Planetary System Vocab

The planets spin on an axis

Revolution The Earth’s orbit

or movement around the Sun

Axis

• Imaginary line running from north to south

Angle of Insolation The angle at

which the Sun’s light hits the Earth

Spring Tide • The highest high tides and

the lowest low tides that occur during new & full moons

Neap Tides • The lowest high

tides & • highest

low tides that occur • during

quarter moons

Waxing

When the moon gains light

Waning•When the moon loses light

Gibbous•More than 50% of the moon is illuminated by the sun from earths view

Crescent • Less than 50% of the moon is illuminated by the sun from Earth’s view

Quarter• Exactly 50% of the Moon is illuminated by the Sun from Earth’s view

Full moon

• 100% of the Moon is illuminated by the Sun from Earth’s view

New m n

• 0% of the Moon is illuminated by the Sun from Earth’s view

Lunar eclipse

•When the Moon passes into the Earth’s shadow

Solar eclipse

•When the Earth passes into the Moon’s shadow

Galactic address

•The place in the universe which we live in, starting with the universe and working towards our house address

Gravity factor• The amount which gravity affects the mass of an object

Weight • The measurement of gravity’s effect on mass

How much would I weight on... • Earth: 105

• The Moon: 17.4• The Sun: 2842.5• Mercury: 39.6• Venus: 95.2• Mars: 39.5• Jupiter: 248.2• Saturn: 111.7• Uranus: 93.3• Neptune: 118.1• Pluto: 7