Vocabulary 1
Winter Solstice
The winter solstice is the shortest day of the year, when that same half is tilted most away from the Sun and gets the least daylight.
It is at the center of our solar system...
The Sun
It is the closest planet to the sun...
Mercury
List 3 facts about our moon...
1. The Moon helps keep Earth steady as it spins, which gives us normal, gentle seasons.
2. The mon also pulls on Earth’s oceans to make tides, and these tides help ocean life and spread heat around the planet.
3. Long ago, the Moon’s gravity slowed Earth’s spin so our days became 24 hours long.
4. The Moon may even help Earth keep its magnetic field, which protects us from the Sun’s harmful rays.
Axis
An invisible line that runs from the North Pole to the South Pole. Earth spins around this line, just like a top spinning around its center.
Summer Solstice
The summer solstice is the longest day of the year, when one half of Earth is tilted most toward the Sun and gets the most daylight.
What is the difference between Rotation and Revolution?
Rotation: Earth spins on its axis. This gives us day and night and takes about 24 hours.
Revolution: Earth moves around the Sun in a big circle. This gives us seasons and takes about 365 days.
It is our solar system's largest planet...
Jupiter
True or False... Jovian planets are located in the outer solar system and possess features like rings and many moons.
TRUE
Comets
Cosmic snowballs of frozen gas, rock and dust that orbit the sun.
Asteroids
Asteroids are rocky, metallic, or icy objects that orbit the Sun, primarily in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
How old is our solar system?
Our solar system is 4.5 - 4.6 Billion years old.
Name all 8 planets in our solar system.
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Earth, Venus, Mars, and Mercury.
Jupiter has the most moons of any planet in our solar system, with a total of ______.
As of April 30, 2025, Jupiter has 97 known moons, the most of any planet in the Solar System.
Gravity
Gravity is the invisible force that makes planets orbit the Sun. It works in balance with the planet's speed to keep them in a stable path, preventing them from flying off into space or crashing into the Sun.
Nebula
A nebula is a giant cloud of dust and gas in space.
Terrestrial Planets
Terrestrial planets are the planets made mostly of rock and metal. They have solid surfaces and they are closer to the Sun. Examples are Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.
A very windy planet, it has the fastest winds in the solar system...
Neptune
Name the only 2 planets that have no moons.
All planets in our solar system except Mercury and Venus have at least one moon.
Stars
Stars are giant, hot balls of gas that give off their own light and heat. T
Galaxy
A huge collection of gas, dust, and billions of stars and their solar systems.
Jovian Planets
Jovian planets are the giant planets in our solar system: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Jovian planets are characterized by being massive, having no solid surfaces, and being primarily composed of gas, mainly hydrogen and helium.
It’s covered in thick clouds that trap heat, making it the hottest planet.
Venus
Name the 8 phases or earth's moon.
The eight phases of the Moon are new moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, third quarter, and waning crescent.
Milky Way Galaxy
Our solar system is just a small part of a massive collection of stars, gas, and dust called the Milky Way Galaxy.