ACT Science - Astronomy and Aerospace Science

Here you will learn some English words related to astronomy and aerospace science, such as "rover", "probe", "flare", etc. that will help you ace your ACTs.

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ACT Science

a scientist who studies or observes planets, stars, and other happenings in the universe

Ex: She became an astronomer because of her fascination with the mysteries of the cosmos .

a scientist who studies the physical properties and phenomena of celestial objects and the universe as a whole

Ex: The astrophysicist specializes in cosmology , exploring the origins and evolution of the universe .

a building with a dome in which moving images of planets, starts, and constellations are projected for educational or entertainment purposes

Ex: The planetarium offers nightly sky shows that are both educational and entertaining .

a building where scientists observe stars, meteors, the weather, etc. using equipment such as telescope

asteroid [noun]

any of the rocky bodies orbiting the sun, ranging greatly in diameter, also found in large numbers between Jupiter and Mars

Ex: The asteroid impact that led to the extinction of the dinosaurs occurred approximately 66 million years ago .

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

Ex: The impact crater was formed by a large meteorite that struck Earth millions of years ago .
to orbit [verb]

to move around a star, planet, or a large object in space

Ex: Jupiter has the largest number of moons of any planet in our solar system , with 79 known moons orbiting around it .

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

Ex: Astronomers observed a distant galaxy where a supernova had recently occurred .

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

Ex: The Big Dipper is a prominent constellation consisting of seven bright stars .
comet [noun]

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

Ex: The tail of a comet forms when solar radiation causes ice and dust to vaporize and stream away from the nucleus .

a small, dense, and faint stellar remnant that is left after a medium-sized star exhausts the nuclear fuel in its core and undergoes gravitational collapse

Ex: White dwarfs have extremely high densities , with mass comparable to that of the Sun but condensed into a smaller volume .

a planet that is outside the solar system

Ex: The Kepler Space Telescope has been instrumental in identifying distant exoplanets using the transit method .

a region in the solar system located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, populated by numerous small celestial bodies called asteroids

Ex: Space missions like NASA 's Dawn spacecraft have explored asteroids within the asteroid belt to gather data on their structure and composition .
ablation [noun]

the process by which the surface of an object, such as a comet or an asteroid, erodes or vaporizes due to the effects of solar radiation and other environmental factors

corona [noun]

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

Ex: Solar missions , like NASA 's Parker Solar Probe , aim to explore the corona up close and gather valuable data .
flare [noun]

a sudden, brief burst of increased brightness observed from the sun's surface, usually accompanied by a burst of energy and radiation

Ex: A sudden flare caused intense geomagnetic storms on Earth .
planetary [adjective]

related to or characteristic of planets or the solar system

Ex: Planetary geology investigates the surfaces and interiors of planets and moons .
crater [noun]

the round top of a volcano

Ex: The impact crater in Arizona is a famous geological site attracting visitors worldwide .

a unit of mass used in astronomy, defined as the mass of the Sun

extraterrestrial [adjective]

relating to or originating from outside the Earth or its atmosphere

Ex: UFO sightings often spark speculation about extraterrestrial visitors .

the visible surface of a star, including the Sun, where energy is emitted as light and other forms of electromagnetic radiation

Ex: The temperature of the photosphere of a star like Sirius can reach over 10,000 degrees Celsius .

to overshadow another astrological body

Ex: The astronomical event saw Venus eclipse the sun , resulting in a stunning transit visible from Earth .
interstellar [adjective]

situated or occurring between stars or within the space that exists between stars

Ex:
Nebula [noun]

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

Ex:
aurora [noun]

a natural light display in the Earth's polar regions, caused by the collision of charged particles from the sun with atoms in the Earth's atmosphere

Ex: Many myths and legends are inspired by the mystical and ethereal nature of the aurora lights .

a celestial body that orbits the Sun and has sufficient mass for its gravity to pull it into a nearly spherical shape

celestial [adjective]

related to or occurring in the sky or outer space

Ex: Ancient civilizations often built monuments aligned with celestial events , such as solstices and equinoxes .
probe [noun]

an unmanned spacecraft or device sent to gather information from space and transmit it back

Ex: The probe collected data on the planet 's atmosphere .

a vehicle designed to travel in space

Ex: The documentary showcased the development and launch of a new spacecraft designed for deep-space exploration .

to send an object, such as a satellite, missile, etc., into space

Ex: The submarine successfully launched a torpedo during the naval exercise .

a designated area at a spaceport or rocket launch site where rockets or spacecraft are positioned and prepared for liftoff

Ex: Spectators gathered at the launch pad to witness the historic launch of the Mars rover .
rover [noun]

a robotic vehicle designed to move across the surface of a celestial body to conduct scientific experiments and gather data

the orbital movement of a planet, moon, or satellite around another body

Ex: Mars 's revolution around the sun defines its seasonal cycle .

the science and practice of designing, building, and operating aircraft, including airplanes and spacecraft

Ex: Universities offer specialized programs in aeronautics for aspiring aerospace engineers .

a type of solar eclipse where the moon, passing between the earth and the sun, appears smaller than the sun, creating a ring of sunlight around the darkened moon

Ex: The path of an annular eclipse can be narrower than that of a total eclipse , and the duration of the ring phase varies depending on the relative distances between the Earth , Moon , and Sun .

a model of the celestial sphere, historically used to depict and study the positions of celestial objects, consisting of a series of hoops representing important circles in the sky

Ex: The armillary sphere in the museum 's collection accurately depicts the positions of stars and constellations .
tektite [noun]

a small, natural glassy object formed from terrestrial debris ejected during meteorite impacts, known for its smooth texture and found in strewn fields across the Earth's surface

Ex: Scientists study tektites to understand the dynamics of impact events and their effects on Earth 's surface .