The Solar System
This star is at the centre of our solar system
What is the Sun?
This is the name for the Moon’s shape when we can see more and more of it each night.
What is waxing?
A huge ball of glowing gases, mostly hydrogen and helium, is called this.
What is a star?
This vehicle carries astronauts into space.
What is a spacecraft (or rocket)?
Earth spins on this imaginary line to create day and night.
What is Earth’s axis?
These are the eight major objects that orbit the Sun.
What are planets?
This occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun.
What is a solar eclipse?
This galaxy is the one we live in.
What is the Milky Way?
These robotic machines are sent to explore planets without humans.
What are space probes?
Earth’s movement around the Sun causes this yearly event.
What are the seasons?
This planet is known as the “Red Planet.”
What is Mars?
The dark, flat plains on the Moon formed by ancient lava are called this.
What are maria?
This is the term for a group of stars forming a pattern in the sky.
What is a constellation?
This large telescope orbits Earth and takes pictures from outside our atmosphere.
What is the Hubble Space Telescope?
Earth takes this long to complete one full rotation.
What is 24 hours (one day)?
This gas giant is famous for its large, icy rings.
What is Saturn?
The Moon causes these ocean movements on Earth.
What are tides?
The measure of how bright a star appears from Earth is called this.
What is apparent magnitude?
This international structure orbits Earth and is used for experiments in microgravity.
What is the International Space Station (ISS)?
This is the path Earth follows as it orbits the Sun.
What is an orbit?
This dwarf planet lies in the Kuiper Belt and was once considered the ninth planet.
What is Pluto?
This is the approximate number of days it takes for the Moon to complete one orbit around Earth.
What is about 27 days?
This type of galaxy has no definite shape and often looks patchy.
What is an irregular galaxy?
This term describes any human-made object placed in orbit around Earth.
What is an artificial satellite?
The tilt of Earth’s axis is approximately this many degrees.
What is 23.5 degrees?