Solar System Basics
The four rocky planets closest to the Sun.
Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars
The smallest planet and the closest to the Sun.
Mercury
This dwarf planet is located in the asteroid belt.
Ceres
Earth’s spinning on its axis causes this daily cycle.
Day and night
The Moon reflects this, which makes it appear to glow.
Sunlight
The four gas and ice giants in our solar system.
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune
This planet has the thickest carbon dioxide atmosphere and spins backwards.
Venus
A dwarf planet famous for being reclassified in 2006.
Pluto
Earth’s yearly trip around the Sun.
Revolution
The Moon’s cycle of phases takes about this many days.
29.5 days
These three groups classify objects in our solar system.
Inner planets, outer planets, and dwarf planets
This is the only planet known to support life.
Earth
Rocky objects found mostly between Mars and Jupiter with no set path.
Asteroids
Earth's axis is tilted at this angle.
23.5 degrees
This type of eclipse happens when the Moon blocks the Sun’s light from Earth.
Solar eclipse
The term for a planet’s path around the Sun.
Orbit
The planet with the tallest volcano in the solar system, Olympus Mons.
Icy “dirty snowballs” that develop glowing tails near the Sun.
Comets
The shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
Winter solstice (December 21)
This type of eclipse happens when Earth’s shadow falls on the Moon.
Lunar eclipse
Region between Mars and Jupiter housing many dwarf planets.
Asteroid Belt
The planet known for the Great Red Spot, a massive storm.
Jupiter
These dwarf planets are located beyond Neptune in the Kuiper Belt.
Eris, Haumea, and Makemake
*DAILY DOUBLE*
A day with equal hours of day and night everywhere on Earth. List both dates.
Equinox; March 21 & September 21
These extra-strong tides occur when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are lined up.
Spring tides