A
The surface of the sun
photosphere
The sun's atmosphere
chromosphere
The outermost part of the sun, "the crown"
corona
The seasons are caused by the ___ of the earth as it revolves around the sun
tilt
Each orbit that a planet makes around the sun is called a ____.
revolution
The space _ was a reusable vehicle that transported equipment and people to and from the International Space Station.
shuttle
Made of electrically charged particles from the sun
solar wind
Unmanned research spacecraft sent beyond Earth's orbit are called _____.
probes
The red planet
Mars
Any object that orbits another object in space is a _______.
satellite
Planet able to sustain life
Earth
Has one natural satellite, the moon
Earth
Dark spots on the photosphere that may be related to solar storms
sunspots
Bright clouds of gas on the photosphere
faculae
brightest object in the morning and evening skies
Venus
What keeps the planets in orbit around the sun?
The sun's huge mass exerts a strong gravitational pull on the planets
planet closest to the sun
Mercury
Has the shortest year in the solar system
Mercury
the smallest planet
Mercury
Created by solar storms exploding from the photosphere
solar flares
The planet most like Earth
Mars
Experiences seasonal changes because it has a tilt like Earth
Mars
sometimes called Earth's twin because it is a similar size and distance from the sun
Venus
What are two uses for inflatable spacecraft that have been or are being developed?
satellites, antennae, habitats, rovers, solar sails
planet closest to Earth
Has liquid water
Earth
Between Mars and Jupiter is an area called the ____.
asteroid belt
What are three ways satellites can be used?
to take pictures, to explore space, for communication, for tracking weather, for international spying, for distance education
planet that has the Great Dark Spot
Neptune
is known as the "ringed planet"
Saturn
The _____ of a planet is an imaginary line around which a planet rotates.
axis
________ launched the first liquid-fueled rocket.
Robert Goddard
A huge stream of gas that extends out past the sun's chromosphere and into the corona
solar prominence
Planet that has the Great Red spot
Jupiter
What kind of storms does the sun have? how do these storms affect life on earth?
magnetic storms
can disrupt communications satellites and GPS navigation signals
A ____ eclipse occurs when the moon passes through the shadow of the earth.
lunar
planet that has the most violent weather
Neptune
largest planet
Jupiter
How are probes used to explore space?
to explore planets and other solar system objects by taking images of them or landing on them; taking samples from nearby planets
The International Space station orbits ___ and is maintained and used by sixteen different _____.
Earth, countries
has more known moons than other planets
Saturn
Why do we always see the same side of the moon?
the moon rotates once on its axis as it makes one revolution around the earth.
____, ______, ______, and ____ are called the outer planets
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
rotates on its side
Uranus
has long periods of darkness and light due ot its tilt
Uranus
Which planets are called gas giants? Why?
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are called gas giants because their surfaces are made of gases
The complete turn of a planet on its axis is called a ________.
rotation
_____, _____, _____, and _____ are called the inner planets.
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars
Why can spacecraft not land on the gas giants?
the surfaces of the gas giants are liquefied gases with no solid surface to land on
Neil Armstrong
A ______ eclipse happens when the moon passes between the earth and the sun.
An _____ is energy emitted in the form of beautiful colors of light.
aurora
The ________ of the moon are caused as different areas of its surface are lighted by the sun.
phases
What do scientists think the Great Red Spot is?
a huge hurricane that blows nonstop
The phase of an eclipse when the moon appears to cover teh sun completely is called a ___.
totality
Beyond Neptune is the _______, an area of small icy objects which includes ______.
Kuiper Belt, Pluto
What are three ways that Earth's atmosphere is helpful?
it maintains warmth from the sun, filters out the sun's harmful rays, and protects us from meteors
_____ helped develop rockets for space travel.
Wernher von Braun
What are Saturn's rings made of?
many small, frozen particles that reflect the sun's light
Instead of giving off its own light, the moon ________ the light from the sun.
reflects
What gives Uranus its bluish color?
its atmosphere is poisonous methane gas
What began the space race between Russia and the United States?
the Russian launch of the first artificial satellite, Sputnik I
Name the dwarf planets
Pluto, Ceres, Eris, Haumea, Makemake
How is a dwarf planet similar to a planet? How is it different?
like planets, a dwarf planet orbits the sun and is spherical. But unlike planets, a dwarf planet can share its orbit with other objects of a similar size
What criteria must be met in order for a solar system object to be considered a planet?
It must orbit the sun and be big enough for its own gravity to keep it in the shape of a sphere. It also cannot share the space of its orbit with any other object of significant size, other than moons
it does orbit the sun and is spherical, but it shares the path of its orbit with other objects in the Kuiper Belt
Which planets are called terrestrial plantes? Why?
Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars are considered terrestrial planets because they are rocky, dense , and Earthlike in composition.
Where does much of the information about the outer planets come from?
the Voyager probes
Why did astronauts need to wear protective suits on the moon?
The moon does not have an atmosphere like Earth's and does not have the gases we need to breathe. The suits provide oxygen for the astronauts and protect them from the sun's harmful rays and extreme temps.
Why is Venus hotter than Mercury even though Mercury is closer to the sun?
a thick cloud of carbon dioxide around Venus traps heat
Why do auroras occur only at the North and South Poles of the earth?
The electrically charged particles from the sun are trapped in the earth's magnetic field. Magnetic attraction is strongest at the poles, so these trapped particles are pulled towards the earth's magnetic poles.
Explain two challenges of living in space.
Weightlessness affects how astronauts eat, sleep, work, and exercise. Food is often dehydrated, and drinks need to be in sealed containers. Astronauts need to exercise every day to keep their muscles from deteriorating.