Our Solar System

Question 1

Name the planets in order from the Sun.

Answer 1

Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

Question 2

Name the dwarf planets in order from the Sun.

Answer 2

Ceres, Pluto, Haumea, Makemake, with Eris.

Question 3

Where are asteroids found?

Answer 3

Most asteroids can be found orbiting the sun between Mars and Jupiter within the main asteroid belt.

Question 4

Where are comets found?

Answer 4

Comets are found in two main regions of the solar system: the Kuiper Belt and the Oort Cloud.

Question 5

Where are centaurs found?

Answer 5

Centaur object, any of a population of small bodies, similar to asteroids in size but to comets in composition, that revolve around the Sun in the outer solar system, mainly between the orbits of Jupiter and Neptune.

Question 6

Where are TNOs found?

Answer 6

TNOs are are large bodies that orbit outside of Neptune’s orbit.

Question 7

What is the ecliptic?

Answer 7

The plane of the Earth‘s orbit around the Sun.

Question 8

How far is one AU?

Answer 8

The mean distance between the Earth and Sun.

Question 9

What type of orbit do planets orbit the Sun with?

Answer 9

Elliptical orbits, slightly inclined to the ecliptic.

Question 10

Demonstrate an understanding of the term perihelion.

Answer 10

The point at which they are nearest the Sun (or focus, such as a moon around a planet) is called perihelion.

Question 11

Demonstrate an understanding of the term aphelion.

Answer 11

The point at which they are furthest from the Sun is called aphelion.

Question 12

Demonstrate an understanding of the term greatest elongation.

Answer 12

We see an inferior planet angle best when it is at a position forming 90° between the Sun and Earth.

Question 13

Demonstrate an understanding of the terms conjunction.

Answer 13

When a planet lies on the furthest side of the Sun from the Earth it is said to be in conjunction.

Question 14

Demonstrate an understanding of the term opposition.

Answer 14

Opposition is when a planet is opposite the Earth from the Sun.

Question 15

Demonstrate an understanding of the term transit.

Answer 15

A transit is the passing of one body in front of another.

Question 16

Demonstrate an understanding of the term occultation.

Answer 16

An occultation is like a more dramatic transit where one celestial body obscures and covers another and so blocks its light.

Question 17

Describe how astronomers use space probes to gain data on the characteristics of planets and other bodies in the Solar System.

Answer 17

Probes such as those carried by Cassini- Huygens onto Moons such as Titan, to measure atmosphere, beam back images, record sounds etc.

Spectrometers to record chemical composition of planets (or of material around them such as Saturn’s rings) e.g. Cassini-Huygens.

Missions to capture comet material and send back to Earth for analysis e.g. Stardust.

Rovers that explore surface and can examine rocks and other finds e.g. Mars Exploration Rovers.

Landers that can examine and run basic experiments and beam back results to Earth e.g. Phoenix (Mars).

Radar probes that can show geographical features underneath the clouds e.g. Magellan.

Question 18

Demonstrate an understanding of some of the problems that would be encountered by a manned exploration of our Solar System.

Answer 18

Resources such as air, water and food are needed for astronauts to survive.

If an unmanned probe is destroyed then a space organisation has lost money from equipment and expertise but if a manned spacecraft is destroyed then human lives have been lost.

It takes time and money to train astronauts.
When astronauts are in space for a long time they suffer from muscle fatigue and deterioration.

They also can suffer from mineral problems in their bodies due to the lack of gravity there. Astronauts exercise in space to prevent this happening.

Question 19

Describe the appearance, physical nature and composition of planetary ring systems.

Answer 19

Describe the appearance, physical nature and composition of planetary ring systems.

The rings are made of thousands, if not millions of particles orbiting the planet. They are kept in place by Saturn’s gravity and some larger rocks called Sheppard moons. There are several separate rings separated by gaps. The largest gap is called the Cassini Division after the astronomer who first noticed them.