Introduction to Astronomy
Who introduced the idea that the earth is the center of the solar system?
Aristotle (and Ptolemy)
Smallest and speediest
What is the largest planet in the solar system?
Jupiter
The moon is technically a natural _____.
Satellite
What is the main difference between an asteroid and a meteoroid?
A meteoroid is smaller
What is the perihelion?
The closest point to the sun
Why is Mars called "The Red Planet"?
It looks red (from iron on the surface)
What planet has the very visible, distinctive rings?
Saturn
What is the name for the dark patches on the moon?
Maria
Between which 2 planets can you find the asteroid belt?
Mars and Jupiter
What is the name of the theory that places the sun at the center of the solar system?
Heliocentric
Water, atmospheric gases, distance from the sun
Starting with the FURTHEST AWAY planet, please tell me the 4 outer planets.
Neptune, Uranus, Saturn, Jupiter
Why do we only see 1 side of the moon from Earth?
Because due to the moon's orbit around the Earth, the same side is always facing the Earth
What causes a meteor shower?
The earth orbiting through the debris from a comet, and some of that debris enters earth's atmosphere
What 2 factors does gravity depend on?
Starting with the FURTHEST AWAY planet, please tell me the 4 inner planets.
Mars, Earth, Venus, Mercury
What planet was discovered mathematically before it was seen?
Neptune
How does the moon's gravity compare to Earth's gravity?
Earth's gravity is much stronger (you weigh more)
What is the difference between meteor and meteorite?
A meteorite strikes the earth's surface
What are the 3 laws of planetary motion?
1. Ellipse orbit
2. The closer a planet orbits the sun, the faster it will travel
3. Average distance from the sun is directly proportional to orbit length
Venus takes longer to rotate on its axis than it does to orbit the sun. How does this impact the length of a day and a year on Venus?
A day on Venus is technically longer than a year on Venus.
Why are the outer planets referred to as gas giants?
They are much larger than earth and made up primarily of gases
The moon in waxing gibbous looks like just like the moon in WHAT phase?
Waning gibbous
What causes a comet's tail?
The frozen nucleus melts as it travels through space and nears the sun, and it is a "jet stream" of water and other types of vapor