Glosary

1. UNIT 1. THE UNIVERSE AND THE SOLAR SYSTEM. GLOSSARY
Geocentric Theory. A theory
that puts the Earth in the
central point of the universe
Heliocentric Theory.
A theory that puts the
Sun in the central point
of the universe.
Nicolaus Copernicus.
The scientist who posed
the Heliocentric theory.
Galileo Galilei. The scientist
who invented the telescope.
Constellation. A
group of stars that
forms a particular
pattern and has a
name.
Mythology. Stories
associated with the
constellations.
Astronomy. Science that
studies the universe.
Galaxy. A group of
stars, gas and dust.
Milky Way. The galaxy
where we live.
Nebula. Cloud of gas and dust. Planet. Celestial body
that goes around a
star.
Planet System. Group
of planets that go around
a star.
Solar System. Group of
planets that go around the Sun.
Satellite. Celestial
rocky body that goes
around a planet.
The Moon. The satellite
that rotates around the
Earth.
The Big-Bang Theory. The
theory that explains the origin
of the universe.
Light-year. Measure
unit of the universe.
The distance that light
travels in a year.
Astronomic Unit.
Measure unit of the
universe. The distance
between the sun and the
Earth.
Dwarf Planets. Celestial
bodies that go around the Sun.
In their orbits there are other
bodies.
Small Solar System
Bodies. Other bodies´
debris that go around
the Sun
Inner Planets. The four
planets nearest to the
Sun.
Outer Planets. The four
planets furthest from the Sun.
Asteroids. Bodies
made of rock that go
around the Sun. They
are in two belts. The
Asteroids Belt between
Mars and Jupiter and
the Kuiper belt.
Comets. Celestial
bodies made of rock and
ice. They are in the
Cloud of Oort (very far
from the Earth). When
they are near the Sun
they have a core and a
tail.
Orbit. The path travelled by an
object moving around another
one much bigger.
Rotation Movement.
The movement of
Earth turning around
itself.
Revolution Movement.
The movement of Earth
going around the Sun.
Mercury. The planet nearest
to the Sun.
Venus. The planet that
goes in the opposite
direction.
Earth. The planet where
there are living
creatures.
Mars. It is red. Jupiter. It is the
biggest and it has the
highest number of
satellites.
Saturn. It has rings
around itself.
Uranus. Its rotational axis is
almost horizontal.
Neptune. It is the
furthest planet from the
Sun.
Pluto. It is a dwarf
planet.