heavenly body

/ˌhɛvənli ˌbɑdi/

Other forms: heavenly bodies

Definitions of heavenly body

1. noun

   natural objects visible in the sky
   synonyms: celestial body

   types:

   minor planet, planetoid

   any of numerous small celestial bodies that move around the sun

   major planet, planet

   (astronomy) any of the nine large celestial bodies in the solar system that revolve around the sun and shine by reflected light; Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto in order of their proximity to the sun; viewed from the constellation Hercules, all the planets rotate around the sun in a counterclockwise direction

   planet

   any celestial body (other than comets or satellites) that revolves around a star

   planetesimal

   one of many small solid celestial bodies thought to have existed at an early stage in the development of the solar system

   primary

   (astronomy) a celestial body (especially a star) relative to other objects in orbit around it

   quasar, quasi-stellar radio source

   a starlike object that may send out radio waves and other forms of energy; many have large red shifts

   satellite

   any celestial body orbiting around a planet or star

   star

   (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior

   star

   any celestial body visible (as a point of light) from the Earth at night

   asteroid

   any of numerous small celestial bodies composed of rock and metal that move around the sun (mainly between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter)

   binary, binary star, double star

   a system of two stars that revolve around each other under their mutual gravitation

   fixed star

   any star in the Ptolemaic theory of planetary motion

   Galilean, Galilean satellite

   one of the four satellites of Jupiter that were discovered by Galileo

   giant, giant star

   a very bright star of large diameter and low density (relative to the Sun)

   inferior planet

   any of the planets whose orbit lies inside the earth's orbit

   Jovian planet, gas giant

   any of the four outermost planets in the solar system; much larger than Earth and gaseous in nature (like Jupiter)

   KBO, Kuiper belt object

   any of many minor planets in the Kuiper belt outside the orbit of Neptune at the edge of the solar system

   loadstar, lodestar

   guiding star; a star that is used as a reference point in navigation or astronomy

   moon

   any natural satellite of a planet

   Lucifer, Phosphorus, daystar, morning star

   a planet (usually Venus) seen just before sunrise in the eastern sky

   multiple star

   a system of three or more stars associated by gravity

   neutron star

   a star that has collapsed under its own gravity; it is composed of neutrons

   nova

   a star that ejects some of its material in the form of a cloud and become more luminous in the process

   outer planet

   (astronomy) a major planet whose orbit is outside the asteroid belt (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto)

   red dwarf, red dwarf star

   a small, old, relatively cool star; approximately 100 times the mass of Jupiter

   red giant, red giant star

   a large, old, luminous star; has a relatively low surface temperature and a diameter large relative to the sun

   starlet

   a small star

   sun

   any star around which a planetary system revolves

   supergiant

   an extremely bright star of very large diameter and low density

   superior planet

   any of the planets whose orbit lies outside the earth's orbit

   supernova

   a star that explodes and becomes extremely luminous in the process

   terrestrial planet

   a planet having a compact rocky surface like the Earth's; the four innermost planets in the solar system

   variable, variable star

   a star that varies noticeably in brightness

   white dwarf, white dwarf star

   a faint star of enormous density

   type of:

   natural object

   an object occurring naturally; not made by man