The Grand Tour (Planets and Order)
Name the eight planets in order starting from the Sun.
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
This massive object at the center of our system holds everything in orbit with its gravity.
The Sun
If you see the Moon or Venus glowing at night, are they emitting or reflecting light?
Reflecting light from the Sun
What is the difference between a natural satellite and an artificial one?
Natural: The Moon; Artificial: ISS/GPS satellites
Which planet is the hottest in our solar system because its thick atmosphere of Carbon Dioxide traps heat like a greenhouse?
Venus (even though it's not the closest to the Sun!)
Which planet is known as the "Red Planet" due to iron oxide on its surface?
Mars
This object is made of ice, dust, and rock, and develops a "tail" when near the sun.
A comet
Why is a "Model" (like a drawing or digital app) necessary to study the solar system?
The system is too vast to see all at once; models help us visualize scale and motion
What is the main advantage of a Space Telescope (like Hubble or Webb) over a telescope on the ground?
It is above Earth's atmosphere, so the images aren't blurry or distorted
Which planet is the most similar to Earth in terms of size and mass, often called Earth's "Sister Planet"?
Venus
Identify the two main "types" of planets and the physical feature that separates them.
Terrestrial/Rocky and Gas Giants; separated by the Asteroid Belt
Explain the difference between a meteoroid, meteor and a meteorite.
Meteoroid is floating through space; Meteor is burning in the atmosphere; Meteorite has landed on Earth
Most classroom posters are inaccurate. Name one "physical" thing they usually get wrong about the planets.
Scale: the distance between planets is usually way too small compared to their size
Why would scientists send a probe to a planet like Jupiter instead of a lander?
Jupiter is a Gas Giant with no solid surface to land on; the pressure would crush a lander
Name three biological (body) barriers to humans living in space for a long time.
(Muscle atrophy, bone density loss, or radiation exposure)
Which planet is the largest in our solar system?
Jupiter
Name the three criteria an object must meet to be a planet, and why Pluto failed one.
1. Orbit the Sun; 2. Be spherical; 3. Clear its orbit. Pluto failed #3
Describe one characteristic of a Digital Model (like NASA's Eyes) that makes it better than a paper drawing.
It can show real-time movement, 3D rotation, and varying perspectives
Which famous Canadian robotic tool was used on the Space Shuttle and ISS to move cargo?
The Canadarm
What are the main differences between the "Inner Planets" and the "Outer Planets"? Give 5 examples.
Inner planets are Terrestrial (made of rock and metal); Outer planets are Jovian (made of gas and ice).
Rings, moons, density, mass, etc.
I am the fourth planet from the Sun, and I mark the final boundary of the 'Inner Planets.' If you were to travel from me to the next planet in the system, what major celestial structure would you have to cross, and which 'type' of planet would you reach next?
The Asteroid Belt (structure) and a Gas Giant/Outer Planet (type)
"I am a rocky body, larger than a meteoroid but smaller than a planet. I have no atmosphere, and I usually hang out in a 'belt.' If I were to orbit a planet instead of the Sun, what would my classification change to?"
An Asteroid (first half) and a Moon/Natural Satellite (second half)
Imagine you are using a digital model of the solar system, like NASA’s Eyes. You click on a moon and a star. Describe the fundamental difference in how these two bodies appear to 'shine' in the model, and explain why a digital model is better than a physical clay model for showing the Moon's phases.
The Star emits its own light, while the moon reflects it. A digital model is better because it can simulate real-time motion and shadows, which are hard to show with static clay.
Unlike older rovers that studied rocks on the spot, Perseverance is doing something "new" with its drill. What is its plan for the rock samples it collects?
It seals them in tubes and leaves them on the surface for a future mission to bring back to Earth.
A crew is planning a 2-year mission to Mars. Identify one biological barrier their bodies will face during the trip, and one technological barrier that makes it difficult for them to get immediate medical advice from doctors on Earth.
Biological: Muscle/bone loss or radiation. Technological: Communication delay (it can take up to 20 minutes for a signal to reach Earth).