General Astronomy Quiz 9 Flashcards
What are the four outer planets?
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
Do the outer planets have solid surfaces?
No
What is another name for outer planets?
Gas giants
What determines Jupiter’s temperature?
Its location and altitude
What is the temperature of the cloud tops on Jupiter?
About -145 degrees Celsius (-234 degrees Fahrenheit)
What are the outer planets mainly composed of?
Hydrogen and helium
Why do outer planets have thick atmospheres?
Due to gravity, which keeps gases from escaping into space
What causes outer planets to have a stronger gravitational force?
Their massive size
Do all the gas giants have many moons and rings?
Yes
What is a ring?
A thin disc of small particles of ice and rock
Which planet is the largest and most massive?
Jupiter
What is one feature that Jupiter is well known for?
The Great Red Spot
What is the Great Red Spot?
A storm on Jupiter that is larger than Earth
Why can’t the storm be weaken?
Jupiter has no land to weaken it
What do astronomers think about Jupiter?
They believe it has a dense core of rock and iron at its center surrounded by a thick mantle of hydrogen and helium
What are Jupiter’s main moons?
-Io
-Europa
-Ganymede
-Callisto
Which planet is the second largest in our Solar System?
Saturn
What is Saturn’s surface temperature?
-220 degrees. Fahrenheit (-140 degrees Celsius)
Does Saturn have storms?
Yes, but they are not as big as Jupiter’s
How would you describe Saturn’s rings?
Broad and thin, like a CD
How do Saturn’s rings orbit?
In their OWN orbit around the planet
What is Saturn’s largest moon?
Titan, it is larger than Mercury
Uranus is ____ times the diameter of Earth
Four
What planet is the coldest in our Solar System?
Uranus
Are Uranus’ rings darker than Saturn’s?
Yes
How often do Uranus’ clouds rotate?
Every 17 hours
How is Uranus’ axis of rotation tilted?
At an angle about 90 degrees from the vertical (top to bottom)
What does Uranus’ five largest moons have?
-Icy, cratered surfaces
-Lava flows which suggest material erupted inside of the moons
How many moons do astronomers believe Uranus has?
27
What do scientists believe about Neptune?
It is slowly shrinking which is causing its interior to heat up which produces clouds and storms
What did Neptune have at some time?
A Great Dark Spot
What happened to Neptune’s Dark Spot?
The storm didn’t last very long and disappeared, but other storms come and go
How many moons do astronomers believe orbit Neptune?
About 13
What is Neptune’s largest moon?
Triton, it has a thin atmosphere
What is the region near Triton’s south pole covered in?
Nitrogen ice
What was the Solar System’s first planet?
Jupiter
