Constellations
What are constellations?
Why does the sun appear so bright to us?
The sun appears so bright to us because it is close to Earth.
What direction should you look to see the sun rise in the morning? (North, South, East, or West)
East
In what month, or season, are our days the longest?
June- Summer.
What is gravity?
Gravity is the force that pulls objects toward something else.
What are seasonal constellations?
A constellation that is only visible for part of the year.
Are there stars in the universe that are brighter than the sun?
Yes- all of them.
What direction should you look to see the sun set in the evening? (North, South, East, or West)
West
In what month, or season, are our days the shortest?
December- Winter.
How does the sun's gravity affect our solar system?
The sun's gravity pulls Earth and the other planets toward it.
In NJ we see some constellations only part of the year. Why?
We see different parts of the night sky as Earth revolves around the sun.
What happens to light as it gets closer to us?
It gets brighter.
When is the sun highest in the sky?
How does the revolution of Earth around the sun affect the seasons?
The Earth's axis is tilted. When the axis is tilted toward the sun, it is summer. When the axis is tilted away from the sun, it is winter.
How does mass affect gravity?
The greater the mass, the greater the gravitational pull.
Do constellations move?
Constellations move across the sky as Earth rotates on it's axis.
Why don't we see stars during the daytime?
Our sun's bright light blocks out the light of more distant stars.
If you are facing North, where will your shadow be cast in the morning? In the afternoon? (North, South, East, or West)
West (to your left) in the morning.
East (to your right) in the afternoon.
The Earth's axis is tilted toward the sun at that time.
Why is the moon's gravity weaker?
Why are some constellations visible all year long?
They are circumpolar (near the poles), and never go below the horizon.
Why don't we see the sun at night?
The Earth is rotating on its axis. At night, our location is facing away from the sun.
When is your shadow shortest? And where is it located if you are facing North? (North, South, East, West)
It is shortest midday, and it is facing South, directly behind you.
WHY are days shorter and colder during the winter?
The Earth's axis is tilted away from the sun.
What would happen to objects dropped on the moon? Why is it different than what would happen on Earth?
The force of gravity is weaker than on Earth, so objects would appear to bounce or float.