Moon
Solar System
Seasons
Planetary Orbits
100

During this Moon phase, the side of the Moon facing Earth appears completely illuminated.

What is a Full Moon?

100

This object is located at the center of our solar system.

What is the Sun?

100

DOUBLE POINTS:

This is the main reason Earth experiences different seasons during the year.

What is Earth’s axial tilt?

100

The movement of a planet around the Sun is called this.  

What is revolution?

200

A Moon that is becoming more illuminated each night is described using this word.

What is waxing?

200

DOUBLE POINTS:

Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars are the four closest planets to the Sun, also known as

What are terrestrial planets?

200

In New York, the Sun reaches its highest altitude at noon during this season.

What is summer?

200

As a planet's distance from the Sun increases, its orbital speed generally does this.

What is decrease?

300

DOUBLE POINTS:

About this much time passes from one Full Moon to the next Full Moon.

What is about 29.5 days?

300

This planet is located immediately beyond Earth’s orbit.

What is Mars?

300

During this season in New York, the Sun follows its shortest and lowest apparent path across the sky.

What is winter?

300

Planet A is closer to the Sun than Planet B. Which planet should have the shorter period of revolution?

What is Planet A?

400

The Moon appears more than half illuminated, but the illuminated portion gets smaller each night. Name the phase.

What is a waning gibbous?

400

DOUBLE POINTS:

Two planets are separated by the asteroid belt. Name the planet on each side of it.

What are Mars and Jupiter?

400

At solar noon, a taller Sun in the sky produces this type of shadow.

What is a shorter shadow/ no shadow?

400

An asteroid moves from a farther point in its orbit toward a closer point to the Sun. Its orbital velocity will change in this way.

What is increase?

500

A Full Moon occurred on November 5. Predict the approximate date of the next Full Moon.

What is December 4 or 5?

500

Compared with the inner planets, the outer planets generally take much longer to complete one revolution because of this characteristic of their orbits.

What is their greater distance from the Sun/larger orbits?

500

Earth happens to be closest to the Sun during this Northern Hemisphere season, showing that distance from the Sun does not cause the seasons.

What is winter?

500

DOUBLE POINTS:

Planet X orbits between Earth and Mars. Compared with Earth and Mars, describe Planet X's expected orbital speed.

What is slower than Earth but faster than Mars?

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