Canadian Medical Guide > Physical Sciences > Natural Sciences > Astronomy > Solar System Terms and Definitions

Solar System

Medical Definition:	The group of celestial bodies, including the EARTH, orbiting around and gravitationally bound by the sun. It includes nine planets, 34 natural satellites, more than 1,000 observed comets, and thousands of lesser bodies known as MINOR PLANETS (asteroids) and METEOROIDS. (From Academic American Encyclopedia, 1983)
Guide Notes:	no qualif; METEOROIDS is available: see MeSH definition there
Also Called:	Sun,Satellites, Natural
Previously Indexed:	Astronomy (1966-1990),Extraterrestrial Environment (1966-1990)

Solar System Categories.

	Meteoroids - Any solid objects moving in interplanetary space that are smaller than a planet or asteroid but larger than a molecule. Meteorites are any meteoroid that has fallen to a planetary surface. (From McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed)
	Minor Planets - Small solar system planetary bodies including asteroids. Most asteroids are found within the gap lying between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.
	Planets - Heavenly bodies with their own motion among the stars, revolving, in the case of the solar system, around the sun, along the plane of the ecliptic. They are grouped into inner planets and outer planets, based on distance from the sun and common characteristics.
	Solar Activity - Any type of variation in the appearance of energy output of the sun. (NASA Thesaurus, 1994)

Solar System Medical Definitions and Terms

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