Planet Facts
What planet is closest to the Sun?
Mercury
What is the path a planet follows around the Sun called?
Orbit
Are Earth and Mars rocky planets or gas giants?
Rocky planets
What is a comet made mostly of?
Ice, dust, and rock
If a planet is made mostly of gas, is it more likely to be an inner or outer planet?
Which planet is known as the red planet?
What is the force that keeps planets moving around the Sun?
Gravity
Name one difference between the inner planets and the outer planets.
Inner planets are rocky and closer to the Sun and outer planets are larger and made mostly of gas or ice.
What are rocky objects that orbit the Sun, mostly found between Mars and Jupiter?
Asteroids
Why can Earth support life but Mercury cannot?
Earth has water, moderate temperatures, Mercury has extreme temps and no atmosphere
What planet is the largest in our Solar System?
Jupiter
What is the movement of Earth spinning on its axis called?
Rotation
Which group of planets has the most moons?
What do we call a small rock traveling through space before it enters Earth's atmosphere?
Meteoroid
NASA discovers a rocky planet close to its star. Would you expect it to be an inner or outer planet?
Inner planet
What planet is famous for its rings?
Saturn
What is the movement of Earth traveling around the Sun called?
Revolution
Which planet is hotter: Mercury or Venus?
Venus
What is the name of the large region between Mars and Jupiter where many asteroids are found?
A newly discovered planet is very large, made mostly of gas, and located far from the Sun. Based on what you know, would you classify it as an inner planet or an outer planet?
Outer planet
Which 2 planets are known as the ice giants?
Uranus and Neptune
What is a natural object that orbits a planet called?
Moon
Explain one similarity and one difference between Jupiter and Saturn.
Both are gas giants. Jupiter is the largest planet, while Saturn is known for its prominent rings.
Name three objects found in our solar system besides planets.
the Sun, moons, comets, asteroids, meteoroids, dwarf planets.
Imagine you are planning a NASA mission to study one planet in our solar system. Which planet would you choose, and what are two reasons it would be a good place to study?
Answers will vary