Stars and Constellations
What are constellations?
A group of stars in the night sky that people interpret as a figure or shape.
How many planets are there in our solar system?
8
What are satellites?
Satellites are objects that revolve around planets, and they may be either natural or human made.
Comets are chunks of ice, rock and dust particles that were left over when the solar system formed more that 4 billion years ago. They come from the outer edge of the solar system and orbitthe Sun.
What is the name of our galaxy?
The Milky Way
True or False
Magnetism is the force that keeps objects orbiting the Sun.
False. Gravity keeps objects orbiting the Sun.
One. The Sun.
Name the small terrestrial planets in our solar system
mercury, venus, earth, and mars
What is an artificial satellite?
A man-made object that orbits in space. May be around Earth (like the international space station), or other celestial body (like the communication satellites orbiting mars that send us information from the Mars rover)
Where is the asteroid belt located?
Between Mars and Jupiter
What is a Galaxy?
Galaxies are massive systems that contain millions to trillions of stars, gas and dust that are held together by gravity.
What is Mass and what unit do we measure it in?
The amount of matter that makes up an object and is measured in Kilograms
Name a constellation that is important to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
Double point bonus: Tell us the story associated with this constellation
Minyipuru (seven sisters)
Waugal (Scorpio constellation)
Tjilupuna (Canoe stars)
Emu in the Sky
Name one similarity and one difference between mercury and mars
Similarities:
-both terrestrial planets
-both a similar size
Differences:
- mercury lacks an atmosphere, mars has a thin atmosphere of Carbon Dioxide
- mercury has no moons, mars has two
- mercury has a very hot surface during the day, mars's surface is always below freezing
- mercury has a much shorter orbit
- mercury is much closer to the sun
Which planet has the most moons?
Saturn (274 moons)
Explain the difference between a meteor and a meteorite.
Meteors are a piece of rock or metal that enters our atmosphere from space, a meteorite is a meteor that has collided with the surface of the Earth.
Name the three types of galaxy
spiral, elliptical and irregular
Put the following in order of the highest to lowest gravity strength.
The Sun
Pluto
A black hole
Jupiter
A black hole > The Sun > Jupiter > Pluto
Why are constellations important to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People?
Constellations are used to tell stories to help with navigation, hunting, signal changes in seasons and/or for dreamtime stories
Name one similarity and one difference between Saturn and Uranus
Similarities
- both have moons
- both are gas giants
- both are very cold
- both have rings
Differences
- Saturn is mostly made of Hydrogen and Helium; Uranus is mostly water, ammonia, and methane
- Saturn has a moderate tilt of 26 degrees, Uranus rotates mostly on its side (tilt of 98 degrees)
-Saturn has a lot more moons (274) Uranus only has 28.
Which two planets have no moons?
Mercury and Venus
Where is Pluto found?
The Kuiper asteroid belt
True or false:
Galaxy clusters warp space time due to their very strong gravity
True
What is Weight and what unit do we measure it in?
weight is the product of mass and gravity. It is measured in Newtons.
How long does it take light to travel from the Sun to the Earth
Name one similarity and one difference between Venus and Jupiter
Similarities
- Both have extreme atmospheric winds
- unbreathable and toxic atmosphere
Differences
-Venus is very hot, Jupiter is very very cold.
-Venus is a terrestrial planet, Jupiter is a Gas Giant
-Venus composition is rocky surface and carbon dioxide atmosphere, Jupiter is mostly hydrogen and helium
-Venus is very small compared to Jupiter (Jupiter is ~10x wider)
-Venus has no moons, Jupiter has 95 moons
-
Which planets have dust and ice orbiting around them in rings?
Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune
What is a Dwarf planet?
A dwarf planet is a small planetary-mass celestial body that orbits the Sun and is round like a traditional planet, but lacks the gravitational dominance to clear its orbital path of other debris
What is at the centre of our galaxy holding everything in orbit around it?
A supermassive black hole
Explain what happens to light from a distant star or galaxy when it passes by a galaxy cluster or other massive object in space.
Double points: what is this effect called?