The Sun & Stars
What type of star is the Sun?
G2V yellow dwarf star
Name the 4 terrestrial planets
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars
What do we call a natural object that orbits a planet?
Moon or Satellite
What keeps planets in orbit around the Sun? (2 forces)
Gravity & Inertia
A rocky body, smaller than a planet, mostly in the asteroid belt
Asteroid
What process powers the Sun?
Nuclear fusion
Which planet is known as the "Red Planet"?
Mars
Between Mars and Jupiter
What shape is a planet's orbit?
Ellipse
Icy body with a coma and a tail when near the Sun
Name the galaxy our solar system is in
Milky Way Galaxy
Which planet has the most moons?
Jupiter
What are comets mostly made of?
Ice, rock, and dust
What 2 factors determine the strength of gravity?
Mass and distance
Orbits the Sun, Round in Shape, Has Not Cleared Orbit
Dwarf Planet
What is the main element found in stars?
Hydrogen
Name 2 dwarf planets
Pluto, Eris, Ceres, MakeMake
What is a meteoroid called after it lands on Earth?
Meteorite
What is the path an object takes to revolve another object called?
Orbit
Process where nuclei combine, producing energy
Fusion
What force, from the sun, keeps all planets in orbit?
Gravity
What are the 3 criteria for being a planet?
Orbits the Sun, is round in shape, has cleared its orbit
Name the region beyond Neptune that is filled with icy objects.
Kuiper Belt
Why do astronauts feel "weightless" in space?
They are in free fall around Earth's orbit
Object that orbits a planet or a star
Satellite