solar system

Definition of solar system

: the sun together with the group of celestial bodies that are held by its attraction and revolve around it also : a similar system centered on another star

Examples of solar system in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The object promptly was added to the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center's tally of asteroids and comets found in our solar system, just 5,000 shy of the 1 million mark. — CBS News, ""I'm pretty jazzed about this": NASA expert identifies mystery object once thought an asteroid," 11 Oct. 2020 However, the new results suggest that, at the dawn of the solar system when the currently Empire-State-building-sized Bennu was part of much chunkier object perhaps 60 miles across, water flowed rather plentifully. — Charlie Wood, Popular Science, "Local asteroid Bennu used to be filled with tiny rivers," 8 Oct. 2020 At about eight hours its period was unremarkable compared with those of solar system asteroids. — David Jewitt, Scientific American, "Everything Scientists Know So Far about the First Interstellar Objects Ever Detected," 1 Oct. 2020 Christina suggests Hiram’s hidden pages are connected to his orrery — or solar system model — which was secreted away in his home. — Ariana Romero, refinery29.com, "Lovecraft Country Episode 4 Recap: What The Hell Is Montrose Doing?," 8 Sep. 2020 But American Samoa must feel like the other side of the solar system. — John Canzano, oregonlive, "Canzano: The Sewell dream fueled by football and family," 2 Sep. 2020 This week in the night sky Planets take aim at the archer: This week, look for the moon to pose with two of the solar system’s largest planets in the constellation Sagittarius. — National Geographic, "What's behind the hurricanes and wildfires?," 26 Aug. 2020 Bennu is essentially a leftover from the formation of our solar system billions of years ago. — Ashley Strickland, CNN, "NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission prepares for touchdown on an asteroid," 15 Aug. 2020 Over the course of its 12-year-long mission, scientists hope Lucy will help solve two key mysteries, among others: How did the solar system form? — Jennifer Leman, Popular Mechanics, "NASA Is About to Study Some Awfully Old Asteroids," 6 Aug. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'solar system.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near solar system

solar telegraph

solar telescope

Statistics for solar system

Last Updated

18 Oct 2020

Cite this Entry

“Solar system.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/solar%20system. Accessed 29 Oct. 2020.

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