B114 words · Intermediate

Space & Astronomy vocabulary — B1

Space vocabulary such as telescope, satellite and observatory, plus solar system, meteor and spacecraft. Words for describing space exploration at an intermediate level.

14 questions

Words in this set

telescope
/ˈtɛləˌskoʊp/
A long tube with special glass that lets you see faraway objects such as stars.
Example: Through the telescope we could see the rings of Saturn.
satellite
/ˈsætəˌlaɪt/
A machine sent into space to travel around the Earth and send back signals.
Example: Weather forecasts use pictures taken by a satellite.
universe
/ˈjunəˌvɜrs/
Everything that exists, including all of space and every star, world and living thing in it.
Example: Scientists think the universe is still getting bigger.
explore
/ɪkˈsplɔr/
To travel through a place that people do not know well, to find out about it.
Example: Robots explore the surface of Mars for us.
solar system
The Sun and all the planets, moons, and other objects that move around it.
Example: Earth is the third planet in our solar system.
launch pad
The platform a rocket stands on and takes off from.
Example: Crowds gathered to watch the rocket leave the launch pad.
spacecraft
/ˈspeɪˌskræft/
Any vehicle designed to travel and operate in space.
Example: The spacecraft took three days to reach the moon.
observatory
/əbˈzɜrvəˌtɔri/
A building with powerful telescopes, used to study stars and planets.
Example: Scientists study distant galaxies from the observatory.
meteor
/ˈmitiər/
A piece of rock or dust from space that burns brightly as it enters Earth's atmosphere.
Example: We saw a bright meteor streak across the sky.
lunar
/ˈlunər/
Relating to the moon.
Example: NASA is planning a new lunar mission.
astronomer
/əˈstrɑnəmər/
A scientist who studies stars and planets.
Example: An astronomer in Chile spotted it first.
gravity well
The pull a large body has on things near it.
Example: Escaping a gravity well costs almost all the fuel.
phase
/feɪz/
One of the shapes the moon appears to have.
Example: The first phase is visible only just after sunset.
capsule
/ˈkæpsəl/
The part of a spacecraft where the crew sit.
Example: The capsule came down four miles from the recovery ship.