Stars
What are stars made of?
Burning gas
What does the word equinox mean?
equal night
A nickname for Earth is the "______ planet" because it is the only planet that has these.
Ocean planet
What do ALL of the outer planets have in common (2 things)
For double points, what two things do the inner planets have in common?
Outer-gas giants, all have rings
Inner-terrestrial, denser than outer
What is the giant red spot on Jupiter?
For double points, how long has it been there?
A storm
over 300 years
What do we call the event when the shadow of the Earth blocks sunlight from reaching the moon?
Lunar eclipse
On what day will spring begin?
For double points, what do we call that event?
March 19 (or 20-21)
Spring equinox
Which of the inner planets is the densest?
Earth
Why are most models of the solar system not to scale?
It is very difficult to produce a scale model because of the vast differences in size and distance
What is the name of the effect that happens when a thick atmosphere traps heat, causing the planet to warm?
Greenhouse effect
How many stars are in our solar system?
1, the sun
During what season does the sun follow its HIGHEST path in the sky?
Summer
Why does the moon appear to change shape every month?
The angle that the sun is reflecting off of it changes
If I jump HIGHER on Mercury than I do on Earth, which planet has more gravity?
Earth
What are the only two planets that rotate clockwise?
Venus, Uranus
What is the name of the star in the sky that all of the other stars appear to circle around? This star appears to stay in the same place.
The north star
During the winter season, what do shadows look like compared to summer?
In winter shadows appear longer
What number is Earth in the order of the planets, starting from the sun?
3rd
What are the two factors that affect the strength of gravitational pull?
Mass and distance
Another name for the habitable zone
Goldilocks conditions
The Earth is REVOLVING around the sun, changing our view of the galaxy.
During summertime, what happens to the amount of daylight we have compared to winter?
We have more daylight in summer
If the Earth were to spin half as quickly as it does right now, what would happen to our days AND nights?
Our days and nights would be twice as long, or 24 hours each
Which direction does the gravitational pull from the Earth pull us?
Toward the center of the Earth
How many time zones are there in the world?
24