Motions of the Earth
The Sun
The Moon
Astronomers
Gravity and Orbits
100

The spin of Earth on its axis.

What is ROTATION?

100

If the sun is located in the constellation Virgo at sunrise today, it will be located in _____ at sunset tonight.

What is VIRGO?

100

The moon is in its waning crescent phase. ____ of its entire surface is lit.

What is HALF?

100

_____ _____ is known for being the world's best naked-eye astronomer.

Who is TYCHO BRAHE?

100

Outer planets orbit the sun more ______ than Earth.

What is SLOWLY?

200

This type of motion causes the sun, moon, stars and planets to rise and set.

What is EARTH'S ROTATION?

200

The sun's annual motion on the Celestial Sphere is ______ relative to the equator.

What is TILTED?

200

The full moon rose at 6pm. It will be at its highest point in the sky at ___.

When is 12AM?

200

________ __________ is known for the first sun-centered model of the solar system.

Who is NICOLAUS COPERNICUS?

200

Kepler's _____ law states that the orbit of each planet is an _______ with the sun at one focus.

What is FIRST/ELLIPSE?

300

These stars are always visible: they never rise or set. 

What are CIRCUMPOLAR STARS?

300

The sun will NEVER be directly overhead for latitudes GREATER than ___°

What is 23.5?

300

When the moon is closer to or nearer to the sun in its orbit, its phase is is ________ or ___.

What is CRESCENT/NEW?

300

_______ _______ is known for the first telescopic observations of the sky.

Who is GALILEO GALILEI?

300

The average distance between the sun an an orbiting object.

What is the SEMIMAJOR AXIS?

400

At higher latitudes, there are ____ circumpolar stars than at lower latitudes.

What is MORE?

400

As the Earth orbits the sun, the amount of direct sunlight changes because of ______ ____. 

What is EARTH'S TILT?

400

When the moon is farther away or at a greater distance from the sun in its orbit, its phase is _______ or ____.

What is GIBBOUS/FULL?

400

_____ ______ is known for creating the first theoretical model for explaining gravity.

Who is ISAAC NEWTON?

400

The larger the eccentricity of an orbit, the ____ the distance between a planet and the sun changes over a single orbit. 

What is MORE?

500

___ ________: the plane of the solar system and Earth's orbit. The path that the sun and planets follow into the sky (relative to background stars), as viewed on Earth. 

What is THE ECLIPTIC?

500

Earth is closest to the sun in _______, therefore its distance from the sun does not cause the seasons.

When is JANUARY?

500

The moon is full today. It will be a waxing gibbous in _____ _____.

When is THREE WEEKS?

500

________ ______ is known for creating the first theoretical model to explain planetary motions.

Who is JOHANNES KEPLER?

500

An orbiting object moves fastest as it approaches __________.

What is PERIHELION?