The Sun
This layer of the Sun is the part we can actually see.
What is the photosphere?
These four planets—all rocky—form the “inner planets.”
What are Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars?
These four gas and ice giants make up the outer planets.
What are Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune?
When the moon appears completely lit, we call it this phase.
What is a full moon?
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A giant ball of hot gases that produces its own light is called this.
What is a star?
These dark, cooler patches appear on the Sun’s surface.
What are sunspots?
This inner planet rotates backwards compared to most others.
What is Venus?
This planet is known for its enormous storm, the Great Red Spot.
What is Jupiter?
This is the phase when the moon is completely dark from Earth’s point of view.
What is a new moon?
These familiar patterns in the sky are made by groups of stars.
What are constellations?
The Sun creates energy through this process, turning hydrogen into helium.
What is nuclear fusion?
Known as the Red Planet, this planet has the largest volcano in the solar system.
What is Mars?
This planet’s ring system is the most famous and complex in the solar system.
What is Saturn?
This occurs when the Moon’s shadow falls on Earth.
What is a solar eclipse?
This famous constellation contains the “belt” made of three bright stars.
What is Orion?
The Sun is made mostly of these two elements.
What are hydrogen and helium?
This planet has almost no atmosphere, causing huge temperature swings between day and night.
What is Mercury?
This distant blue planet “rolls” on its side with an extreme tilt.
What is Uranus?
This occurs when Earth’s shadow falls on the Moon.
What is a lunar eclipse?
A star’s color tells us this important property.
What is its temperature?
This outermost layer of the Sun is visible only during a total solar eclipse.
What is the corona?
Earth is unique among the inner planets because it has this—a protective blanket that traps heat and blocks harmful radiation.
What is the atmosphere?
The farthest major planet from the Sun, this windy world has the fastest winds in the solar system.
What is Neptune?
The Moon’s changing appearance is caused by this—its position relative to these two objects.
What are Earth and the Sun?
This is the explosion that marks the death of a massive star.
What is a supernova?