Solar System Basics
What is the center of our solar system?
The Sun
Name one inner planet.
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars
What is a comet made of?
Ice, dust, and rock
What causes day and night?
Earth’s rotation
Compare the surface of Earth and Jupiter.
Earth = rocky; Jupiter = gas
Name one major component of the solar system.
Planet, moon, asteroid, comet
Name one outer planet.
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
What gives a comet its tail?
Heat from the Sun
How long does one rotation take?
24 hours
Which planets have rings?
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
What do all planets do around the Sun?
Orbit
How are inner planets different from outer planets?
Inner = rocky/small; Outer = gaseous/large
What is the asteroid belt?
A region between Mars and Jupiter with many asteroids
What side of Earth has daytime?
The side facing the Sun
Which planets have moons?
All except Mercury and Venus
What is a moon?
A natural object that orbits a planet
Which planet is the largest?
Jupiter
What is a dwarf planet?
A small planet-like object that doesn’t clear its orbit
What is Earth’s axis?
An imaginary line Earth spins on
Which planet is most like Earth?
Mars
What is an asteroid?
A rocky object that orbits the Sun, mostly in the asteroid belt
Which planet is closest to the Sun?
Mercury
Name one dwarf planet.
Pluto, Ceres, Eris
Why is it night in one place and day in another?
Because Earth rotates and different sides face the Sun
How are comets and asteroids different?
Comets = icy with tails; Asteroids = rocky, no tail