Stars and Constellations
How hot is the surface of the sun?
5500C
How many planets are there in our solar system?
What are satellites?
Satellites are objects that revolve around planets, and they may be either natural or human made.
Comets are chunks of ice, rock and dust particles that were left over when the solar system formed more that 4 billion years ago. They come from the outer edge of the solar system and orbitthe Sun.
What is the name of our galaxy?
The Milky Way
What is a constellation?
Groups of stars in the night sky
Name the small terrestrial planets in our solar system
mercury, venus, earth, and mars
How big is Earth's moon?
The diameter is ~3474km, roughly one quarter of Earth’s diameter (about the same as the width of Australia).
What is an asteroid?
Asteroids are small and irregularly shaped rocks made of metal or minerals that orbit the Sun.
What is a Galaxy?
Galaxies are massive systems that contain millions to trillions of stars, gas and dust that are held together by gravity.
What is the next closest Star to Earth (not the Sun)
Proxima Centauri
Name the big low-density planets in our solar system
Jupiter, saturn, uranus, neptune
How many natural moons have been found in our solar system?
More than 891
Explain the difference between a meteor and a meteorite.
Meteors are a piece of rock or metal that enters our atmosphere from space, a meteorite is a meteor that has collided with the surface of the Earth.
Name the three types of galaxy
spiral, elliptical and irregular
Which constellation is seen on the Australian and New Zealand flags?
The Southern Cross
Which gases are most commonly found in the large, low-density planets?
Hydrogen and Helium
Which two planets in our solar system DON'T have natural satellites (moons)
Mercury and Venus
Where are most asteroids found in our solar system?
In the asteroid belt between mars and jupiter
Name one of the next closest galaxies to the Milky Way
- Andromeda
- the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC)
- Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC)—
How long does it take light to travel from the Sun to the Earth
What is one of the criteria to be a planet according to the International Astronomical Union?
•Directly orbit a Sun
•Have enough mass so its gravity can force it into a spherical shape
•Have a large enough gravity to clear away objects of a similar and smaller size from its orbit.
Name one of Jupiter's biggest moons
Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto
Why do small meteors burn up in Earth's atmosphere?
Because of heat caused by friction with the air.
How many galaxies are their estimated to be in the universe?
1-2 trillion