Sun and other Stars
Why does the sun appear brighter than other stars of the same size?
It is closer to Earth, so appears brighter than stars that are further away.
Define waning vs. waxing
Waning="shrinking" Waxing="growing"
Which way does Earth's gravity pull objects?
Down
What is the name of the US government agency that was created to study and explore space?
NASA
What is the name of our galaxy?
Milky Way Galaxy
Which color star is the hottest? Which is the coolest?
Blue stars are the hottest in temperature, and red stars are coolest.
Name one major effect of the moon's gravity on Earth.
The moon's (as well as the sun's...!) gravity causes our oceans' tides.
*There are more than one correct answer to this question!*
If you could jump one meter on Earth, what would happen if you tried to jump on a planet where the gravity is much weaker?
You will jump higher than one meter.
Put the following in order from largest to smallest: galaxy, solar system, universe
universe, galaxy, solar system
Name another planet that has one or more moon(s).
Saturn, Jupiter, Uranus, Mars, Neptune
Why do stars appear to twinkle?
Stars do not "twinkle" as they may appear to in the night sky. When the light from a star travels through the layers of our atmosphere, it gets bent and shifted around by the moving air. This makes the star look like it's twinkling from our perspective on Earth.
Name at least 5 of the important labels used to identify the phases of the moon (lunar cycle).
Full Moon, Gibbous Moon, Crescent moon, First Quarter, Last Quarter, New Moon, waxing, waning, etc.
How many degrees Earth is tilted?
23.5
Name 5 resources/tools scientists use to study and observe space.
telescopes, space stations, satellites, space shuttles, observatories
What is the only other planet in our solar system that may be able to sustain life (that we know of so far!!)?
Mars
Why are some stars/constellations only visible to us during certain times of the year?
As it orbits around the sun throughout the year, Earth's tilt causes different parts of the sky to be visible at night. This is why the stars that we can see during the summer are different from the stars we can see in the winter.
How many days does it take the moon to go around the Earth once?
about 27 days
Name one way that we know that the Earth is moving in space even though we cannot feel the movement.
(Many correct answers!)
Observing the sun, planets and stars moving across the sky, scientific research tools such as telescopes, satellites, and space stations, and many more!
What is the definition of space?
The vast, empty area where everything exists including planets, stars, and galaxies.
Name two stars or constellations.
Betelgeuse, Antares, RW Cephei, UY Scuti, and many, many more!
Define nebula and explain how it is related to lifespan of a star.
Enormous clouds of dust and gas in space. Over millions of years, the dust and gas in nebulas start to come together because of gravity, forming a young star.
Explain how the moon phases occur.
As the moon orbits the Earth, different amounts of its surface are lit up by the sun's rays, which creates the phases we see from Earth.
Explain the two ways that Earth moves around the sun and what the two movements cause.
The Earth revolves around the sun in about 365 days, causing seasons, and orbits the sun on its axis in 24 hours causing day and night.
Name all the planets in our solar system in order.
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
What is Mrs. Barker's birthday?
September 10, 1987