Planets
Which planet is closest to the sun?
Mercury
Why does the moon "shine"?
reflects light from the sun
What is the International Space Station and what is its purpose?
A habitable artificial satellite in Earth orbit
Purpose: permanent research laboratory and home for astronauts
What is an asteroid belt?
region that contains millions of asteroids
Which 2 planets is the asteroid belt between?
Mars and Jupiter
What is an asteroid?
Small rocky object orbiting the Sun
What is a satellite?
any object, natural or artificial, that orbits a larger body in space
What causes day and night?
Earth rotating on its axis
Name all 8 planets in correct order from the sun.
mercury, venus, earth, mars, jupiter, saturn, uranus, neptune
What is a meteoroid?
Small rocky object enters Earth’s atmosphere and burns up
What is a rover and what is its purpose?
A robotic vehicle
Purpose: to explore the surfaces of planets, moons, or asteroids
What causes seasons?
Earth orbiting the sun
Why was Pluto reclassified as a dwarf planet?
It is too small and did not clear its orbit of other objects
What is a comet?
Icy object with a tail
What is "Hubble" and what is its purpose?
A telescope, a large, space-based observatory launched by NASA that orbits Earth
Purpose is to take pictures to study the universe.
Give 1 example of a natural satellite and 1 example of an artificial satellite.
natural: moons
artificial: ISS, Hubble Space telescope, etc.
Identify 2 characteristics that make planets considered a planet.
orbit a star, cleared orbit of debris, have enough mass, nearly spherical
What are the primary celestial bodies that emit their own light and heat?
Stars (sun)
What is the name of the first satellite put into orbit by Alberta?
Ex-Alta 1
-increase cancer risk due to radiation exposure
-lose muscle mass and bone density due to lack of gravity
-motion sickness due to lack of gravity
-isolation, confinement, stress, homesick, etc.