| A | B |
|---|
| astronomical unit | AU--unit used to measure distances in the solar system |
| light year | the distance light travels in one year |
| constellation | a group of stars that seem to form a picture |
| light telescope | a device that gathers light from stars and other objects in space |
| radio telescope | a device that gathers radio waves from objects in space |
| spectroscope | a device that separates light into a pattern of bands and colors |
| magnitude | the brightness of a star |
| nebula | a huge cloud of dust, hydrogen and helium |
| red giant | an old star that has greatly enlarged and cooled |
| white dwarf | an old very dense star |
| black dwarf | the remains of a white dwarf star that has used all of its fuel |
| supernova | the violent explosion of a star that has a high mass |
| neutron star | a very small, very dense star |
| black hole | a small region in space resulting from the collapse of a massive star |
| galaxy | a huge rotating group of stars |
| spiral galaxy | a galaxy that has arms coming out of a central region |
| elliptical galaxy | a galaxy shaped like a football |
| irregular galaxy | a galaxy that has no specific shape |
| universe | everything that exists--including space and all objects in it. |
| rocket | a spacecraft that contains a powerful engine |
| space shuttle | a spacecraft that carries passengers and equipment into space |
| space station | a spacecraft that stays in orbit for long periods |
