Astronomy

List the 8 planets in order from the Sun.

Hint: My Very Eager Mother Just Served Us Nachos

Which four planets are the rocky (terrestrial) planets?

Hint: The four closest to the Sun are small and rocky

Which four planets are the gas/ice giants?

Hint: Jupiter and Saturn are gas giants; Uranus and Neptune are ice giants

What is the largest planet in our solar system?

Hint: It has a famous Great Red Spot

What is the smallest planet in our solar system?

Hint: It's also the closest to the Sun

Which planet is famous for its visible ring system?

Hint: Its rings are made mostly of ice and rock

What type of star is our Sun?

Hint: It's a medium-sized, medium-temperature star

What is the name of our galaxy?

Hint: It's a spiral galaxy

What moon phase occurs when the Moon is between the Earth and Sun (not visible)?

Hint: The moon's illuminated side faces away from Earth

What moon phase occurs when the entire face of the Moon is lit?

Hint: Earth is between the Sun and Moon

List the 8 moon phases in order starting from new moon.

Hint: Waxing = growing, waning = shrinking

What does 'waxing' mean in moon phases?

Hint: Waxing = increasing

What does 'waning' mean in moon phases?

Hint: Waning = decreasing

How long does it take Earth to rotate once on its axis?

Hint: This rotation causes day and night

How long does it take Earth to orbit (revolve around) the Sun?

Hint: This is why we have a leap year every 4 years

Which planet is known as the 'Red Planet'?

Hint: Its red color comes from iron oxide (rust) on its surface

Which planet is the hottest in our solar system?

Hint: Its thick atmosphere traps heat — even though Mercury is closer to the Sun

Where is the asteroid belt located in our solar system?

Hint: It separates the rocky planets from the gas giants

What is the distance light travels in one year called?

Hint: It's a unit of distance, not time

What is a pattern of stars as seen from Earth called?

Hint: Orion and the Big Dipper are examples

What primarily causes ocean tides on Earth?

Hint: The side of Earth closest to the Moon bulges outward

What type of tide occurs when the Sun, Moon, and Earth are aligned (new or full moon)?

Hint: These are the STRONGEST tides; the Sun and Moon pull together

Which planet has the shortest year (fastest orbit) and almost no atmosphere?

Hint: It's the closest planet to the Sun — just 88 Earth days per orbit

Which planet is the farthest from the Sun and has the strongest winds in the solar system?

Hint: It appears blue due to methane in its atmosphere

During a first quarter moon, how much of the Moon's face appears lit?

Hint: 'Quarter' refers to one quarter of the way through the lunar cycle, not the amount lit

A shadow is shortest around midday. Which object is highest in the sky then?

Hint: Short shadows happen when the light source is high overhead

Which description best fits a galaxy?

Hint: Think much larger than one star or one solar system

The solar system is part of which galaxy?

Hint: This is our home galaxy

Which is the largest: a planet, a solar system, a galaxy, or all of space?

Hint: It includes all galaxies

Astronomers say a star is many light-years away. What does a light-year measure?

Hint: It is how far light travels in one year

Andromeda is best described as what kind of object?

Hint: It is a large system of many stars

A telescope image shows many distant galaxies. What does that observation show about the universe?

Hint: Each distant galaxy is a huge star system

Why can we see stars in the night sky?

Hint: A star is not a moon or planet

A group of stars appears to make a named pattern in the sky. What is this called?

Hint: Ancient observers named many of these star patterns

A traveler finds Polaris in the night sky. Which direction does it help identify?

Hint: Polaris is a steady guide for this direction

Stars seem to move across the sky during the night. What causes this apparent motion?

Hint: The ground is turning, so the sky appears to shift

In general, which star color usually indicates a hotter star?

Hint: Blue-white stars are usually hotter than red stars

The Big Dipper is most useful as an example of what kind of sky pattern?

Hint: It is a familiar pattern made by stars

A flagpole casts a long shadow in the morning and a shorter shadow near noon. What causes the change?

Hint: Think about where the Sun appears during the day

During a full Moon, Earth is generally between which two objects?

Hint: The Moon's near side is fully lit from our view