The Moon was formed by a collision that knocked off a chunk of the infant Earth.
100
Why do we call comets "dirty snowballs"?
We call comets "dirty snowballs" because they are chunks of rock and ice.
100
What is an AU?
An AU is the distance from the Earth to the Sun, which is approximately 93 million miles.
100
Which planet was named after the Roman god of war?
Mars
200
What type of star is our Sun?
A yellow star.
200
List the 8 phases of the Moon.
New moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, last quarter, waning crescent.
200
Where is the asteroid belt located?
The asteroid belt is located between Mars and Jupiter.
200
What is an ellipse?
An ellipse is an elongated circle, which is the geometric shape of most orbits.
200
Which planet is the biggest of the eight?
Jupiter
300
How will the Sun die?
It will run out of fuel, swell to a red giant, and become a white dwarf.
300
What is a waxing moon?
A waxing moon is a moon that is increasing in size, becoming full.
300
Describe the orbit of a comet.
The orbit of a comet is highly elliptical.
300
What is eccentricity?
Eccentricity is a measure of how 'out of round' an ellipse is, calculated by dividing the distance between the foci by the length of the major axis.
300
Neptune was named for the god of the sea. Why?
The planet Neptune is blue, like the sea.
400
What is a solar flare?
An eruption of superheated particles from the Sun's surface.
400
What causes the Moon's phases?
The Moon's phases are caused by the shadow of the Earth falling on the Moon.
400
Why do most meteors never hit the ground?
Most meteors never hit the ground because friction with the Earth's atmosphere causes them to burn up before they can hit the ground.
400
What is a solar eclipse?
A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon blocks light from the Sun from shining on Earth.
400
Which planet would float, if you could put it in enough water?
Saturn
500
The Sun's luminosity is increasing. Why is this a problem?
This means that the Sun is getting hotter & brighter. In about 1 billion years, surface temperatures on Earth will be too hot for life to exist.
500
Why can we not see the Moon when it is 'new'?
We cannot see the Moon when it is 'new' because we are seeing the back side of the Moon, which is not illuminated by the Sun.
500
Explain the difference between a meteoroid, a meteor, and a meteorite.
A meteoroid is an object near Earth, but outside the atmosphere.
A meteor is an object falling through Earth's atmosphere.
A meteorite is a meteor that actually hits the ground.
500
What is luminosity?
Luminosity is a measure of how much brighter (or less bright) a star is compared to our own Sun.
500
Which planet's axis of rotation is so tilted that it lies on its side?