There are so many astronomical objects out there behaving in mysterious ways that astronomers are still trying to figure out. A brand new set of words and language has to be invented every time something is discovered and that is part of what makes the study of space so interesting. There’s so much out there that is waiting to be found.
The use of mythological and ancient names to name all the objects that are in space has also always given astronomy an air of mystery and wonder that attracts all kinds of people and incentivizes them to look at the sky every night.
There are so many space-related words and terms that it is hard to keep up.
This is why below, we have compiled a list of space words that start with P so you can learn more about the study of the universe. These are words that are related to astronomy and space, if what you are looking for is specifically for name ideas or the names of objects, check out our lists of star names, planets, or constellations. You will also find those sorted by letter.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Pallas | One of the largest asteroids in the asteroid belt. |
| Palomar Globular Cluster | A dense cluster of stars, M15 in Pegasus. |
| Pandora | One of the moons of Saturn. |
| Parallax | Apparent shift in position due to viewing angle. |
| Parsec | A unit of distance used in astronomy. |
| Partial Eclipse | Only part of the Sun or Moon is obscured. |
| Pavo | A constellation representing a peacock. |
| Pegasus | A large constellation in the northern sky. |
| Pelican Nebula | A nebula in the Cygnus constellation. |
| Pelion | A mountain on asteroid 624 Hektor. |
| Perigee | The point in an orbit closest to Earth. |
| Perihelion | The point in an orbit closest to the Sun. |
| Perseids | Annual meteor shower in August. |
| Perseus | A constellation in the northern sky. |
| Phobos | One of Mars’ moons. |
| Phoenix Cluster | A massive galaxy cluster in the constellation Phoenix. |
| Phoenix Constellation | A small constellation in the southern sky. |
| Pillars of Creation | A region in the Eagle Nebula with star formation. |
| Pinwheel Galaxy | A spiral galaxy also known as M101. |
| Pisces | A constellation representing two fish. |
| Pisces Austrinus | A constellation representing a fish’s tail. |
| Planck Telescope | Space telescope studying cosmic microwave background. |
| Planemo | A planetary-mass object not orbiting a star. |
| Planet | A celestial body that orbits a star. |
| Planetarium | An educational facility for astronomy. |
| Planetesimal | Small body that forms a planet through accretion. |
| Pleiades | A star cluster in the constellation Taurus. |
| Pleione | One of the stars in the Pleiades star cluster. |
| Plutino | A trans-Neptunian object in a 2:3 resonance with Neptune. |
| Pluto | A dwarf planet in the outer solar system. |
| Polar Axis | The imaginary line around which an object rotates. |
| Polaris | The North Star, a bright star near the pole. |
| Pollux | Bright star in the constellation Gemini. |
| Portia | One of the moons of Uranus. |
| Praesepe (Beehive Cluster) | An open cluster in the constellation Cancer. |
| Prime Meridian | Reference line for longitude on a planet. |
| Procyon | A bright star in the constellation Canis Minor. |
| Prominence | Loop of plasma on the Sun’s surface. |
| Protoplanet | A forming planet within a protoplanetary disk. |
| Protoplanetary Disk | A rotating disk of gas and dust around a star. |
| Proxima Centauri | The closest known star to the Sun. |
| Ptolemy | Ancient astronomer known for geocentric model. |
| Pulsar | A rapidly spinning neutron star emitting pulses. |
| Puppis | A constellation representing the stern of a ship. |
| Pyxis | A small and faint constellation. |
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