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Name ________________________
Date ___________________
Our Journey through Time and Space
Astronomy Timeline Scavenger Hunt
Through our study of astronomy, you have already learned quite a
bit about several important features of our solar system. Using the
timeline created by you and your classmates, answer the following
questions to learn more about the history of space exploration and to
become better acquainted with several important events that have
occurred during the “Space Race” and beyond!
** This assignment will count as a quiz grade for the 4th marking period. **
Directions: Using our class timeline, answer the following questions in complete
sentences when necessary.
1.
How long ago did the “Big Bang” occur?
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2.
Which theory describes how Earth’s moon was created?
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3.
What is unique about the temperature on Mercury?
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4.
Who developed the first star map?
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5.
What is a “heliocentric system” of planets?
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6.
When was the first refracting telescope developed?
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7.
Why do astronomers consider Venus Earth’s “sister” planet?
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8.
Who discovered that Saturn had rings?
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9.
When was Titan, Saturn’s largest moon, discovered?
10.
How did Ole Romer measure the speed of light?
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11.
When was Halley’s Comet last seen from Earth? ___________________
12.
How did Uranus get its name?
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13.
What was the first asteroid named in our solar system?
14.
What are the names of Mars’ two moons?
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15.
Who discovered Neptune in 1846? ____________________________
16.
When was Proxima, the nearest star to Earth, discovered?
17.
Who discovered galaxies beyond the Milky Way?
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18.
Who invented the first liquid fueled rocket?
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19.
When was Pluto discovered?
20.
Why was the development of radio astronomy important?
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21.
Where was the 1st American V-2 rocket launched?
22.
Name the following initial achievements in space exploration:
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1st monkey in space
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1st modern satellite
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1st U.S. satellite
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1st unmanned moon landing
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1st man to orbit Earth
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1st American to orbit Earth ____________________________
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1st space station launched
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1st American woman in space ____________________________
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23.
Under which U.S. President was N.A.S.A. created?
24.
Which U.S. spacecraft ran into trouble and almost exploded on its way to
the moon on April 11th, 1970?
25.
26.
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Which two spacecraft took the first detailed pictures of Mercury?
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In what year did the Viking I and II explore Mars?
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27.
28.
Name three comets that have been seen from Earth.
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How did Pluto’s moon, Charon, get its name?
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29.
Which space craft brought back the 1st pictures of Saturn and its rings?
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30.
Which telescope has 2.4 meter long mirrors?
31.
Which comet crashed into Jupiter in 1994?
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Which space probe witnessed this collision in space?
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32.
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Name three places in the solar system (other than Earth) where liquid water
or ice has been discovered.
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33.
In 2000, the NEAR spacecraft landed on which asteroid?
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34.
How many crew members died in the Columbia disaster?
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35.
How many missions to Mars occurred in 2006 alone?
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36.
In what year did Pluto become demoted to a dwarf planet?
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37.
Which Mars rover landed on the planet in August 2012?
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38.
A hurricane was discovered on which planet in May 2013?
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39.
What “new planet” was discovered on October 16, 2013?
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40.
What might happen to the sun 1.1 billion years in the future?
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