Celestial Bodies - Meaning, Classification & Heavenly Bodies Names (2024)

  1. Physics
  2. Celestial Bodies

You might have come across the word heavenly body in your science textbook sometime or the other. Have you ever wondered what are heavenly bodies? Celestial bodies or heavenly bodies are objects in space such as the sun, moon, planets, and stars. They form a part of the vast universe we live in and are usually very far from us. The glorious night sky is dotted with such objects and when we observe them using a telescope, they reveal fascinating worlds of their own.

Hence, we can define heavenly bodies as,

A planet, moon, star or other natural objects in the space

In this article, let us discuss various heavenly body names and their meaning.

Table of Contents
  • Classification of Celestial Bodies
    • Stars
    • Planets
    • Satellites
    • Comets
    • Asteroids
    • Meteors and Meteorites
    • Galaxies
  • Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs

Classification of Celestial Bodies

Celestial Bodies - Meaning, Classification & Heavenly Bodies Names (1)

Stars

Stars are giant balls of hot gases that can produce their own light. Stars give out energy by converting Hydrogen gas into Helium in their cores. Stars are gigantic in size and have an immense gravitational attraction. The sun is a medium-sized star that gives us energy and makes life possible on earth.

Celestial Bodies - Meaning, Classification & Heavenly Bodies Names (2)

Planets

Planets are large (almost) spherical objects that revolve around the sun. Planets move in fixed orbits around the sun. There are 8 planets in our solar system. Planets may be made of rocks, metals and gases like hydrogen, nitrogen and methane. The earth is also a planet and is the only known place in the universe which supports life. Planets that revolve around other stars are called exoplanets.

Satellites

Satellites are objects that revolve around planets. They form the essential part of the celestial bodies. These may be of natural origin or sent by humans. The moon is a natural satellite of the earth and revolves around it because it is bound by the Earth’s gravitational pull. Man has also placed artificial or man-made satellites around the earth and other planets to study them and for communication purposes.

Comets

These are small chunks of ice and rock that come from the outer edge of the solar system. When its orbit brings it closer to the sun, the ice on them vaporizes, creating a beautiful tail behind them.

Asteroids

These are small irregularly shaped rocks made up of metal or minerals that orbit the sun. Most of them are found between Mars and Jupiter in an area known as the asteroid belt.

Meteors and meteorites

These are objects from space that enter our atmosphere as they are pulled by the earth’s gravity. Meteors usually are small and burn up in the atmosphere as they enter the earth. This creates streaks in the sky as though a star has fallen. They are commonly called shooting stars. If a meteor is large enough it can reach the ground and create a crater. Such objects are called meteorites.

Galaxies

Galaxies are large groups of stars held together by gravity. The sun and the solar system are a part of a galaxy known as the Milky Way. Other galaxies are usually so far away that they look like stars in the night sky. The Andromeda galaxy and the Large Magellanic Cloud are galaxies that can be seen with the naked eye on a clear night.

The next time you go out to wonder at the night sky, try to identify these objects. If you can get a star chart, use it to find the different celestial objects mentioned in the night sky.

Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs

Q1

What do we mean by celestial bodies?

Celestial bodies or heavenly bodies refer to the planets, stars, moons and all the other natural objects present in space.

Q2

How many types of celestial bodies are present?

Celestial bodies or heavenly bodies include:
1) Planets
2) Stars
3) Satellites
4) Comets
5) Asteroids
6) Meteors and Meteorites
7) Galaxies

Q3

Where are most of the asteroids found?

Most of the asteroids are found in the asteroid belt which is a region between Mars and Jupiter.

Q4

What are comets?

Comets are small chunks of ice and rock that come from the outer edge of the solar system. When its orbit brings it closer to the sun, the ice on them vaporizes, creating a beautiful tail behind them.
Halley’s comet is one of the most well-known comets which is visible to the naked eye from the earth every 75-76 years.

Q5

Which galaxy are we a part of?

The sun and our solar system are a part of the Milkyway galaxy.

Q6

What is the one major difference between planets and stars?

Unlike planets, stars produce their own source of light. Planets just reflect the light coming from another star like the sun.

To know more about solarsystem, stay tuned with BYJU’S – The learning app!

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  1. Celestial Bodies - Meaning, Classification & Heavenly Bodies Names (5)
    JOSHUA AGUNDU November 2, 2020 at 11:59 pm

    Astronomically certain events on earth,seem to synchronise with certain celestial event.for example,the annual flooding of the nile follows closely the appearance of sirius,the tides ebbed & flows in phase with the moon,the change of the seasons follows closely the movement of the sun.

    Reply

  2. Celestial Bodies - Meaning, Classification & Heavenly Bodies Names (6)
    Mukund Aggarwal February 16, 2021 at 8:33 am

    It is very good!
    I have the premium app.

    Reply

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Celestial Bodies - Meaning, Classification & Heavenly Bodies Names (2024)

FAQs

Celestial Bodies - Meaning, Classification & Heavenly Bodies Names? ›

Introduction to Celestial Bodies

What are the 7 celestial bodies? ›

any of the seven celestial bodies: Sun, Moon, Venus, Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, and Saturn that in ancient belief have motions of their own among the fixed stars.

Which bodies are called heavenly bodies? ›

Anything that is in the observable universe, bound together by gravity and is associated with their own positions in space is known as heavenly bodies. They are also known as astronomical or celestial bodies. Planets, stars, moons, comets, meteors, satellites and asteroids, are some of the heavenly bodies in space.

What are heavenly bodies and their meaning? ›

Celestial bodies or heavenly bodies are objects in space such as the sun, moon, planets, and stars. They form a part of the vast universe we live in and are usually very far from us.

What are celestial bodies and their meanings? ›

A celestial body is any object that astronomers observe in outer space. They are also sometimes referred to as "celestial objects", "astronomical objects", or "heavenly bodies." This can include planets, stars, moons, asteroids, comets, or even nebulae and galaxies.

What celestial body was named by an 11 year old? ›

Venetia Katharine Douglas Burney (married name Phair, 11 July 1918 – 30 April 2009) was an English accountant and teacher. She is remembered as the first person to suggest the name Pluto for the dwarf planet discovered by Clyde Tombaugh in 1930. At the time, she was 11 years old.

How many celestial bodies can you name? ›

Answer. The solar system includes all celestial bodies i.e Sun, planets, asteroids, comets and meteors. The major planets in the solar system are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.

What are the heavenly bodies in the sky at night? ›

The night sky is the nighttime appearance of celestial objects like stars, planets, and the Moon, which are visible in a clear sky between sunset and sunrise, when the Sun is below the horizon. Natural light sources in a night sky include moonlight, starlight, and airglow, depending on location and timing.

Which is the first heavenly body? ›

Answer. 1 - The first heavenly body that was discovered by men was the moon. 2 - The different shapes of the Moon that we see at different times of the month are called the Moon's phases.

How many levels of heavenly bodies are there? ›

There are seven levels altogether, but each one is quite different from the others and this relatively brief running time serves the game well, as it has ample room to demonstrate its ideas and then concludes without overstaying its welcome. Each level is broken down into a series of small tasks.

Are all heavenly bodies called celestial bodies? ›

Answer: All the objects that we see in the sky are called celestial bodies or heavenly bodies. ​These celestial bodies include stars, planets, satellites, asteroids, meteorids and comets. The celestial bodies that do not have their own light and heat are called planets.

Is the moon a star yes or no? ›

In reality, the moon is not considered a star. While it shines just like many of the stars in the sky, its light comes from the sun, not itself. To be a star, a celestial body must be capable of igniting itself because of its mass. The moon's core has never ignited, so it does not fall under the definition of a star.

Why are heavenly bodies called so? ›

Celestial Bodies: Objects that exist in space, such as the moon, the sun or Earth. Heavenly Bodies: A being which exists in “Heaven” An object which is in our atmosphere or the sky.

What is a cosmic body? ›

If it has to do with the universe, it's cosmic. The planets, for instance, are cosmic bodies. When you use the word cosmic to describe something big, you often use it with the word, proportions. A big mistake might be an error of cosmic proportions.

Is An Angel A celestial body? ›

In the New Testament, celestial beings were grouped into seven ranks: angels, archangels, principalities, powers, virtues, dominions, and thrones.

Which heavenly body has the biggest mass? ›

THE HEAVIEST BODIES OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM
NameMass (Sun=1)Mass (1024kg)
Sun11 988 900
Jupiter1/1 0481 898.6
Saturn1/3 499568.46
Neptune1/19 417102.43
26 more rows

What is celestial body in the Bible? ›

It is uncertain whether by “celestial bodies” he meant angelic beings or the sun, moon, and stars; there is no doubt, however, that by “terrestrial bodies” he meant bodies that exist on earth.

How many celestial bodies are there in the Earth? ›

In our solar system, we have eight planets; they are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Planets are mostly divided into two main types: big low-density giant planets, and smaller stony terrestrials. There are eight planets in the Solar System.

What is the rarest celestial body? ›

Double quasars are one of the rarest celestial objects in the universe, accounting for only one out of every 1000 quasars. These twin quasars are formed by two galaxies merging together. Eventually, the supermassive black holes at the center of the twin galaxies will collide and form an even more massive black hole.

How many celestial bodies are in the universe? ›

The observable universe contains as many as an estimated 2 trillion galaxies and, overall, as many as an estimated 1024 stars – more stars (and earth-like planets) than all the grains of beach sand on planet Earth; but less than the total number of atoms estimated in the universe as 1082; and the estimated total number ...

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