| A | B |
|---|
| fusion | combining of less massive elements to form more massive elements |
| corona | outmost part of the sun |
| sunspot | dark region on the sun's surface |
| solar wind | the expanding corona |
| solar flare | powerful eruptions of very hot gases from the sun |
| aurora | glow or display of lights in the skies at far northern or far southern latitudes |
| prominence | huge loop of hydrogen gas above the sun's surface |
| nebula | dust and gas in space |
| red giant | a star that has swelled |
| white dwarf | a star that has collapsed to the size of the earth |
| supernova | the explosion of a star, releasing huge amounts of light and other energy |
| neutron star | a star collapsed far enough to be composed only of neutrons |
| black hole | a star or other object that has collapsed so far that no light can get out |
| pulsar | a star that gives off pulses of radio waves |
| Milky Way Galaxy | the galaxy in which the solar system is located |
| quasar | a faraway object that resembles a star but gives off as much light as a galaxy |
| red shift | light waves from retreating objects change to a redder color |
| big bang theory | event that started the universe about thirteen billion years ago |
| optical telescope | tool used to study light from distant objects |
| radio telescope | tool used to study radio waves from space |
