Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune
What is any mnemonic for the order of the major planets?
100
Icy and solid.
What are some characteristics of Pluto's surface?
100
Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars
What are the four terrestrial planets?
100
It confirmed there are many of hundreds or even thousands of icy bodies out beyond Pluto. There was a chance there would be many icy chunks bigger than Pluto. Because of this the discovery of the "Kuiper belt" threatened Pluto's status as a planet.
What did the discovery of the "Kuiper belt" in 1992 threaten in regards to Pluto.
100
there are too many to name them all (tens of thousands recorded).
What is the reason why astronomers don't name astroids?
200
Roman God's and Goddesses.
What are the major planets named after?
200
Both Pluto and its moon orbit a spot in free space as opposed to Pluto. Also, they are closer in size then other planets and their moons.
What is so unique about Pluto and its relationship to its largest moon Charon compared to other planets and their moons?
200
Pluto spends 20 years out of its 248 year orbit closer to the sun then Neptune.
What is the one exception to the order of the planets?
200
It is very far away from the sun therefore it is hard to gather information.
What is the reason it is harder to make discoveries about Pluto than other planets?
200
In between Mars and Jupiter.
What is the location of the majority of astroids in our solar system?
300
frozen gases, frozen water, dust and miscellaneous particles.
What is the composition of comets?
300
The debris surrounding Pluto is almost as bigs as the planet itself and there is a lot of it.
What makes the debris surrounding Pluto so interesting compared to debris around other planets?
300
big in size, ringed, composed of gas, low density and fast rotating.
What are the characteristics of the four Jovian planets?
300
To figure out how to deflect any big ones that may be visiting earth.
What is an important reason in astrophysicists and engineers studying asteroids and making new discoveries?
300
rock and or metal.
What are astroids generally composed of?
400
punctuating why Pluto should remain a planet
What was the other use for Clyde Tombaugh's (the discover of Pluto) cane besides walking?
400
-365 F
What is the average temperature of Pluto in degrees F.
400
Because of Jupiter's gravitational pull it deflects comets that head toward earth.
What is the reason astrologists refer to Jupiter as the "guardian" of planet Earth.
400
The "New Horizons" spacecraft.
What is the name of the fastest "hunk of hardware" ever launched to Pluto on January 19, 2006?
400
Ceres.
What is the name of the largest astroid in our solar system?
500
Venetia Burney
What is the name of the girl who came up with the name for Pluto?
500
17 degrees
What is the degree Pluto tips from the plane of the solar system?
500
Dysnomia
What is the name of the dwarf planet Eris's moon?
500
NEAR shoemaker
What was the first spacecraft to explore any of the comets and eros?
500
NEAR shoemaker
What is the name of the first spacecraft to explore an astroid?