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C2 Level Wordlist - Astronomy

Here you will learn all the essential words for talking about Astronomy, collected specifically for level C2 learners.

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CEFR C2 Vocabulary
kuiper belt

a region beyond Neptune in the solar system containing icy objects like dwarf planets, asteroids, and comets

Ex: Pluto was once considered the ninth planet before its reclassification as a dwarf planet within the Kuiper Belt. 
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quasar
quasar
[noun]

a highly energetic celestial object emitting powerful radiation from the center of a galaxy, often associated with a supermassive black hole

Ex: Astronomers observed a distant quasar, providing insights into the early universe. 
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oort cloud

a distant, hypothetical region surrounding the solar system, thought to harbor icy bodies and comets

Ex: The Oort Cloud is a theorized reservoir of comets and icy bodies that extends far beyond the solar system. 
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corona
corona
[noun]

the outer layer of the Sun's atmosphere, observable as a plasma halo during a solar eclipse

Ex: During a total solar eclipse, the corona of the Sun becomes visible as a radiant halo around the moon. 
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ecliptic
ecliptic
[noun]

the apparent path that the Sun traces in the sky over the course of a year, which is also the plane of the Earth's orbit around the Sun

Ex: The ecliptic is the path along which the Sun appears to move through the sky over the course of a year. 
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parallax
parallax
[noun]

the apparent displacement or difference in the apparent position of an object when viewed along two different lines of sight, often used in astronomy to measure the distance of nearby stars

Ex: Astronomers use stellar parallax to measure the distances to nearby stars by observing their apparent shift against more distant background stars. 
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pulsar
pulsar
[noun]

a highly magnetized, rotating neutron star that emits beams of electromagnetic radiation from its magnetic poles

Ex: Pulsars were first discovered in 1967 by astronomers Jocelyn Bell Burnell and Antony Hewish. 
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astronomical unit

a unit of measurement equal to the average distance between the Earth and the Sun, approximately 149.6 million kilometers

Ex: An astronomical unit measures distances within our solar system. 
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parsec
parsec
[noun]

a unit of astronomical distance equivalent to about 3.26 light-years

Ex: Astronomers use parsec to measure distances to stars and galaxies. 
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cosmic ray

a high-energy particle, mainly originating from outside the Solar System, that travels through space at nearly the speed of light

Ex: Cosmic rays play a role in shaping the Earth's atmosphere and climate. 
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cosmic microwave background

(cosmology) the faint glow of radiation spreading through the universe, believed to be residual radiation from the Big Bang

Ex: The cosmic microwave background is remarkably uniform across the sky. 
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nebular hypothesis

(cosmology) a theory proposing that the solar system formed from a rotating nebula of gas and dust about 4.6 billion years ago

Ex: The nebular hypothesis suggests how our solar system formed. 
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Hubble constant

(cosmology) a measure of the rate at which the universe is expanding, determined from the observation of distant galaxies' recession velocities

Ex: The Hubble constant tells us how quickly the universe is expanding. 
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interstellar medium

the matter and radiation that exists in the space between stars within a galaxy

Ex: The interstellar medium is made up of gas, dust, and cosmic rays. 
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heliosphere

the space surrounding the Sun dominated by solar wind

Ex: Solar wind particles create the heliosphere's boundary. 
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cosmic dust

very small particles originally derived from stars, serving as raw material for forming planets, and existing between galaxies, stars, and other celestial bodies

Ex: Cosmic dust consists of tiny particles of matter floating in space, primarily composed of elements such as carbon, silicon, and iron. 
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meteoroid
meteoroid
[noun]

a small celestial body that becomes visible as a meteor upon entrance into the atmosphere of the earth

Ex: A meteoroid is a small rocky or metallic object in outer space that is significantly smaller than an asteroid and larger than a micrometeoroid. 
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inflation
inflation
[noun]

(cosmology) the rapid expansion of the universe following the Big Bang

Ex: Inflation is a theory explaining the universe's rapid expansion. 
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magnetic storm

a disruption in earth's magnetic field caused by solar activity, resulting in variations that can impact electronic systems and communications on earth

Ex: A magnetic storm, also known as a geomagnetic storm, is a disturbance in Earth's magnetosphere caused by solar wind interactions. 
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aurora australis

the colored lights, mainly green and red, in the sky seen primarily near the southern magnetic pole

Ex: The aurora australis, also known as the Southern Lights, is a natural light display that occurs in the high-latitude regions of the Southern Hemisphere. 
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aurora borealis

the colored lights, mainly green and red, in the sky seen primarily near the northern magnetic pole

Ex: The aurora borealis, also known as the Northern Lights, is a natural light display that occurs in the high-latitude regions of the Northern Hemisphere. 
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cosmogonic
cosmogonic
[Adjective]

associated with the phenomena, processes, or theories related to the origin and formation of the universe or celestial bodies

Ex: Cosmogonic theories explore how the universe began and evolved. 
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extragalactic astronomy

study of celestial objects outside the Milky Way galaxy

Ex: Extragalactic astronomy explores objects beyond our Milky Way. 
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nebular
nebular
[Adjective]

relating to or resembling a nebula, which is a cloud of gas and dust in outer space

Ex: Nebular theory posits that stars and planetary systems form from the gravitational collapse of nebulae. 
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sidereal
sidereal
[Adjective]

relating to the stars or constellations, especially in terms of their positions relative to Earth

Ex: Sidereal time is based on the Earth's rotation relative to distant stars rather than the sun. 
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