1. Studying Space

2. study of the universe
years, months, days
Time for Earth to orbit once around sun
time for moon to orbit once around Earth
time required for Earth to rotate once on axis
scientists who study the Universe and the Earth’s place in it
imaginary line-runs from North to South pole
Astronomy
Modern Calendar
Year
Month
Day
Astronomer
Axis

3. Early Astronomers Earth Textbook Pps 348-349 Groups of 3-4
Get a rectangular piece of paper and create a timeline indicating date, astronomer/object and significant contributions.
15 mins to complete for a grade – NEAT and ACCURATE

4. The Solar System

5. The Moon
¼ Earth’s diameter
less dense than Earth
no atmosphere (temp varies greatly)
no liquid water; evidence of small ice patches near poles
no change in land’s surface from weathering/erosion
theory: planet-sized object collided with Earth to form moon

6. Motions of the Moon
Moves 2 ways:
1. rotates on its axis
2. revolves around Earth
one day = one year
same side of moon always faces Earth

7. Phases of Moon
different shapes of the moon you see
caused by changes in position of moon, Earth, and sun
the phase you see depends on how much of the sunlit side of the moon faces Earth

9. Eclipses
object in space comes between the sun and a third object and casts a shadow
two types:
solar and lunar

10. Solar Eclipse
when moon passes directly between Earth and sun, blocking sun from Earth
occurs at new moon

11. Lunar Eclipse
Earth blocks sunlight from reaching moon
occurs at full moon

12. The Sun Sun source of most energy on Earth
a star; smaller and less bright than many others
most massive in our solar system (99.8% of solar system’s total mass)

13. Sun
1. Core
2. Radiation Zone
3. Convection Zone
made of 6 layers:
energy comes from nuclear fusion (hydrogen atoms join to form helium)
15 million degrees Celsius
very tightly packed gas; very dense
outermost layer of sun’s interior
hot gas rises from bottom and cool as approach top

14. 4. Photosphere
5. Chromosphere
6. Corona
visible part of sun that we can see
thin region (only 30,000 km thick)
faint red light we only see during eclipses
sun’s outer atmosphere
like a halo
thins into streams of charged particles (solar wind)

16. Sunspots
Solar Flares
areas of gas on sun’s surface that are cooler than gases around them
regions of extremely high temperature and brightness that develop on sun’s surface
flares erupt and send electrically charged particles into solar system

17. The Planets Planets Inner Planets
held in orbit by force of gravity exerted by sun
two groups: inner and outer
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars
small, dense, rocky surfaces
only Earth and Mars have moons

18. Outer Planets
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
much larger, do not have solid surfaces
gas giants; made of mostly hydrogen and helium (liquid due to pressure)
all have many moons

21. Other Members of the Solar System
Satellites
Asteroids
objects that orbit planets (moons)
fragments of rock that orbit the sun with the planets
travel in asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter

23. Meteoroids
Meteor
Meteorite
chunks of rock or dust that in space
sometimes enter Earth’s atmosphere
when enter Earth’s atmosphere
when it impacts surface of Earth

24. loose collections of ice, dust, and small rocky particles
travel around sun in elliptical path
head (coma) is ice, dust
as approaches sun, heat causes outer layers to stream outward (tail)
Comet