Lesson 1: Intro to Space
what is an AU?
the distance from Earth to the Sun in km
name all the planets in order
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
What is the heliocentric model?
The model where the Sun is at the center and planets orbit around it
What is a new moon?
The lunar phase when the Moon is between Earth and the Sun, and the illuminated side faces away from us
Which planet is the hottest in the solar system?
Venus
How long does it take light to travel from the Sun to Earth?
about 8 min
What is the main difference between terrestrial and Jovian planets?
Terrestrial planets are small and rocky; Jovian planets are large and gaseous
Why did early astronomers believe in the geocentric model?
Because the night sky appears to move around us, and we don't feel Earth's motion
Define "waxing" and "waning" in relation to lunar phases.
Waxing means the illuminated portion of the Moon is increasing; waning means it's decreasing
What defines a day and a year on Earth
1 rotation on its own axis, 1 revolution around the sun
Write 4,880,000,000,000 in scientific notation.
4.88 x 10^12
Explain the difference between a meteoroid, a meteor, and a meteorite.
A meteoroid is a rocky object in space; a meteor is a meteoroid burning up in Earth's atmosphere (shooting star); a meteorite is a meteor that reaches Earth's surface
What is retrograde motion, and how does it support the heliocentric model?
The apparent backward movement of a planet against the background stars; it's impossible to explain in the geocentric model but makes sense when planets orbit the Sun at different speeds
Name the eight lunar phases in order, starting with the new moon.
New moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, third quarter, waning crescent
which are the only two planets that don't rotate in the "same direction" as the rest of the solar system, and how do they rotate?
Venus, upside down
Uranus, on its side
Define a light-year and explain what it measures.
the distance light travels in 1 year
What are the Kuiper Belt and Oort Cloud, what do they contain, and where are they?
Region beyond Neptune containing large rocky objects like dwarf planets and asteroids. Oort cloud is the outermost boundary of the solar system containing comets and icy bodies;
What are the summer and winter solstices and the autumn and spring equinoxes
longest day, shortest day, equal day and night
Explain the difference between a solar eclipse and a lunar eclipse, and when each occurs.
A solar eclipse occurs during a new moon when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, blocking sunlight. A lunar eclipse occurs during a full moon when Earth passes between the Sun and Moon, casting Earth's shadow on the Moon
big thing hit earth. earth hurt. chunk and debris fly off. chunk and debris form into ball. humans call ball Moon
What does the Hubble or James Webb Ultra Deep Field image show, and why is it spectacular?
It shows thousands of galaxies in a region of sky the size of half a fingernail, demonstrating the vast number of galaxies in the universe
Name something unique about each planet. Mr. G will decide if the answer is good enough
answers vary
Explain why we have 4 seasons in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres
answer too long to write, Mr. G will confirm
Describe and name three major features of the Moon's surface.
Maria (dark areas of cooled lava), highlands (bright, elevated regions), and craters (impact features)
explain why we don't have a solar or lunar eclipse every lunar cycle
the moon orbits at 5 deg above or below the ecliptic so we only get an eclipse when the lunar nodes line up with the new moon phase or full moon phase