50 Words Associated With Space

Space is a vast and mysterious place, full of wonders and mysteries waiting to be discovered. From the distant reaches of the universe to the planets and moons in our solar system, there are many words associated with space that help us describe and understand this incredible frontier.

From terms for different celestial bodies and phenomena to words that describe the history and exploration of space, this list of 50 words will give you a greater appreciation for the vastness and beauty of the cosmos.

50 Words Associated With Space Meanings

Cosmos: Refers to the universe as an ordered, harmonious and holistic entity. It encompasses everything that exists: space, time, matter, energy, and the physical laws and constants that describe them.

Universe: The totality of all space, time, matter, and energy that exist, including all planets, stars, galaxies, and the contents of intergalactic space.

Galaxy: A large system of stars, gas, dust, and dark matter gravitationally bound together. Our galaxy, the Milky Way, is just one of billions in the universe.

Solar system: The Sun and all the celestial bodies that are held by the Sun’s gravity and orbit it. This includes eight planets, their moons, and other objects like asteroids and comets.

Planet: A celestial body that orbits around the Sun or another star, is spherical in shape, and has cleared its orbit of other debris. In our solar system, there are eight recognized planets.

Star: A luminous sphere of plasma held together by gravity, generating heat and light through nuclear fusion. Our Sun is an example of a star.

Asteroid: A small, rocky object that orbits the sun. While similar to planets, they are much smaller in size.

Comet: A celestial body composed of ice and rock that orbits the Sun. As a comet gets closer to the Sun, the heat causes the ice to vaporize and create a glowing coma or tail.

Nebula: A cloud of gas and dust in space, often acting as a nursery for new stars and planets.

Supernova: The explosion of a star at the end of its life cycle, which causes an incredibly bright burst of light and radiation.

Astronomy: The scientific study of celestial objects, such as stars and galaxies, and the phenomena that occur outside Earth’s atmosphere.

Astrophysics: A branch of astronomy that deals with the physical properties of celestial bodies and the underlying physics of the universe.

Cosmology: The scientific study of the large scale properties of the universe as a whole, including its origins and evolution.

Space exploration: The investigation of physical conditions in space and on stars, planets, and other celestial bodies through the use of artificial satellites (spacecraft), telescopes, and other observational techniques.

Rocket: A vehicle designed to propel itself through the air, and into space, by ejecting exhaust gas from a rocket engine.

Shuttle: Refers to the Space Shuttle, a reusable space vehicle that was used by NASA to carry astronauts and payloads to and from Earth’s orbit.

Spaceship: A vehicle designed for space travel or operation in outer space.

Satellite: An object in space that orbits or revolves around another object. There are natural satellites, like moons, and artificial satellites, like the ones used for communication or weather monitoring.

Probe: An unmanned spacecraft designed to explore outer space and send data back to Earth. Probes have been used to explore the moon, other planets, and beyond.

Space station: A large spacecraft that remains in low Earth orbit for extended periods of time. It is a home where astronauts live and work.

International Space Station (ISS): A habitable artificial satellite in low Earth orbit that serves as a space environment research laboratory in which scientific research is conducted.

Moon: Earth’s only natural satellite. It’s also a term used to describe any natural satellite that orbits another body.

Mars: The fourth planet from the Sun in our solar system, often called the “Red Planet” because of its reddish appearance. It is a potential target for future human space exploration.

Venus: The second planet from the Sun in our solar system. It is the hottest planet and is characterized by its bright, cloudy appearance.

Earth: The third planet from the Sun in our solar system. Earth is the only known celestial body to support life.

Mercury: The smallest and innermost planet in our solar system. It orbits the Sun quickly, making a full orbit every 88 Earth days.

Jupiter: The largest planet in our solar system. It is a gas giant, known for its Great Red Spot, a storm that has been raging on the planet for at least 300 years.

Saturn: The second-largest planet in our solar system, known for its extensive ring system. It is a gas giant like Jupiter.

Uranus: The seventh planet from the Sun, known for its blue color caused by the methane in its atmosphere. It is a gas giant and has a set of thin rings.

Neptune: The eighth and farthest known planet from the Sun in the solar system. It is a gas giant and is known for its deep blue color.

Pluto: A dwarf planet in the Kuiper belt, a ring of bodies beyond Neptune. It was the first Kuiper belt object to be discovered and is the largest known plutoid.

Chandra: The Chandra X-ray Observatory, a NASA satellite that observes the universe in the X-ray portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Hubble: The Hubble Space Telescope, a project of international cooperation between NASA and the European Space Agency. It has provided some of the most dramatic and detailed photos of our universe.

Spitzer: The Spitzer Space Telescope, an infrared space telescope launched by NASA, used to observe astronomical objects in the infrared spectrum.

Kepler: A space observatory launched by NASA to discover Earth-sized planets orbiting other stars.

Gravity: The force by which a planet or other body draws objects towards its center. The force of gravity keeps planets in orbit around the sun.

Atmosphere: The layer of gases that surrounds a planet or other celestial body.

Oxygen: A chemical element that is a gas at room temperature and is necessary for most forms of life on Earth. In space travel, oxygen must be provided for astronauts to breathe.

Weightlessness: The condition that occurs in free fall when the weight of an object or person is effectively zero. This is experienced by astronauts in orbit.

Microgravity: A state of very weak gravity, much weaker than that on Earth, as experienced by astronauts in space.

Zero gravity: Another term for weightlessness, often used to describe the condition of astronauts in orbit.

Spacewalk: Also known as extravehicular activity, it refers to any activity done by an astronaut or cosmonaut outside a spacecraft beyond the Earth’s appreciable atmosphere.

Extravehicular activity (EVA): Any activity done by an astronaut or cosmonaut outside a spacecraft beyond the Earth’s appreciable atmosphere. It includes spacewalks from the International Space Station or shuttle, or surface activities on the Moon or Mars.

Space suit: A garment worn by astronauts to keep them alive in the harsh environment of outer space, vacuum and temperature extremes.

Moonwalk: A type of spacewalk that occurs on the surface of the Moon. It was first performed by astronaut Neil Armstrong during the Apollo 11 mission in 1969.

Lunar rover: A vehicle designed for moving across the surface of the Moon. Some rovers have been designed to transport members of a crew, others have been partially or fully autonomous robots.

Asteroid mining: The exploitation of raw materials from asteroids and other minor planets, including near-Earth objects. These materials could be used for in-space manufacturing or brought back to Earth for use.

Exoplanet: A planet that orbits a star outside the solar system.

Dark matter: A form of matter thought to account for approximately 85% of the matter in the universe and about a quarter of its total mass–energy density. Its presence is implied by the effects of its gravity on visible matter and radiation.

Black hole: A region of space having a gravitational field so intense that no matter or radiation can escape. They are thought to form from the remnants of large stars after their final collapse.