Okuzeka
Astronomy & Space vocabulary · Solar System & Planets

Moon

Meaning in astronomy & space, with examples

/muːn/nounCore term

In astronomy & space, moon means: A natural object that orbits a planet or a dwarf planet. Written as 'the Moon', it means Earth's only natural satellite.

In Turkish: uydu, Ay

How it is used

Astronomers talk about the moons of Jupiter or Saturn and about icy moons that may hide oceans. For Earth's companion, 'the Moon' is used; the adjective is 'lunar', as in lunar eclipse and lunar surface.

Example sentences

  1. The full Moon will rise just after sunset on Friday.

  2. Europa is one of Jupiter's moons, and scientists think it has a salty ocean under its ice.

Common collocations

  • the full Moon
  • icy moon
  • the far side of the Moon
  • moons of Jupiter
  • land on the Moon
  • lunar phaseOne of the changing shapes of the Moon's lit part as seen from Earth during a cycle of about 29.5 days, from new Moon to full Moon and back.
  • satelliteAn object that orbits a planet or another body. Most often it means a machine sent into orbit for communication, navigation, weather forecasting or observation.
  • eclipseAn event in which one body in space blocks the light of another, for example when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, or Earth's shadow falls on the Moon.
  • tidally lockedDescribes a moon or planet that always turns the same face towards the body it orbits, because it spins exactly once for every orbit it completes.
  • planetA large, round object that orbits a star, shines only by reflected light and is massive enough to have cleared other large bodies from its orbit.

More terms: Solar System & Planets

Practise with graded reading

Reading at the right level is the fastest way to make new words stick. Pick free English books by level: