Planet A body that orbits a star

The Solar System A series of planets revolving around the Sun

Galaxy A rotating group of stars. Our Galaxy is called the Milky Way because it looks like drops of milk spilling across the sky.

Universe Everything that exists. All planets, solar systems, stars and galaxies.

From smallest to biggest Our earth, is part of the solar system, which is in a part of the Milky Way, which is a part of the universe.

Orbit The oval path around which objects in space travel. Ex: The Earth orbits the Sun once every 365 days.

Revolve When an object spins in a circle on a central axis. The Earth revolves counter clockwise once every 24 hours.

Asteroid Rocks, smaller than a planet, which orbit the sun. Made from materials left over from the formation of the solar system. Ex: Asteroid belt. Non luminous

Meteorite Object in space formed from rocks, ice and gasses. Non luminous

Meteor Object in space formed from rocks, ice and gasses. Also known as shooting stars When a particle in space collides with the Earth’s atmosphere. The friction between the particle and the air causes the air to glow. Luminous

A body that creates its own light Stars (Sun) meteor

Non Luminous A body that is illuminated because it is reflecting the light of something luminous Planets Moon Asteroid Meteorite

How We See the Moon

Constellations

How constellations are named When humans first looked at the sky, they saw hundreds of twinkling dots of light. They connected the dots to make pictures of people, animals and other things. The pictures helped them, and now us, remember the stars. There are 88 constellations recognized by the International Astronomical Union.

A Few Important Things to Know Asterism- unofficial star group. Usually make up part of a larger constellation. Ex: The Big Dipper

Ursa Major “The Great Bear”

The “Great Bear” and “Little Bear”

Cassiopeia

Circumpolar Constellations Ursa Major, Ursa Minor and Cassiopeia are circumpolar constellations. This means that they circle the North Star and can be seen year round from the Northern Hemisphere.

Orion

Moving Stars

Hemispheres The earth is divided into 2 hemispheres. The North and South. It is divided by the equator. If you live in the northern hemisphere, you mainly see northern stars, if you live in the southern hemisphere, you mainly see southern stars.

How seasons are created

Winter Solstice – Dec 21 Summer Solstice – June 22 Vernal Equinox – March 21 Autumnal Equinox – Sept 22

Planets!!!

The Inner Planets

Mercury Smallest Rocky, and covered with craters No atmosphere No moons

Venus Small, rocky No moons Hottest planet. – Temperatures over 465 degrees Celsius No chance of life

Earth Small, rocky planet Surface of rock and water Only known planet to support life One moon

Mars Permanent ice caps on both poles Very strong winds and dust storms Reddish- iron rich dust on surface Two tiny moons.

Asteroid Belt Who remembers what the asteroid belt is? Ice, rocks and other materials that separate the inner and outer planets.

Jupiter Largest planet – 1000 times the size of Earth Great Red Spot, believed to be a huge storm. 63 known moons

Saturn Second largest planet Made up of materials lighter than water Rings are made of mostly frozen water 59 moons

Uranus third largest planet Made of rock and ice Spins differently than other planets Tilted sideways 27 moons

Neptune Sometimes crosses the orbit of the dwarf planet Pluto Blue colour comes from the gas methane in its atmosphere. Fastest winds in the atmosphere (up to 2000 km/h) 13 moons

Dwarf Planets Too small to be planets, too large to be asteroids Ceres in the asteroid belt Pluto Eris

Can you think of a way that will help you remember the order of the planets? my Mom is Very Excited to see Michael Jackson on the S U N

Moons Only two planets without a moon are the two closest to the Sun.

Jupiter Io -- Volcanically active Callisto – Many craters Europa – Surface covered in ice Ganymede – Largest moon in the solar system

Saturn Titan – Atmosphere of nitrogen and methane gas Iapetus – One side darker than coal, other side very bright

Phobos and Deimos Mars Both made up of carbon rich rock and ice and are heavily cratered. Phobos is shaped like a potato.

Triton Neptune Orit is reverse to the natural movement of other moons = moves clockwise.

It is only safe to look at the sun through a #14 welder’s mask.