1. THE BLUE PLANET

2. The Universe is made up of many galaxies. GALAXY: combination of planets, stars, gas clouds and cosmic dust Our Solar System is in a spiral galaxy : the Milky Way Galaxies come in many shapes: Spherical, Spiral, Elliptical, Irregular

3. THE SOLAR SYSTEM

4. Our Solar system is composed of: A star: The Sun (produces its own light) 8 Planets: o They rotate on their axis o They revolve around the Sun o They don’t produce their own light Satellites: o Rotate on their axis o Revolve around a planet The Solar System is composed of: A star: The Sun (produces its own light) 8 Planets: o They rotate on their axis o They revolve around the Sun o They don’t produce their own light Satellites: o Rotate on their axis o Revolve around a planet

5. The Earth Almost a perfect sphere 30% land; 70% water Life on Earth depends on: - Distance from the Sun - Water - An atmosphere

6. Main Parallels

7. Equator: Imaginary circle around the widest part of the Earth. It divides the Earth into two hemispheres. It’s 0 latitude. Parallels: Imaginary lines that circle the Earth parallel to the Equator. There are 90 parallels to the north and 90 parallels to the south.

8. The most important ones are: - in the Northern hemisphere: the Tropic of Cancer and the Artic Circle - in the Southern hemisphere: The Tropic of Capricorn and the Antartic Circle The most important parallels are: - in the Northern hemisphere: the Tropic of Cancer and the Artic Circle - in the Southern hemisphere: The Tropic of Capricorn and the Antartic Circle

9. Main Meridians

10. Meridians: imaginary semicircles that go from pole to pole. The prime meridian is the Greenwich meridian. It is 0 longitude. There are 180 meridians to the east and 180 meridians to the west.

11. Latitude: the distance between any point on Earth and the Equator. The maximum degree of latitude is 90 and it corresponds to the poles. Longitude: the distance between any point on Earth and the Greenwich Meridian

13. THE EARTH’S MOVEMENTS: ROTATION REVOLUTION

14. 1. ROTATION On its own axis Axis tilted Once every 24 hours (1 day) Causes days and nights

15. 2. REVOLUTION Movement around the Sun Takes 365 days and 6 hours (LEAP year: 29th February) Causes Seasons Different seasons in different hemispheres Summer and Winter Solstice Winter and Autumn Equinox

17. Solstice -Summer: The Sun’s rays fall directly on the Tropic of Cancer. Days are longer and hotter in the Northern Hemisphere. (21st-22nd June) -Winter: The Sun’s rays fall directly on the Tropic of Capricorn. Days are shorter and colder in the Northern Hemisphere. (21st-22nd December)

18. Equinox -Autumn: The Sun’s rays fall directly on the Equator. Days and nights are the same length. (22nd-23rd September) -Spring: The Sun’s rays fall directly on the Equator. Days and nights are the same length. (21st-22nd March)

19. TIME ZONES

20. REPRESENTATION OF THE EARTH Map projections: Cylindrical projection Conical projection Planar projection

21. Maps and scales