Matching Pairs Mystery Writing Glossary AsteroidsOnline version vocab by Denise Kesel 1 impact 2 asteroid 3 meteor 4 deflect 5 collision 6 velocity 7 diameter 8 orbit 9 atmosphere circling another object, like the Moon around the Earth to cause an object to change direction after hitting something a rocky object in outer space the distance across an object the force of one thing hitting another air that surrounds a planet speed one object hitting into another object a small object from space that enters the Earth's atmosphere. They often appear as glowing streaks in the sky or "Shooting Stars"