A
I wrote a book in which I presented the idea of an earth-centered universe so convincingly that it became the accepted viewpoint for more than 1,400 years. Who am I?
Claudius Ptolemy
What phase of the moon displays the most light?
Full moon
What is the planet closest to the sun?
Mercury
What layer of the atmosphere filters out ultraviolet radiation?
Ozone layer
What is the sixth planet from the sun?
Saturn
What means the “wanderers”?
My greatest scientific achievement was my study of gravity. Who am I?
Sir Isaac Newton
What tide occurs when the moon is in line with the earth and the sun?
Spring tide
What are the two groups that the planets can be divided into?
Inner and outer
What is the name of one of the most famous comets?
Halley’s comet
What is the amount of time it takes for a comet to complete its orbit called?
Period
What is the distance between the earth and the sun measured as?
Astronomical unit
I invented the three laws of planetary motion. Who am I?
Johannes Kepler
What contains the sun and all the heavenly bodies that orbit it?
Solar system
What is the heart of a comet called?
Nucleus
What is the band of comet-like objects that is beyond the orbit of Neptune?
How long is a solar year?
365 1/4 days
What is the force of attraction between any two objects?
Gravity
I felt that there must be a better way to explain the motions of the planets through the sky, so I came up with the idea of a sun-centered universe. Who am I?
Nicolaus Copernicus
Which two planets do not have moons?
Venus and Mercury
What happens when the earth passes through a cluster of meteoroids?
Meteor shower
What is the third planet from the sun?
Earth
What is an asteroid-sized chunk of rock, dust, and ice that has a “tail” as it approaches the sun?
Comet
What are the two points inside an ellipse called?
Foci
What is a symmetrically shaped oval?
ellipse
What is a meteor that has landed on the earth’s surface called?
Meteorite
What is the force that resists motion?
Friction
What are large clouds of gas and dust in space?
Nebulae
What are scientists who study outer space called?
Astronomers
What is the band of asteroids located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter?
asteroid belt