Star Search
Groups of stars that appear to form recognizable patterns in the night sky are called these.
constellations
When the entire side of the Moon facing Earth appears illuminated, we call it this phase.
Full Moon
Earth's spinning on its axis is called this.
rotation
Florida's famous space launch center on the Atlantic coast is named for this U.S. president.
Kennedy Space Center
You would use this tool to make a tiny object appear larger.
magnifying glass
True or false: The stars in a constellation change their positions relative to one another every night.
False
When the Moon appears to grow more illuminated each night, it is doing this.
Waxing
Earth's movement around the Sun is called this.
revolution
Florida's location is useful for launching spacecraft partly because much of the area east of the launch sites is this large body of water.
Atlantic Ocean
A scientist wants to observe tiny structures that cannot be seen clearly with the unaided eye. This tool would be a good choice.
microscope
Over several hours, a constellation appears to move across the night sky. What is actually causing most of this apparent movement?
Earth's rotation
Put these in order: full moon, first quarter, new moon, waxing crescent.
New moon → waxing crescent → first quarter → full moon
You observe the Sun appearing to rise in the east, climb across the sky, and then set slowly to the west. What best explains these observations?
Earth rotates once on its axis every 24 hours.
Space exploration affects Florida's economy by creating these for engineers, scientists, technicians, construction workers, and many others.
jobs
Astronomers use this tool to observe distant objects such as stars and planets.
Mia observes the sky in January and again in July. She notices different constellations. Why?
Because Earth has moved to a different position in its revolution around the Sun, so the nighttime side faces a different direction in space.
Tucker’s team is studying the Moon. They learn that the Moon tonight is in the new Moon phase. What phase of the Moon should the team expect in about one week?
a first quarter Moon
About how long does Earth take to revolve once around the Sun?
one year, or about 365 days
Visitors who come to Florida to tour space facilities or watch rocket launches support this part of Florida's economy.
tourism
What is the difference between a rover and a probe?
A probe is any unmanned spacecraft sent to collect information about space.
A rover is a specific kind of probe that can move across the surface of a planet, moon, or other object.
A constellation is seen low in the eastern sky at 8:00 p.m. and farther west at midnight. Did the constellation actually travel around Earth during those four hours? Explain.
No. Earth's rotation makes the constellation appear to move across the sky.
You observe a full Moon tonight. When would you expect to see exactly the same phase?
after about four weeks, or one month
How can you model the cycle of day and night on Earth using a flashlight and ball?
Spin a ball while shining a flashlight on it.
What does NASA stand for?
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
How do telescopes, such as Hubble and James Webb, extend the ability of humans to observe space?
They allow humans to observe deep space objects not visible from Earth.