Space Facts Section B The Planets Mercury Closest

Space Facts Section B – The Planets

Mercury Closest planet to the Sun n Takes the least amount of time to orbit the Sun n Not large enough for its gravity to hold onto a moon or much of an atmosphere. n No Moons n

Venus The surface is hot (869) and the atmosphere is dense and contains carbon dioxide and sulfuric acid. n Second planet from the Sun n

Earth Has volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. n Sunlight, a nitrogen and oxygen-rich atmosphere n Large oceans and the greenhouse effect makes climates that supports life. n Third planet from the Sun. n

Mars The largest canyon in the solar system n Called the Red Planet n Valles Marineris, is as wide as the United States. n Might have had running water at one time. Has ice caps n Largest volcano in the solar system, Olympus Mons n

Jupiter The largest planet has an atmosphere of cold hydrogen gas. n It has many moons, so far 17 have been found. n It has a giant red spot that is thought to be a storm n

Saturn Mostly gas, but less dense, making it very light that it could float on water. n It has 18 moons. n It is known for its beautiful rings which are made of millions of bits of ice. n

Uranus Atmosphere of methane gas n set of dark, narrow rings that run from top to bottom, instead of around. n

Neptune Is the bluest planet because of its methane gas atmosphere n Its moon, Triton, has volcanoes n Crosses Pluto’s path as it orbits the Sun n Has a set of dark rings n

Pluto Does not have a thick atmosphere n Discovered in 1930 n Has one moon called Charon n Smallest planet n Covered by layers of ice n

Asteroids A wide belt of small objects that orbit the Sun between Mars and Jupiter. n Sometimes called minor planets. n Might be the remains of planets pulled apart or leftovers from the formation of the solar system n

Meteors Parts or pieces of meteoroids that fall from space n No bigger than a grain of sand n Sometimes called a Shooting star. n

Meteoroids n Part of the dust and gas trail left behind by a comet

Meteorite n A piece of rock that falls and lands on the Earth from space

Comets These are chunks of ice and rock left over from the formation of our solar system n They move around the Sun in a long oval-shaped orbits n

How are meteors related to comets? n Meteors are the dust and rock particles that fall from the tail of a comet

Scientist attempt to find out if there is other intelligent life in the universe n Scientist use radio telescopes to try to detect signs of life sending coded messages called SETI into space

1. I’m the closest planet to the sun, what planet am I? A. n. B. n. C. n. D. n Mercury Saturn Venus Earth

MERCURY

2. I’m called the Red Planet, who am I? A. Mars n. B. Jupiter n. C. Pluto n. D. Mercury n

MARS

3. I’m pieces of meteoroids that fall from space, what am I? A. comets n B. Asteroids n C. Meteors n D. Pluto n

METEORS

4. What is a fact about Neptune? n n A. Smallest of all the planets B. Has a moon called Triton C. No moons at all D. Largest canyon in the solar system

HAS A MOON CALLED TRITON

5. What is SETI? A. A radio station n B. The way to send a message to your mom n C. Scientist way to send messages into space looking for intelligent life n D. The largest planet in the solar system n

C. Scientist way to send messages into space looking for intelligent life

6. Which planet has earthquakes? n A. Mars n B. Saturn n C. Earth n D. Pluto

C. Earth

7. I’m chunks of ice and rock left over from the formation of our solar system that move in an oval- shaped path around the sun, what am I? A. Meteors n B. Pluto n C. Comets n D. Columbus n

C. Comets

8. I am the smallest planet and only discovered in 1930, who am I? A. Venus n B. Jupiter n C. Pluto n D. Earth n

C. Pluto

9. A wide belt of small objects between Mars and Jupiter is called? A. Comets n. B. Neptune’s craters n. C. SETI n. D. Asteroid Belt n

D. Asteroid Belt

10. What are dust and particles left behind by a comet ? A. Meteorites n. B. Meteors n. C. Meteoroids n. D. asteroids n

C. Meteoroids

11. When a piece of a rock falls from space and lands on the Earth its called? A. Asteroid Belt n. B. Comet n. C. Meteorite n. D. Superman’s capsule n

C. Meteorite

12. I am the largest Planet, who am I? A. Saturn n B. Jupiter n C. Mercury n D. Earth n

B. Jupiter

13. I am so light I could float on water, who am I? A. Jupiter n. B. Saturn n. C. Uranus n. D. Pluto n

B. Saturn

14. Saturn is known for its? n A. Beautiful Rings n B. Because it’s the Red Planet n C. Smallest planet n D. Second planet from the Sun

A. Beautiful Rings

15. Uranus is known for? A. Rings that go up and down instead of around the middle n B. Its asteroid belt n C. the comet that circles its equator n D. Its 18 moons n

A. Rings that go up and down instead of around the middle

16. The surface of this planet is very hot (869 ) and it is the second planet from the sun. o A. Mercury n. B. Pluto n. C. Venus n. D. Mars n

C. Venus

17. Can you name the 9 planets in our solar system?

MERCURY VENUS EARTH MARS JUPITER SATURN URANUS NEPTUNE PLUTO

18. I have a giant red spot that is thought to be a storm, who am I? A. Jupiter n. B. Pluto n. C. Earth n. D. Mercury n

A. Jupiter

19. I have large oceans and oxygen-rich environment, who am I? n A. Uranus n B. Asteroid Belt n C. Jupiter n D. Earth

D. Earth

20. How are meteors related to comets? n A. Meteors are in the dust of a comet’s tail n B. Meteors are what falls from the tail of a comet. n C. Comets come from falling meteors crashing to the earth. n D. Comets are falling meteors

B. Meteors are what falls from the tail of a comet.

21. What is a Meteorite? A. A falling Comet n B. A shooting star n C. A meteor that hits the earth n D. none of the above they are just in fairy tales n

C. A meteor that hits the earth

22. How many planets do we talk about in our solar system right now? A. n B. n C. n D. n 6 12 18 9

D. 9

23. What is are the inner planets? n A. Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus n B. Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars n C. Mercury, Saturn, Uranus, and Pluto

B. Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars

24. Which are the outer planets? A. Just Neptune, Uranus, and Pluto B. Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars n C. All the planets after the Asteroid Belt n

C. All the planets after the Asteroid Belt

25. What comes after Mars in space that is not a planet? A. Meteors following a comet n B. The asteroid belt n C. SETI messages n D. Shooting Stars n

B. The asteroid belt

26. What are asteroids made of? A. Snow n B. Rocks and ice n C. candy canes n D. Alien ships n

B. Rocks and ice

27. Explain how meteoroid, meteor, and meteorite are related. A. They are all the same thing, just at a different stage of its life. n B. They are totally different rock of ice that all fly with comets n C. They all from the sky on different days n

A. They are all the same thing, just at a different stage of its life.

28. Which planet has the largest volcano in the solar system? A. Mars n B. Mercury n C. Saturn n D. Pluto n

A. Mars

29. Which facts describe Neptune? A. The bluest planet n B. Has a moon called Triton n C. Crosses Pluto’s path as it orbits the sun n D. All of the above n

D. All of the above

30. What facts describe Pluto? A. Discovered in 1930 n B. has a moon called Charon n C. Smallest planet n D. Covered by layers of ice n F. All of the above n

F. All of the above