Download Chapter 8 Lesson 4 Stars and Constellations

In the margin of your paper,
please write why you think stars
are important?
Share your ideas with a partner.
1. The closest star to Earth is
the Sun. It is 150 million
kilometers away from Earth.
2. The Sun is an average-sized
star.
3. Red stars and orange stars are
cooler than the Sun, and blue
stars and white stars are warmer.
4. The Sun will glow for many
more years.
5. Scientists measure the
distance of stars from Earth in
light-years.
6. Throughout the universe,
stars are found in large groups
called galaxies.
7. Because of Earth’s orbit, we
see different constellations.
8. The constellations appear to
move across the sky throughout
the year.
9. The night sky looks different in
the Northern Hemisphere than it
does in the Southern Hemisphere.
10. Once there were no clocks,
and people used constellations
to tell time.
11. Long ago, farmers used
constellations to tell them when
to plant or harvest crops.
12. Sailors used constellations to
steer at night.
13. The Sun gives off energy in
the form of light and heat.
14. The Sun provides the energy
needed by almost all of Earth’s
living things.
15. The Sun’s energy powers
winds, ocean currents, and the
water cycle.
Do you think it is possible to get
a sunburn on a cloudy day?
Share your answer with a partner.
16. It is possible to get a
sunburn on a cloudy day. As
long as it is daylight, our part of
Earth is facing the Sun, and the
Sun is giving off light energy as
well as heat energy. Even
though the clouds may block a
little bit of the sunlight, our skin
is still exposed.