Origins of the Universe
The universe began with a huge expansion known as....
The Big Bang
This Greek astronomer was the first to begin studying the planets and space. We sometimes refer to him as the "Father of Astronomy"
Aristotle
This planet is very rocky, has many craters, and rotates very slowly on its axis.
Mercury
the moving force that keeps objects wanting to stay moving or stay still
inertia
small bodies of ice, rock, and cosmic dust loosely packed together
comet
Most stars are made of what two elements?
hydrogen and helium
This Greek astronomer placed Earth at the center of the universe and developed the first geocentric model that was accepted for over 1500 years.
Claudius Ptolemy
This planet is tilted at over 90 degrees, rotates in retrograde, and even has rings!
Uranus
a band that lies between Mars & Jupiter and hosts many small bodies like asteroids
the asteroid belt
a small rocky body that orbits the sun, most are located in a band between Mars & Jupiter
asteroid
our current model of the solar system is called....
the heliocentric or sun-centered model
This Polish astronomer changed our view of the solar system. He placed the sun at the center, but didnt't publish his ideas until his deathbed.
Nicolaus Copernicus
This planet is home to the largest rift valley, crater, and mountain in the entire solar system.
Mars
a large celestial body that is composed of gas, and that emits light
star
a disk of material that circles a planet and consists of orbiting particles
planetary ring
How is distance measured in space?
using light-years (ly)
This Italian astronomer improved the telescope and saw moons orbiting Jupiter.
Galileo Galilei
This planet has many volcanoes, is the brightest in the night sky, and rotates in retrograde.
Venus
equals the average distance between the sun and Earth which is approximately 150 million kilometers
astronomical unit
a shooting star is also called a...
meteor
What are the FIVE large scale structures in the universe?
1. solar system
2. star cluster
3. galaxy
4. galaxy cluster
5. supercluster
English astronomer who developed the laws of gravity and inertia which help explain my the planets orbit the sun.
Sir Isaac Newton
This planet has a density that is so low, it could float in water!
Saturn
the sun and all of the planets and other bodies that travel around it
solar system
a meteoroid that has hit Earth's surface is called a...
meteorite