What does the root word mean? What does the root word mean?
The root word means 'earth'. The root word means 'center'.
100
What does the root word HELIO mean? What does the root word CENTR mean?
The root word HELIO means 'sun'. CENTR means 'center'.
100
What makes up our solar system?
Our solar system includes the sun, 9 planets and their moons, asteroids, and meteors.
100
The asteroid belt is between ________ and _________.
The asteroid belt is between Mars and Jupiter.
100
Our solar system is in what galaxy?
Our galaxy is the Milky Way.
200
Which gas giant has rings?
Saturn has distinct rings.
200
What is a 'year' for any planet?
A year is how long a planet takes to revolve completely around the sun.
200
Name the planets in order of shortest year to longest year.
The planets - in order from closest to the sun to furthest= Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.
200
Explain what asteroids are.
Asteroids are rocks and dust that orbit the sun in a belt between Mars and Jupiter.
200
What makes up a galaxy?
It is said that a galaxy is made up of 100's of billions of stars, dust, gas and dark matter.
300
Name the terrestrial planets.
Mercury, Venus, earth and Mars are terrestrial planets.
300
What early astronomer who believed that the universe was heliocentric ( though his ideas were still not correct) suffered shame and house arrest for his beliefs and eventually became blind as a result of his observations of the sun?
Galileo Galilei believed that the universe was heliocentric ( though his ideas were still not correct) suffered shame and house arrest for his beliefs and eventually became blind as a result of his observations of the sun
300
Which planet's rotation makes it appear to 'roll' - is not perpendicular to the sun?
Uranus is tipped over on its side. Its axis has a tilt of 98 degrees.
300
Why and when do comets have tails.
Comets have tails when they get close to the sun because the heat from the sun melts the ice and releases gasses and dust which flow out away from the sun. A comet's tail is always opposite of the sun.
300
The Milky Way is a barred __________ galaxy.
The Milky Way is a barred spiral galaxy.
400
Name the Gas Giants.
The Gas Giants of our solar system are: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.
400
What 2 forces keep the planets and other solar bodies revolving around the sun.
Two forces cause the planets to revolve around the sun.
1. Gravity!
2. Inertia - the motion which began at the Big Bang and will continue until something stops it.
The planets are moving because of inertia. The Sun's gravitational pull keeps them moving around it.
400
What causes the planets of our solar system to move around the sun?
Two forces cause the planets to revolve around the sun.
1. Gravity!
2. Inertia - the motion which began at the Big Bang and will continue until something stops it.
The planets are moving because of inertia. The Sun's gravitational pull keeps them moving around it.
400
How is a comet different than a meteor or asteroid?
A comet is made up of ice and dust. Meteors and asteroids are bits of rock and dust. Comets have a very long unique, orbits around the sun. Meteors float in space and asteroids orbit the sun between Mars and Jupiter. Comets form a tail as they get close to the sun.
400
What holds a galaxy together?
Gravity holds galaxies together. Scientists think there is a black hole at the center of every galaxy and that it has tremendous gravitational pull.
500
Is Pluto a planet?
Pluto used to be considered a planet but scientists recently reclassified it a 'dwarf planet.'
500
Why did the early astronomer's realize the universe could not be geocentric?
The more they watched the stars and planets, etc and recorded it it became clear the planets did NOT move in perfect order. For example, planets appear to go backwards and things like comets and super novas appearing made it clear that the geocentric model was not correct.
500
Which planet has the longest day?
Venus has the longest day - it takes 243 earth days for Venus to complete one rotation.
500
Explain how meteoroids, meteors and meteorites are different.
Meteoroids are rock and dust in the earth's atmosphere. When the rock or dust enters our (earth's)atmosphere, it contacts the molecules of air. The friction of the rock and dust against air molecules in the atmosphere causes the meteor to burn up. Meteorites are meteors that have made it to the earth's surface . We also call meteors SHOOTING STARS.
500
Name and describe the three kinds of galaxies
Irregular galaxies are made up of young stars and lots of gas and dust. They have an irregular shape.
Spiral galaxies are made up of medium aged stars with a medium amount of stars, dust and gas. They have 'arms' that form a spiral shape.
Elliptical galaxies are made up of old stars and a little gas and dust. They are shaped like spheres or ellipses.