Download Asteroids: Introduction

Asteroids: Introduction
Name _____________________
Read through the information below. Then complete the “Fill-Ins” at the bottom of page.
Asteroids are rocky objects that orbit the Sun in our solar system. Also
known as “minor planets” they are usually too small to be shaped into a
sphere like larger planets. Although asteroids exist throughout our solar
system, over 800,000 asteroids are gathered in the “Asteroid Belt” between
the planet Mars and Jupiter. Most asteroids are irregularly shaped and
are covered in numerous craters from collisions with other asteroids.
Scientists think asteroids are made of leftover material
from the formation of the solar system over 4 billion years
ago. Most asteroids are made of rocky material rich in
“silicate minerals” and are gray in color, while a few
contain iron and have a reddish appearance.
Throughout Earth’s history, asteroids have impacted its
surface. Everyday tiny microscopic asteroids burn up in
the atmosphere that surrounds Earth. However,
sometimes larger asteroids make their way to the surface
leaving huge craters. In 2013, the Russian city of Chelyabinsk was struck by a 65 ft. wide
asteroid that created a shock wave and explosion as it flew through the atmosphere. Although
large asteroid impacts are very rare occurrences, scientists believe the Earth was hit by a
large rocky asteroid about 65 million years ago that may have led to the extinction of the
dinosaurs. This asteroid is estimated to have been over 6 miles in diameter and created a 100
mile diameter crater near the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. An impact of this size could have
caused “mega-tsunamis” in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean.
Some asteroids are classified as “Near-Earth Objects” (NEOs). These asteroids are
monitored by astronomers and scientists because their orbital paths get very close to the
Earth as it orbits the Sun. Even though these NEOs have stable orbits, gravity from other
planets or collisions with other asteroids can change their paths. Currently over 12,000 NEOs
are monitored and watched by astronomers all around the globe. With better telescopes and
equipment, astronomers are finding more NEOs in hopes to protect the Earth from future
impacts similar to the Chelyabinsk event in 2013.
Complete the statement “Fill-Ins’ by using information from the above reading.
1 – Asteroids are also called _____________________________.
2 – Over 800,000 asteroids are gathered in the __________________________.
3 – The Asteroid Belt is located between __________________ and __________________.
4 – Most asteroids are made of _________________________ and are gray in color.
5 – In 2013, the city of __________________ was hit by a 65 ft wide asteroid.
6 – The Yucatan Peninsula impact may have created ________________________ in the ocean.
7 – ___________________________ are asteroids that come close to Earth’s orbit.
8 – Currently, over ________________ NEO’s are monitored by astronomers.
GES - Activity
Meteors: Introduction
Name _____________________
Read through the information below. Then complete the “Fill-Ins” at the bottom of page.
A meteor, more commonly called a “shooting star” is the result
of a small rocky or metallic object falling through the Earth’s
atmosphere. Generally, these objects range in size from small
grains to about 3 feet in diameter. When these objects are in
outer space they are called “meteoroids”, and only when they
are burning in the Earth’s atmosphere are they called
“meteors”.
Meteoroids enter the Earth’s atmosphere at speeds over
40,000 miles per hour and quickly heat up due to atmospheric
friction. As the friction grows, the meteor
begins to glow and produce a trail of glowing hot gas. This visible bright streak in the
nighttime sky is what many call a shooting star. Sometimes these meteors can travel
hundreds of miles across the nighttime sky and be visible for over 30 seconds. One such
meteor, known as the Peekskill Meteor, was observed in 1992. This meteor traveled 500
miles across West Virginia, Pennsylvania and New York, finally landing in Peekskill.
If a meteor does not completely burn up in the atmosphere and falls to Earth, it is called a
“meteorite”. Meteorites can be found all over the world and are often collected by scientists
and rock collectors.
Some large meteorites can create craters when they hit the
Earth. Meteor Crater in Arizona is an example of a large impact
crater. At over 3000 ft wide and 500 ft deep, it is one of the
largest meteorite craters on the planet. Scientists estimate it
was created over 50,000 years ago from a 150 ft diameter ironnickel meteorite. It is believed the meteor was traveling over
25,000 mph when it made the crater. Most meteorites are made of stone and are called
“chondrites”. Some rare meteorites, about 6%, are made of iron and nickel which can be
magnetic. Several times throughout the year, the Earth passes through an area of many
meteoroids. This produces a “meteor shower”. During a meteor shower, hundreds, even
thousands of meteors can be seen blazing through the night sky every hour. Although these
events are spectacular, you do not have to wait for a meteor shower to see a meteor. On
any given night you may spot 5 to 10 meteors per hour.
Complete the statement “Fill-Ins’ by using information from the above reading.
1 – ____________________ is the common name for a meteor.
2 – A _______________________ is a meteor when it is in outer space.
3 – Meteors begin to heat up and burn as they pass through the Earth’s ____________________
4 – The _________________ Meteor was observed in 1992 and traveled over 500 miles.
5 – A _________________ is a meteor that has landed on the ground.
6 – Meteor Crater in Arizona is over __________ ft wide and 500 ft deep.
7 – A “Chondrite” meteor is made up of ________________.
8 – When the Earth passes through many meteoroids, a ________________________ may occur.
GES - Activity
Comets: Introduction
Name _____________________
Read through the information below. Then complete the True-False statements below.
A comet is a small icy solar system object that has a
very long and “elliptical” orbit around the sun. Short
period comets may complete one orbit within 200
years, while long period comets may take thousands or
millions of years to orbit. Comets appear in the sky as
they approach the sun. As a comet gets closer to the
sun, the comet’s outer layer heats up and begins to
“outgas”. “Outgassing “ is when gasses that are
dissolved or frozen in the comet begin to escape.
This outgassing produces a glowing atmosphere on
the surface called a “coma” and sometimes a visible
comet “tail” of dust and gas is produced.
The actual comet is sometimes called the “nuclei” and can range in diameter from several
hundred feet to several hundred miles. The nuclei of a comet is composed of a loose
collection of ice, dust, and small rocky particles. Many scientists describe comets as being
large dirty snowballs. As a comet approaches the sun and develops its coma and tail,
the solar winds and radiation forces the
tail away from the sun. So the tail of a
comet always points away from the sun
as it swings around and begins its journey
back into deep space. Comets are
continually travelling through our solar
system. Some particularly bright comets are referred to as “great comets”. One such
comet is Halley’s Comet, named after Edmond Halley, who correctly calculated its 76 year
orbital period. Halley’s Comet ‘s first documented appearance was over 2000 years ago
by Chinese astronomers. Halley's Comet was last seen from earth in 1986 and it will not
appear in our sky again until the year 2061. In 2004 the European Space Agency sent a
spacecraft called “Rosetta” to orbit comet Churyumov . Once it arrived in 2014, the
spacecraft sent a probe to the surface which successfully landed on the comet. Now
scientists from all over the world are studying the new information provided by this probe
to further our knowledge of comets.
Complete the “True-False” statements by circling the correct choice.
1 – Comets have very short orbital periods.
True - False
2 – The atmosphere of the comet is called the “Coma”.
True - False
3 – The tail of a comet is made of fire.
True - False
4 – The actual comet is referred to as the “Nuclei”.
True - False.
5 – A “dirty snowball” is how some scientists describe comets.
True - False
6 – Comets that are extremely bright are called “Mega-Comets”.
True - False
7 – Halley’s Comet takes 76 years to orbit our sun.
True - False
8 – The European Space Agency landed a probe on comet Churyumov.
True - False
GES - Activity
Asteroids, Meteors and Comets:
Astronomical Object Sort
Name _____________________
Place the words from the word bank into the correct box.
Astronomical Object Sort
Word Bank
Shooting Star
Outgas
Minor Planet
Elliptical Orbit
Dirty Snowball
Asteroid Belt
Near Earth Object
Edmond Halley
Mega-Tsunamis
In the Atmosphere
Asteroids
Chondrite
Coma
Meteor Crater
Dinosaur Extinction
Meteor Shower
Meteors
_________________
_________________
_________________
_________________
_________________
_________________
_________________
_________________
_________________
_________________
Comets
_________________
_________________
_________________
_________________
_________________
GES - Activity
Asteroids: Introduction
MASTER KEY
Read through the information below. Then complete the “Fill-Ins” at the bottom of page.
Asteroids are rocky objects that orbit the Sun in our solar system. Also
known as “minor planets” they are usually too small to be shaped into a
sphere like larger planets. Although asteroids exist throughout our solar
system, over 800,000 asteroids are gathered in the “Asteroid Belt” between
the planet Mars and Jupiter. Most asteroids are irregularly shaped and
are covered in numerous craters from collisions with other asteroids.
Scientists think asteroids are made of leftover material
from the formation of the solar system over 4 billion years
ago. Most asteroids are made of rocky material rich in
“silicate minerals” and are gray in color, while a few
contain iron and have a reddish appearance.
Throughout Earth’s history, asteroids have impacted its
surface. Everyday tiny microscopic asteroids burn up in
the atmosphere that surrounds Earth. However,
sometimes larger asteroids make their way to the surface
leaving huge craters. In 2013, the Russian city of Chelyabinsk was struck by a 65 ft. wide
asteroid that created a shock wave and explosion as it flew through the atmosphere. Although
large asteroid impacts are very rare occurrences, scientists believe the Earth was hit by a
large rocky asteroid about 65 million years ago that may have led to the extinction of the
dinosaurs. This asteroid is estimated to have been over 6 miles in diameter and created a 100
mile diameter crater near the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. An impact of this size could have
caused “mega-tsunamis” in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean.
Some asteroids are classified as “Near-Earth Objects” (NEOs). These asteroids are
monitored by astronomers and scientists because their orbital paths get very close to the
Earth as it orbits the Sun. Even though these NEOs have stable orbits, gravity from other
planets or collisions with other asteroids can change their paths. Currently over 12,000 NEOs
are monitored and watched by astronomers all around the globe. With better telescopes and
equipment, astronomers are finding more NEOs in hopes to protect the Earth from future
impacts similar to the Chelyabinsk event in 2013.
Complete the statement “Fill-Ins’ by using information from the above reading.
1 – Asteroids are also called ___Minor Planets___.
2 – Over 800,000 asteroids are gathered in the __Asteroid Belt__.
3 – The Asteroid Belt is located between __Mars__ and __Jupiter__.
4 – Most asteroids are made of __Rock Material/or Silicate Minerals__ and are gray in color.
5 – In 2013, the city of __Chelyabinsk__ was hit by a 65 ft wide asteroid.
6 – The Yucatan Peninsula impact may have created __Mega-Tsunamis__ in the ocean.
7 – __Near Earth Asteroids__ are asteroids that come close to Earth’s orbit.
8 – Currently, over __12,000__ NEO’s are monitored by astronomers.
GES - Activity
Meteors: Introduction
MASTER KEY
Read through the information below. Then complete the “Fill-Ins” at the bottom of page.
A meteor, more commonly called a “shooting star” is the result
of a small rocky or metallic object falling through the Earth’s
atmosphere. Generally, these objects range in size from small
grains to about 3 feet in diameter. When these objects are in
outer space they are called “meteoroids”, and only when they
are burning in the Earth’s atmosphere are they called
“meteors”.
Meteoroids enter the Earth’s atmosphere at speeds over
40,000 miles per hour and quickly heat up due to atmospheric
friction. As the friction grows, the meteor
begins to glow and produce a trail of glowing hot gas. This visible bright streak in the
nighttime sky is what many call a shooting star. Sometimes these meteors can travel
hundreds of miles across the nighttime sky and be visible for over 30 seconds. One such
meteor, known as the Peekskill Meteor, was observed in 1992. This meteor traveled 500
miles across West Virginia, Pennsylvania and New York, finally landing in Peekskill.
If a meteor does not completely burn up in the atmosphere and falls to Earth, it is called a
“meteorite”. Meteorites can be found all over the world and are often collected by scientists
and rock collectors.
Some large meteorites can create craters when they hit the
Earth. Meteor Crater in Arizona is an example of a large impact
crater. At over 3000 ft wide and 500 ft deep, it is one of the
largest meteorite craters on the planet. Scientists estimate it
was created over 50,000 years ago from a 150 ft diameter ironnickel meteorite. It is believed the meteor was traveling over
25,000 mph when it made the crater. Most meteorites are made of stone and are called
“chondrites”. Some rare meteorites, about 6%, are made of iron and nickel which can be
magnetic. Several times throughout the year, the Earth passes through an area of many
meteoroids. This produces a “meteor shower”. During a meteor shower, hundreds, even
thousands of meteors can be seen blazing through the night sky every hour. Although these
events are spectacular, you do not have to wait for a meteor shower to see a meteor. On
any given night you may spot 5 to 10 meteors per hour.
Complete the statement “Fill-Ins’ by using information from the above reading.
1 – __Shooting Star__ is the common name for a meteor.
2 – A __Meteoroid___ is a meteor when it is in outer space.
3 – Meteors begin to heat up and burn as they pass through the Earth’s __Atmosphere__
4 – The __Peekskill__ Meteor was observed in 1992 and traveled over 500 miles.
5 – A __Meteorite__ is a meteor that has landed on the ground.
6 – Meteor Crater in Arizona is over _3000_ ft wide and 500 ft deep.
7 – A “Chondrite” meteor is made up of __Stone__.
8 – When the Earth passes through many meteoroids, a __Meteor Shower__ may occur.
GES - Activity
Comets: Introduction
MASTER KEY
Read through the information below. Then complete the True-False statements below.
A comet is a small icy solar system object that has a
very long and “elliptical” orbit around the sun. Short
period comets may complete one orbit within 200
years, while long period comets may take thousands or
millions of years to orbit. Comets appear in the sky as
they approach the sun. As a comet gets closer to the
sun, the comet’s outer layer heats up and begins to
“outgas”. “Outgassing “ is when gasses that are
dissolved or frozen in the comet begin to escape.
This outgassing produces a glowing atmosphere on
the surface called a “coma” and sometimes a visible
comet “tail” of dust and gas is produced.
The actual comet is sometimes called the “nuclei” and can range in diameter from several
hundred feet to several hundred miles. The nuclei of a comet is composed of a loose
collection of ice, dust, and small rocky particles. Many scientists describe comets as being
large dirty snowballs. As a comet approaches the sun and develops its coma and tail,
the solar winds and radiation forces the
tail away from the sun. So the tail of a
comet always points away from the sun
as it swings around and begins its journey
back into deep space. Comets are
continually travelling through our solar
system. Some particularly bright comets are referred to as “great comets”. One such
comet is Halley’s Comet, named after Edmond Halley, who correctly calculated its 76 year
orbital period. Halley’s Comet ‘s first documented appearance was over 2000 years ago
by Chinese astronomers. Halley's Comet was last seen from earth in 1986 and it will not
appear in our sky again until the year 2061. In 2004 the European Space Agency sent a
spacecraft called “Rosetta” to orbit comet Churyumov . Once it arrived in 2014, the
spacecraft sent a probe to the surface which successfully landed on the comet. Now
scientists from all over the world are studying the new information provided by this probe
to further our knowledge of comets.
Complete the “True-False” statements by circling the correct choice.
1 – Comets have very short orbital periods.
True - False
2 – The atmosphere of the comet is called the “Coma”.
True - False
3 – The tail of a comet is made of fire.
True - False
4 – The actual comet is referred to as the “Nuclei”.
True - False.
5 – A “dirty snowball” is how some scientists describe comets.
True - False
6 – Comets that are extremely bright are called “Mega-Comets”.
True - False
7 – Halley’s Comet takes 76 years to orbit our sun.
True - False
8 – The European Space Agency landed a probe on comet Churyumov.
True - False
GES - Activity
Asteroids, Meteors and Comets:
Astronomical Object Sort
MASTER KEY
Place the words from the word bank into the correct box.
Astronomical Object Sort
Word Bank
Shooting Star
Outgas
Minor Planet
Elliptical Orbit
Dirty Snowball
Asteroid Belt
Near Earth Object
Edmond Halley
Mega-Tsunamis
In the Atmosphere
Chondrite
Coma
Meteor Crater
Dinosaur Extinction
Meteor Shower
Asteroids
Meteors
__ Minor Planet __
_ Shooting Star _
__ Asteroid Belt __
__ Meteor Crater __
_ Near Earth Object __
__ Chondrite __
_ Dinosaur Extinction _
_ Meteor Shower _
__ Mega-Tsunamis _
_ In the Atmosphere _
Comets
__ Outgas _
NOTE:
Order of answers
does not matter.
Just that the correct
items are in the
correct box.
_ Elliptical Orbit _
_ Dirty Snowball _
__ Edmond Halley __
___ Coma __
GES - Activity