Stars & Sun
What is the name for the bright ball of gas at the center of our solar system that gives us light and heat?
sun
What do we call the objects that orbit the Sun and include Earth, Mars, and Jupiter?
planets
What natural object orbits Earth and can look different shapes in the sky?
the moon
What tool do scientists use to look at distant stars and planets from Earth?
telescope
True or false: Space has no air to breathe.
true
True or false: The Sun is a star.
true
Which planet do we live on?
Earth
What do we call the phase when the whole face of the moon looks bright and round?
full moon
What is the name of the machine that takes astronauts from Earth into space?
rocket
What do astronauts wear to help them survive in space when they go outside their spacecraft?
a spacesuit
What do we call the tiny points of light we see in the night sky that are like the Sun but far away?
stars
What is the name of the large planet with rings that can be seen with a small telescope?
Saturn
What phase comes when the moon looks like a thin sliver (just a little is lit)?
crescent
What do we call the vehicle that lands on another planet or the moon to collect data (one word)?
Lander (or rover if specifically a mobile vehicle)
The tilt (lean) of Earth helps cause two big things we notice each year. Name one of them.
Seasons (temperature changes through the year) or the changing length of daylight
Why does the Sun look larger and brighter than other stars?
Because it is much closer to Earth than other stars (so it looks larger and brighter).
Name one difference between a planet and a star
A planet orbits a star and does not produce its own light; a star produces its own light
How long does it take the moon to go through all its main phases (about how many days)?
abouts 29-30 days (a lunar month)
Name one thing a space telescope can do that a regular telescope on Earth cannot do as well.
It can see beyond Earth's atmosphere (clearer images), or detect wavelengths blocked by the atmosphere (such as some infrared or ultraviolet).
What is gravity?
Gravity is the force that pulls things toward a planet (or: it pulls objects toward each other).
Name two things the Sun provides that are important for life on Earth.
Light and heat (also: energy, helps plants grow / supports life)
Put these planets in order from closest to the Sun to farthest: Earth, Mercury, Mars.
Mercury, Earth, Mars
Explain why we sometimes see different shapes of the moon.
Because the moon orbits Earth and we see different amounts of the sunlit side as it moves (answer may vary; look for mention of moon’s orbit and changing sunlight).
Describe one way satellites help people on Earth
Examples: GPS and weather satellites help navigation and weather forecasts; communication satellites let people call and use the internet.
Explain why day and night happen on Earth.
Day and night happen because Earth spins (rotates) on its axis; the side facing the Sun has daytime and the side away has night.