Out of this World Space 13.1 Intro to Space

The Universe The Universe is everything that exists, including all matter and energy everywhere. By studying stars, planets, and other objects in the sky, you will learn where Earth is located in the universe.

Rotation vs Revolution Rotation – the spinning of an object around it’s axis. Axis runs North to South. - One rotation of the Earth takes 24 hours. (East)

Rotation vs Revolution Revolution – the movement of one object travelling around another. - It takes the Earth one year to travel, or revolve, in a circle around the Sun counter-clockwise. - This motion allows us to see different constellations during different seasons.

The Sun 1. No life could exist on any planet in our solar system without the energy provided by the Sun 2. Nuclear Fusion -Hydrogen nuclei fuse to form helium nuclei. 2. Nuclear Fusion -Hydrogen nuclei fuse to form helium nuclei. 3. When the substances fuse together it produces large amounts of heat, light, and other energy that travel from the Sun into space. 4. The Sun is about 75% hydrogen and 25% helium.

Characteristics of Stars The sun is an average temperature for a star… how do we know? The sun is an average temperature for a star… how do we know? We can compare stars by colour, temperature, size and brightness. We can compare stars by colour, temperature, size and brightness.

Size Dwarf Star Sun Giant Star Super Giant Star

Colour and Temperature Colour: Stars range in colour from blue (white), orange, yellow, red Blue Yellow (Sun) > Red Temperature: Stars range in temperature from 2000 o C o C o C o C (Sun) > o C

Life of a Star They are born, grow and die They are born, grow and die They are born from a nebula (collection of gas See page 469 in your text.

Galaxies and Star Clusters A huge collection of gas, dust and hundreds of billions of stars and planets. A huge collection of gas, dust and hundreds of billions of stars and planets. We are in the Milky Way Galaxy. We are in the Milky Way Galaxy. Galaxies come in various shapes: spiral, (like the Milky Way), barred spiral, elliptical, irregular Galaxies come in various shapes: spiral, (like the Milky Way), barred spiral, elliptical, irregular

Galaxies and Star Clusters What is a Quasar? What is a Quasar? Objects that look like faint stars but emit up to 100x more energy than our entire galaxy. What is a light-year? What is a light-year? The distance that light rays travel in one year. (9.46 x km)

Planets The gas planets are The gas planets are larger then the terrestrial planets “My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas”

Minor Bodies Large natural objects that revolve around planets are called satellites or moons. Large natural objects that revolve around planets are called satellites or moons.Asteroids –There is an asteroid belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. –They orbit around the sun

Minor Bodies Meteoroid, meteor, meteorites Meteoroid, meteor, meteorites –Meteoroids are chunks of rock in space. –Meteors are chunks of rock that has enetered into earth’s atmosphere –Meteorites are chunks of rock that has hit the earth Comets –A comet is a chunk of frozen matter that travels in a very long orbit around the Sun. –Hayley’s comet orbits every 76 years

Constellations Constellations are a group of stars that form an image Some constellations can only be seen at certain times in the year

Space Probes Why are space probes unmanned? Space probes are unmanned because they are small in size and are sent on missions in which there is no returning. Space probes are unmanned because they are small in size and are sent on missions in which there is no returning. What are space probes They are unmanned space vehicles that are sent out to gather information

Other The term “light year” is used to describe distance A very dense object in space that even sucks in light is a black hole… A quasar emits huge amount of energy Density is the amount of stuff packed into a volume A luminous object is an object that can make its own light