A meteorite has passed through the earth's atmosphere 
and reached the ground.

When meteorites enter the Earth's atmosphere, 
they are slowed down considerably, 
causing the surface to melt or vaporise.

A meteoroid is a small celestial body.
It is in orbit around the sun.

When meteoroids enter the Earth's atmosphere, 
they produce a luminous phenomenon (meteor).

If the meteoroid does not burn up completely in the atmosphere 
and lands on the Earth's surface, it is called a meteorite.

Meteors are luminous phenomena in the sky.

Small meteors are called shooting stars, 
large fireballs or bolides.

They are produced by small meteoroids that enter 
the earth's atmosphere and cause the air particles 
to glow when they burn up.

Comets are also known as tail stars. 
They are small celestial bodies and consist of ice, dust and rocks. 
They are remnants of the formation of the solar system.

A coma forms around the celestial body when it is close to the sun. 
It is formed when ice is vaporised by the heat of the sun. 
The coma is ‘blown away’ by radiation pressure and solar wind, creating a tail.

For example: Halley's comet (occurs every 76 years)

Asteroids are small celestial bodies that move in orbits around the sun.

For example: Pallas, Juno, Vesta, Astraea, Hebe, Iris, Hygieia

Dwarf planets are small rocky planets. 
They have a diameter of less than 1,000 kilometres.

They are spherical and orbit the sun. 
However, their orbit is not regularised.
Some dwarf planets have moons.

For example: Pluto, Ceres and Makemake

A planet is a celestial body orbiting a star.

Its orbit is regularised. This means that there are no small objects 
such as asteroids or meteoroids.

For example: Earth, Venus or Mars

Gaseous planets are celestial bodies that orbit around stars.

They consist of hydrogen and helium and often have a rocky core.

They have too little mass to shine themselves. 
That is why they have not become stars.

For example: Jupiter, Saturn and Neptune

Moons are celestial bodies orbiting planets or dwarf planets.
They are illuminated by the sun and reflect its light.

For example: Earth's moon, Ganymede and Europa

A star is a self-luminous ball of gas made of hydrogen and helium.  

Stars are at the centre of solar systems. 
Planets orbit around them.

The star at the centre of our solar system is called the sun.

A galaxy is a large collection of stars, planetary systems, gas nebulae, dust clouds, dark matter and other astronomical objects.

Large galaxies often have the structure of spirals.
At their centre is a black hole.

For example: Milky Way or Andromeda galaxy 

Do you fancy colouring in a space picture? 
We have something for you:

• with Astronaut
• with Alien
• with Astronaut and Alien in Ufo