Sun and Stars
What is the Sun?
The Sun is a star: a huge ball of extremely hot, glowing gas (mostly hydrogen and helium).
Earth spins on its imaginary axis. One complete rotation takes about 24 hours and causes day and night
Rotation:
Why does the Moon shine?
It does not make its own light. We see sunlight reflected from the Moon
What is the solar system? What do the planets do?
The Sun and the planets, moons, dwarf planets, asteroids, comets, and other objects that orbit it.
They rotate on their axes and revolve around the sun.
Why do seasons happen?
Earth’s tilted axis, together with its revolution around the Sun, changes the angle of sunlight and the length of daylight during the year.
What energy reaches Earth?
The Sun gives Earth light and heat. Sunlight warms the land, water, and air and provides energy that plants use to make food.
Earth travels around the Sun in an orbit. One complete revolution takes about 365¼ days (one year).
Revolution
Why does its shape seem to change?
As the Moon revolves around Earth, we see different amounts of its sunlit half. The Moon itself does not change shape.
Planets in order from the Sun:
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.
What are the three thing that the moon impacts
Light
Time
Tides
Why does the Sun look so big and bright?
It is much closer to Earth than other stars. Other stars look like tiny points of light because they are extremely far away
An imaginary line running through Earth from the North Pole to the South Pole. Earth rotates around this line.
Axis
How long is the phase cycle?
The Moon takes about 29½ days to go through its phases as seen from Earth.
Name the inner planets and describe them as well
Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. They are smaller, rocky planets with solid surfaces and few or no moons.
Why does it take mercury less time to revolve around the sun than it does for Jupiter
How is the Sun like other stars?
Like other stars, it is made of hot gas and produces its own light and heat. Its closeness to Earth makes it appear different to us.
What is the path called that the Earth follows around the sun?
Orbit
What is the difference between Waxing and Waning?
Waxing is when the light is coming onto the moon, Waning is when the light is leaving the moon.
Name the outer planets and describe them
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. They are much larger gas or ice giants and have many moons.
What is the difference between a meteoroid, meteor, and a meteorite?
Meteoroid is a piece of asteroid moving through space
Meteor is a meteoroid that is in Earths atmosphere and usually burns up
Meteorite is a meteor that makes it to Earth's Surface
What size star is the Sun
A Medium Sized Star
What causes day and night on Earth?
Earth rotates on its axis. The side facing the Sun experiences daytime, while the side facing away from the Sun experiences nighttime.
What are the moon phases in order?
New Moon → Waxing Crescent → First Quarter → Waxing Gibbous → Full Moon → Waning Gibbous → Third (Last) Quarter → Waning Crescent → New Moon.
What lies between inner and outer planets?
Asteroid Belt
What is a constellation
When stars form a picture in the sky.