100 Words Related to the Moon

100 Words Related to Moon

No. Term Definition
1. albedo Reflectivity of a surface.
2. Aldrin Apollo 11 lunar module pilot.
3. apogee Farthest point in an orbit.
4. Apollo NASA Moon-landing program.
5. astronaut Space traveler; some walked on Moon.
6. atmosphere (none) Moon lacks a true atmosphere.
7. basalt Volcanic rock common on Moon.
8. Blue Moon Second full moon in a month.
9. brilliance Perceived brightness of moonlight.
10. caldera Volcanic crater-like depression.
11. celestial body Natural object in space.
12. Chang’e Chinese lunar exploration program.
13. crater Bowl-shaped impact depression.
14. crescent Moon phase: thin curved sliver.
15. dark side Misnomer; far side gets sunlight.
16. declination Angular position north or south.
17. Earthshine Earthlight faintly illuminating Moon.
18. eclipse Moon or Sun blocked from view.
19. ejecta Material thrown out by impact.
20. equinox Seasonal point affecting Moon’s path.
21. far side Moon hemisphere facing away from Earth.
22. first quarter Half-lit phase after new moon.
23. full moon Phase: fully illuminated disk.
24. gibbous More than half illuminated phase.
25. gravity Moon’s pull; about one-sixth Earth’s.
26. highlands Bright, older lunar terrain.
27. horizon glow Dusty glow near lunar horizon.
28. impact basin Huge crater from major collision.
29. inclination Tilt of orbit relative to a plane.
30. intercalation Adding a month; lunar calendar adjustment.
31. Kepler (crater) Prominent lunar impact crater.
32. libration Apparent wobble revealing more surface.
33. light year Distance measure; used in astronomy.
34. lunar calendar Calendar based on Moon phases.
35. lunar cycle One full sequence of phases.
36. lunar day Time from one sunrise to next.
37. lunar eclipse Earth’s shadow darkens the Moon.
38. lunar module Apollo craft that landed on Moon.
39. lunar month About 29.5 days, phase to phase.
40. lunar orbit Moon’s path around Earth.
41. lunar rover Vehicle used on the Moon.
42. lunar soil Loose surface material; regolith.
43. lunar terminator Line between day and night.
44. lunation Interval between successive new moons.
45. magma Molten rock beneath surfaces.
46. mare Dark basalt plain on Moon.
47. Mare Imbrium Large lunar basalt plain.
48. mass Amount of matter; affects gravity.
49. meteorite Space rock reaching a surface.
50. micrometeorite Tiny impacts that weather lunar soil.
51. moonbeam A ray or shaft of moonlight.
52. moonbow Rainbow formed by moonlight.
53. moonlight Sunlight reflected from the Moon.
54. moonrise Moon appearing above the horizon.
55. moonset Moon sinking below the horizon.
56. nadir Point directly below an observer.
57. NASA U.S. space agency exploring the Moon.
58. near side Moon hemisphere facing Earth.
59. new moon Phase: Moon not visibly lit.
60. node Orbit crossing point; key for eclipses.
61. occultation Moon hides a star or planet.
62. orbit Curved path around a body.
63. orbital period Time to complete one orbit.
64. perigee Closest point in an orbit.
65. phase Moon’s changing illuminated shape.
66. phases of the Moon Sequence of visible lunar shapes.
67. photometry Measuring brightness of objects.
68. planisphere Star map; helps locate the Moon.
69. regolith Powdery lunar surface layer.
70. retrograde motion Apparent backward shift against stars.
71. rille Long channel-like lunar groove.
72. Rima Hadley Sinuous rille near Apollo 15.
73. rover Exploration vehicle on a surface.
74. satellite Natural body orbiting a planet.
75. selenography Mapping and description of the Moon.
76. selenology Scientific study of the Moon.
77. shadow Dark area blocking light.
78. sidereal month Orbit period relative to stars.
79. solar eclipse Moon blocks Sun from Earth.
80. spacecraft Vehicle traveling beyond Earth.
81. spectroscopy Analyzing light to infer composition.
82. Sputnik First artificial satellite; space history.
83. star Sun is a star lighting the Moon.
84. supermoon Full moon near perigee; appears larger.
85. telescope Instrument to view the Moon closely.
86. terminator Boundary between lunar day and night.
87. tidal force Gravity causing stretching effects.
88. tidal locking Same lunar face always toward Earth.
89. tides Ocean rise and fall; Moon-driven.
90. Tranquility Base Apollo 11 landing site name.
91. transit Moon passing in front of an object.
92. umbra Darkest central part of a shadow.
93. unmanned probe Robotic mission to the Moon.
94. Van Allen belts Radiation zones around Earth.
95. waning Illuminated portion decreasing nightly.
96. waxing Illuminated portion increasing nightly.
97. Wolf Moon Traditional name for January full moon.
98. X-ray fluorescence Technique to detect surface elements.
99. xenolith Rock fragment embedded in another.
100. year Earth’s orbit time; affects seasons.