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Details Title: Astronomy Book Vocabulary Description: Chapter 2/Sections 3-6 Total Flash Cards: 11 Created: 06/26/2005 12:38:40	To study from this set of flash cards, or to create your own your own study flash cards, register HERE. If you are already a registered user, CLICK HERE.
Cards Term terrestrial planets Definition the name given to the four inner planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars Term retrograde rotation Definition the spinning motion of a planet from east to west, opposite to the direction of rotation of most planets and moons Term greenhouse effect Definition the trapping of heat by a planet's atmosphere Term gas giant Definition the name given to the first four outer planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune Term comet Definition a ball of ice and dust whose orbit is a long, narrow ellipse Term asteroids Definition objects revolving around the sun that are too small and too numerous to be considered planets Term asteroid belt Definition the region of the solar system between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, where many asteroids are found Term meteoroid Definition a chunk of rock or dust in space Term meteor Definition a streak of light in the sky produced by the burning of a meteoroid in Earth's atmosphere Term meteorite Definition a meteoroid that has hit Earth's surface Term extraterrestrial life Definition life that arises outside of Earth