Download Astronomy Study Guide

Astronomy Study Guide
Mercury: first planet from the sun. A rocky planet.
Venus: second planet from the sun. A rocky planet.
Earth: third planet from the sun. A rocky planet.
Mars: fourth planet from the sun. A rocky planet.
Jupiter: fifth planet from the sun. A gas giant.
Saturn: sixth planet from the sun. A gas giant.
Uranus: seventh planet from the sun. A gas giant.
Neptune: eight planet from the sun. A gas giant.
Asteroid Belt: this is located between Mars and Jupiter in our solar system.
Seasons change due to the rotation and tilt of Earth as it orbits the sun.
Our solar system is located in the Milky Way Galaxy.
The closest galaxy to the Milky Way is the Andromeda Galaxy. Both of these galaxies are spiral in shape.
Stars are made up of gases. They are very hot and very far away from us on Earth. Stars come in
different sizes, ages, colors, brightness, and temperatures.
In our solar system you will find planets, stars, comets, asteroids, meteoroids, and satellites.
A solar eclipse is when the moon moves between the sun and Earth and blocks the sun’s light from
reaching Earth.
A lunar eclipse is when the Earth moves between the sun and moon causing the moon to be in the
shadows and unable to receive light from the sun.
Gravity is an invisible force that pulls things toward one another. Gravity is responsible for keeping us
grounded, keeping planets and other objects in orbit around the sun, and keeping Earth’s atmosphere in
place allowing Earth to retain the sun’s heat and keeping oxygen in. Gravity is stronger when objects are
close together.
Nicolaus Copernicus studied the movement of the sun, planets, and stars. He began to believe that the
sun did not move around Earth as they believed in ancient times. He discovered that the sun was the
center of the solar system and that the Earth rotated around the sun.
Dr. Mae Jemison had a dream to become an astronaut and travel into space. She applied to NASA but at
first was not accepted. She didn’t give up and after her second try, she was accepted! 2,000 people
applied and she was one of only 15 accepted. After much training Mae was finally chosen for a space
mission. In 1992 Mae became the first African-American Female astronaut to go into space.
Apollo 11 was the first rocket launched to the moon in 1969. This was important because it was the first
time any human had set foot on the moon. The astronauts collected a lot of data from this trip and it
helps us to understand the moon.
A theory is an idea or explanation of how something came to be.
Big Bang Theory: the idea that a tiny speck of compressed matter exploded causing the universe to
begin forming