Celestial Objects
The Solar System
Scale Models
The Universe
100
This ball of frozen dust and rock orbits the sun in a wide orbit forming in the outer edge of the solar system. As it moves close to the sun it heats up and forms a coma and a tail that glows
What is a comet?
100
What are inner planets made out of?
What are outer planets made out of?
Inner- Rocky
Outer- Gas/ Ice Giants
100
Astronomers use the Astronomical Unit (AU) to measure large distances in space. 1 astronomical unit is the distance from the Earth to the Sun. Justify using the data above if Earth is closer in distance to Mars or if Earth is closer in distance to Venus.
What is Earth is closer to Venus because Venus is 0.4 AU from Earth and Mars is 0.5 AUs from Earth
100
What is located at the center of all large galaxies?
A black hole
200
This celestial object is a small rocky body orbiting the sun often found in between Mars and Jupiter
What is an asteroid?
200
Why does Jupiter take 12 years to go around the sun when Earth takes 1 year?
Because its travels a shorter distance (bonus points if you mention circumference)
200
When using a ratio, the colon symbol (a : b) represents this about 2 quantities
What is a comparison (division)?
200
This mysterious substance, which makes up about 27% of the universe, cannot be directly observed but is inferred from its gravitational effects on visible matter and cosmic structures. What is this component of the universe called?
What is Dark Matter?
300
This celestial body is defined as a natural satellite that orbits a planet, varying in size and composition, and can influence tides and geological activity. What is this object called?
What is a moon?
300
Name the 8 planets in our solar system in order starting from the Sun.
What is Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune (and Pluto!)
300
If Mercury is 0.4 Astronomical Units from the Sun, On a scale model how far away would it be if it were on a 1:10 scale ratio in centimeters?
4 cm from the sun
300
Put these items in order from largest to smallest: Planet, Galaxy Cluster, Solar System, Universe, Star Cluster, Moon, Star, Meteoroid, Galaxy
Universe, Galaxy Cluster, Galaxy, Star Cluster, Solar System, Star, Planet, Moon, Meteoroid
400
This NASA mission launched in 2016 aimed to collect samples from an asteroid named Bennu, returning them to Earth in 2023 for analysis of the early solar system's building blocks. What is the name of this mission?
What is OSIRIS-REx?
400
Never Forget Pluto! In 2006, the International Astronomical Union established three criteria for classifying a celestial body as a planet. It must orbit the sun, be spherical in shape, and what other third criteria?
What is clear its orbit of other debris?
400
What would this model of our solar system need to be considered "To Scale"?
What is maintains the exact proportions of the original in terms of distance and size?
400
This phenomenon describes the observation that galaxies are moving away from each other, indicating that the universe is continuously growing larger over time, a concept supported by the redshift of light from distant galaxies. What is this theory called?
What is The Theory of the Expanding Universe?
500
What is the difference between a meteor, meteoroid, and meteorite?
Meteor- found in the atmosphere; a shooting star
Meteoroid- found orbiting in space. Pieces that come off of asteroids or other space objects (Think astrOID)
Meterorite- found fallen on the ground on Earth. Very rare to find. Often made of heavy metals like iron and Nickle
500
This distant region beyond Neptune is home to a treasure trove of icy bodies and dwarf planets, including Pluto, and is considered the final frontier of our solar system. What is this asteroid belt called?
What is the Kuiper Belt?
500
Use the table to calculate how many times smaller the Moon is than the Earth
What is 0.27x smaller than Earth?
500
Galaxies, which are made up of smaller star clusters are composed of stars, and what other 3 major building blocks?
What is Gas, Dust, and Dark Matter? (will accept gravity as an answer)