorite crashed into the desert leaving a large crater visible from space."

a glowing cloud of gas and dust in outer space, often the result of a star explosion or formation

"A nebula is a cloud."

"The Hubble telescope captured stunning images of a colorful nebula where new stars are being born."

an exploding star that as a result is emitting a very large amount of light, more than the sun

"A supernova can outshine a galaxy."

"A supernova is the cataclysmic death of a star"

a US government agency responsible for space travel and the study of space

"NASA sends rockets into space."

"NASA's Perseverance rover is currently exploring the surface of Mars for signs of ancient life."

an astronaut from Russia or the former Soviet Union

"A cosmonaut is Russian."

"A cosmonaut is Russia's term for an astronaut"

(of a spacecraft or aircraft) to leave the ground, particularly vertically

"The rocket will lift off soon."

"The space shuttle lifted off from the launch pad exactly on schedule for its mission to the International Space Station."

a vehicle designed and used to go to space and return multiple times

"The space shuttle flew to orbit."

"The space shuttle carried astronauts and equipment into orbit for scientific research missions."

a mysterious object that some people claim to have seen flying around in the sky and assume that it is a spaceship from another world

"They saw an UFO."

"The pilot reported an unidentified flying object moving silently across the night sky."

having or seeming to have no or little weight, caused by the absence of gravity

"The object is weightless in water."

"The astronauts felt weightless as soon as their spacecraft left the Earth's atmosphere and entered the dark space."

the earth's atmosphere and the space beyond it

"Space is in aerospace."

"The development of advanced technology is crucial for future exploration in the aerospace industry."

having a connection to or originating in the Earth's atmosphere

"The atmospheric pressure dropped."

"The atmospheric conditions were perfect for stargazing because there were no clouds and the air was clear and dry."

(of the sun or moon) to go out of sight below the horizon

"The sun will go down soon."

"We watched the sun go down over the ocean, painting the sky with vibrant colors."

a specific group of stars that form a pattern and have a name related to their shape

"Orion is a constellation."

"Ancient cultures often named constellations based on mythological figures or animals they resembled."

a star that is relatively small in size or mass and is not very bright

"That star is a dwarf."

"Astronomers discovered a peculiar dwarf star emitting unusual radio signals from a distant galaxy."

an operation carried out in space

"The space mission was successful."

"The ambitious space mission aims to explore the outer reaches of our solar system and search for extraterrestrial life."

the central point or line around which an object turns

"The earth spins on its axis."

"The planet's rotation on its axis is responsible for the cycle of day and night experienced by its inhabitants."

a single complete circular movement around an axis or along an orbit

"The Earth's rotation is constant."

"Earth's rotation on its axis causes the sun to appear to rise in the east."