Download Earth Moon Sun study guide

Earth Sun Moon Study Guide
Sun – a medium size star. It is the main source of energy for our planet. It powers
the water cycle and weather and climate. It has no life. It generates radiant energy.
It rotates on its axis and revolves around our galaxy.
Moon – a naturally occurring satellite that orbits our planet. It has craters and other
landforms. There is no weather on the moon. It has no atmosphere. It has extreme
temperatures. On the sun facing side it has extreme high temperatures. On the dark
side it has extreme low temperatures. The moon has no life. The dark patches on
the moon are called “marias” because ancient astronomers thought they were
patches of water. It rotates on an axis and revolves around the earth every 28 days.
Tides – The moon’s orbital path around the Earth determines our ocean tides.
There are 2 high tides and 2 low tides during each day.
Rotation – The moon, Earth, and the sun rotate on their axis (spin counter clockwise
on an imaginary line). The moon rotates on its axis at exactly the same speed as the
earth. The earth rotates on its axis every 24 hours.
Revolution (revolve) – When one object goes around another object such as the
Earth revolving around the sun or the moon revolving around the Earth.
Seasons – Summer, Winter, Spring, and Fall. These are determined by the earth’s
revolution around the sun. The path is elliptical so the closer the Earth is on its orbit
around the sun, we experience summer and spring. The Farther away the Earth is
on its orbit, we experience winter and fall.
Orbit – the path an object takes around another object such as the path the Earth
takes around our sun.
Order of the planets from the sun – Mercury, Venus (earth’s “sister” planet), Earth,
Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune. The first 4 planets are the “inner” planets.
The last 4 planets are the “outer” planets. They are separated by the Asteroid belt.
They are the giant “gas” planets.
Earth – has life, landforms, craters, volcanoes, water in 3 states, weather,
atmosphere, and a heated core. It rotates on its axis every 24 hours and revolves
around the sun every 365.5 days.
Solar System – The sun and all the planets that orbit it. Ours is a “heliocentric”
system in that all planets orbit the sun on their own orbital paths.
Galaxy – Our galaxy is the Milkyway and is one of many galaxyies in the known
universe.