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