Earth
What are Earth's four main systems?
Geosphere – The solid part of Earth, including rocks, mountains, and land.
Hydrosphere – All the water on Earth, including oceans, lakes, and rivers.
Atmosphere – The layer of gases surrounding Earth, including the air we breathe.
Biosphere – All living things, including plants, animals, and humans.
What causes the different phases of the Moon?
Answer: The phases of the Moon are caused by the Moon’s orbit around Earth. As it moves, different amounts of sunlight reflect off the Moon’s surface, making it look like it changes shape.
What is an eclipse?
Answer: An eclipse happens when one object in space blocks light from reaching another object. There are two main types: solar eclipses and lunar eclipses.
What causes the seasons on Earth?
The seasons are caused by Earth’s tilt (23.5°) on its axis as it orbits the Sun. This tilt changes how much sunlight different parts of Earth receive throughout the year.
What year did NASA first land a human on the Moon?
1969
Why does Earth have day and night?
Answer: Earth rotates on its axis once every 24 hours. As it spins, different parts of the planet face the Sun (day) while others face away from it (night).
What are the main phases of the Moon?
New Moon – The Moon is not visible because it is between Earth and the Sun.
Waxing Crescent – A small sliver of the Moon is visible on the right.
First Quarter – Half of the Moon is visible on the right.
Waxing Gibbous – Most of the Moon is visible, but a small part on the left is dark.
Full Moon – The entire Moon is lit up.
Waning Gibbous – Most of the Moon is visible, but a small part on the right is dark.
Last Quarter – Half of the Moon is visible on the left.
Waning Crescent – A small sliver of the Moon is visible on the left.
What is the difference between a solar eclipse and a lunar eclipse?
A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves between the Sun and Earth, blocking sunlight from reaching Earth.
A lunar eclipse happens when Earth moves between the Sun and the Moon, casting a shadow on the Moon.
What are the four seasons, and when do they start?
Spring – Around March 20-21 (Spring Equinox)
Summer – Around June 20-21 (Summer Solstice)
Fall (Autumn) – Around September 22-23 (Fall Equinox)
Winter – Around December 21-22 (Winter Solstice)
What is the name of NASA's most famous space telescope that helps us see distant galaxies?
Hubble Space Telescope
What causes the seasons on Earth?
Answer: The seasons are caused by Earth’s tilt (23.5°) on its axis as it orbits the Sun. When a hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun, it experiences summer. When it's tilted away, it experiences winter.
How long does it take for the Moon to go through all its phases?
It takes about 29.5 days for the Moon to complete one full cycle of phases. This is called a lunar month.
Why don’t we see eclipses every month?
The Moon’s orbit is tilted compared to Earth’s orbit around the Sun. This means the Sun, Earth, and Moon don’t always line up perfectly to create an eclipse.
Why are summer days longer and winter days shorter?
In summer, the hemisphere tilted toward the Sun receives more direct sunlight and has longer daylight hours. In winter, the hemisphere tilted away from the Sun gets less direct sunlight, resulting in shorter days.
Which NASA rover famously landed on Mars in 2021 to explore the planet’s surface?
Perseverance
What are Earth's three main layers?
Crust – The thin, outermost layer where we live.
Mantle – The thick, hot layer of rock beneath the crust.
Core – The center of Earth, made of a liquid outer core and a solid inner core, mostly composed of iron and nickel.
What does "waxing" and "waning" mean in relation to the Moon?
"Waxing" means the Moon appears to be growing bigger, and "waning" means the Moon appears to be shrinking.
What are the different types of solar eclipses?
Total solar eclipse: The Moon completely covers the Sun.
Partial solar eclipse: The Moon only covers part of the Sun.
Annular solar eclipse: The Moon is too far from Earth to cover the Sun completely, leaving a bright ring around the edges.
Why are the seasons opposite in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres?
When the Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun and experiencing summer, the Southern Hemisphere is tilted away and experiencing winter. The reverse happens six months later.
What is NASA's goal for the Artemis program?
To return humans to the Moon
Why is Earth's atmosphere important?
Provides oxygen for living things to breathe.
Protects us from harmful solar radiation.
Keeps Earth warm enough for life by trapping heat (greenhouse effect).
Helps create weather and climate.
Why does the same side of the Moon always face Earth?
The Moon rotates on its axis at the same speed that it orbits Earth, a phenomenon called synchronous rotation. This means we always see the same side of the Moon from Earth.
Why is it dangerous to look directly at a solar eclipse?
Looking directly at the Sun during a solar eclipse can damage your eyes because the Sun’s rays are still very strong. Special eclipse glasses or indirect viewing methods, like a pinhole projector, should be used for safety.
What happens during an equinox?
During an equinox (spring and fall), the Sun shines directly on the equator, and day and night are nearly equal in length everywhere on Earth.
Which NASA spacecraft became the first to travel beyond our solar system?
Voyager 1