Our Solar System

Question 1

Age of our Solar System

Answer 1

The currently accepted estimate places the age of the solar system at approximately 4.578 billion years old.

Question 2

Orion Arm

Answer 2

location of our solar system in the Miky Way galaxy.

Question 3

Kuiper Belt

Answer 3

An area past the orbit of Neptune that is filled with icy bodies mostly gaseous in nature (frozen methane, water). It i beleived that many of our Solar System’s comets come from this area.

Question 4

Oort Cloud

Answer 4

A hypothetical cloud of many billion of icy object on the outshirts of the solar system. While we don’t have any firm proof of its existence, models of solar system formaion agree that it must be there. It is believed that many of our solar systems long-period comets do originate from this cloud.

Question 5

Planets

Answer 5

Eight planets are currently known in our solar system. These are (in order closest to the sun) Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

Question 6

Ringed Planets

Answer 6

Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune all have rings. This are the last four planets in the solar system.

Question 7

Gaseous Surface

Answer 7

Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, and Uranus all have gaseous surfaces. They are also the largest planets in the solar system.

Remember… Last four planets have rings, are the largest, and are gaseous.

Question 8

Rocky Surfaces

Answer 8

Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars all have rocky surfaces.

Remember…First four planets closest to the sun are made of rock and the last four farthest away have gaseous surfaces and rings.

Question 9

Planets with no natual obriting moons

Answer 9

Venus and Mercury

Question 10

Venus

Answer 10

has an atmosphere of roughly 95% carbon dixoide which acts as a greenhouse. Due to a combination of proximity to the sun and that atmosphere, it is extremely hot, with surface temperature betwwen 800 and 900 degrees Fahrenheit.

Question 11

Great Oxidation

Answer 11

Scientists use this term to explain the formation of oxygen in the Earth’s atmosphere. They believe it occurred roughly 2.5 billion years ago and was due to algae blooms.

Question 12

Earth’s Age

Answer 12

Radiometric age dating indicates that the Earth is approximately 4.54 billion years old

Question 13

Earth’s Rotation

Answer 13

It takes 23 hours and 56 minutes for Earth to rotate completely on its axis

Question 14

Earth’s seasons

Answer 14

They are affected by the orbit of the Earth around the sun in combination with its tilt (23.5 degrees) on its axis. This results in different parts of the world being colder or warmer at different times of year.

For example: When the Northen Hemisphere is going through summer (tilted toward the sun) the Southern Hemsphere is experiencing winter. That is why July is one of the coldest months in Astralia when it’s one of the hottest months in the US. Likewise, January is the middle of summer in Argentina.

Question 15

Precession

Answer 15

The Earth is tilted as it rotates around the sun. But did you know that the tilt changes as well. The tilt actually makes a small circle.

Precession is caused by the gravitational forces of the Sun and our Moon pulling on the Earth. So even though Polaris may be our North Star right now, in a few thousand years there will be another star that takes its place as the Earth’s precession causes the night sky to move.

Question 16

Celestial Sphere

Answer 16

It is a tol used by astronomers. The Celestial sphere is an imaginary sphere around Earth which allows observers to attribute celestial objects to particular places on this sphere. The sphere is divided by an Equator which matches Earth’s equator and has its own Celestial North and South poles.

Question 17

Equinox

Answer 17

The twice of year occurence where the Earth is tilted neither towards nor away from the Sun. At the moment

Question 18

Vernal Equinox

Answer 18

The Equinox that occurs in March (the beginning of fall in the Northern Hemisphere.)

Question 19

Autumnal Equinox

Answer 19

The Equinox that occurs in September (The beginning of fall in the Northern Hemisphere.)

Question 20

Solstice

Answer 20

The twice of year occurrence when the Earth is tilted the most towards the sun.

Question 21

Meteroid

Answer 21

A piece of rocky or metallic debris small than an asteroid which travels through the Solar System.

Question 22

Meteor

Answer 22

The name given to the visible path of a meteoroid as it enters the atmosphere of the Earth

Question 23

Meteorite

Answer 23

The surviving remnant of a meteor on the surface of the Earth

Question 24

Asteroids

Answer 24

Bodies of solid rock and metal which are relatively small
compared to the planets. Most the rocky asteroids in the solar system are found in the asteroids belt between Mars and Jupiter.

Question 25

Mars

Answer 25

Has an atmosphere of roughly 95% carbon dioxide, but also has very low density so the gas does not have a greenhouse effect to the extent it does on Venus.

Question 26

Olympus Mons

Answer 26

Found in Mars, it is the highest mountain in the solar system.

Question 27

Asteroid Belt

Answer 27

The main belt of asteroids in our solar system is between Mars and Jupiter.

Question 28

Titan

Answer 28

Is the largest moon of Saturn. Notably, it is the only moon which has a fully developed atmosphere and the only other solar body besides Earth and visible evidence of stable surface liquids.

Question 29

Jupiter

Answer 29

A gas giant which is the largest planet in the solar system, primarily made of of hydrogen and helium. It has the most moons (63) of any other planet in the solar system.

Question 30

Great Red Spot

Answer 30

A giant continuous storm found on Jupiter that is visible by telescope and large enough to contain three planets the size of Earth. The existence of the present storm was recorded 1831 and it has been continuous since that time.

Question 31

Io

Answer 31

One of the moons of Jupiter. It is the most volcanic active

object in our solar system.

Question 32

Uranus

Answer 32

Notable for having a tilted axis. Its north and south poles are where many planets would have their equators.