{Solar System

Sun, Earth, and Moon

The sun, moon and stars appear to rise and set because Earth spins on its axis.

The stars revolve as Earth orbits the sun each year.

Planets are large objects that orbit the sun or another star.

5 planets are visible with the naked eye: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn

Free Star Gazer Apps

The Sun is considered to be an average size star with average temperatures.

It is approximately 1.4 million kilometers in diameter which is about 300,000 times the size of Earth.

Our Solar System is made up of the sun, planets and other objects ( satellites, astroids, comets, gas, and dust) that orbit the sun

There are other stars in our galaxy that have their own planets that orbit them.

Our Sun is a Star

The sun provides the entire solar system with Light and Heat.

The sun rises and sets every 24 hours as the Earth spins on it’s axis.

Humans, Animals, Plants and other Critters (aka Organisms) respond to patterns of the sun sitting and rising.

How do organisms respond to the sun? Think about Temperature and seasonal changes. Why

does this happen? Response to Light https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=g8mr0R3ibPURevolving around the Sun

Heat from the sun is the main cause of weather patterns on Earth

Space weather is caused by energized particles that leave the sun during solar flares.

These can cause problems with satellites which may lead to a blackout in communications on Earth

Weather

People have been watching the stars since the first people were on the planet.

By observing planetary movements in the sky, they were able to determine that the stars are further away than the planets are.

The Greeks named the planets according to their mythical beliefs.

Galileo’s invention of the telescope aloud for the discovery of other celestial objects.

Star Visibility

Constellations

What system are we a part of?What are the rules that the people have to follow in order to stay in the system?

The solar system is made up of the sun and all of the objects that orbit it.

The sun makes up 99% of the mass within the system and the planets, meteoroids,astroids,comets,gas and dust make up the other 1%

Solar System Components

The force of gravity between two objects depends on the distance between them.

The greater the mass, the greater the gravitational force an object exerts on another if they are equally distant.

Do you want to listen to Wobble with 18 inch speakers or 3 inch speakers in your car?

Why? What is the difference? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IHomA2TcJ4

Gravity

The Sun exerts the most force because it has the largest mass.

Think of two magnets- 1 large and 1 small. Which exerts the most force?

Why doesn’t the smaller planets get pulled into the sun and burn up?

Gravity

All of the objects exert a force on the other objects.

The sun exerts a force on Earth and so does Saturn.

This keeps us in our place.

It is like personal space, If you get to close to some people, then they will put you back in your place.

Gravitational force

Mercury Venus Earth Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Pluto

How many planets orbit the sun?

How long a planet takes to orbit around the sun is determined by the average distance the planet is to the sun.

Closer to the sun = less time to orbit.

Mercury orbits in 88 days

Earth =365.25 days

Pluto = 90,000 days or 248 Earth Years Pluto is at times closer to the sun than Neptune due to

the orbital path it takes. The key is average distance.

Planatery Orbit

A satellite is an object in orbit around a body that has a larger mass.

The moon is a satellite to Earth.

Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus,and Neptune have many satellites since they are so much larger in mass.

Satellite

Mercury and Venus do not have satellites or moons.

Jupiter's moon “Ganymede” and Saturn’s moon “Titan” are larger than the planet Mercury.

Planets and Satellites reflect light, making them visble to us.

The moon orbiting Earth is approximately 384,000 km away.

The surface of the moon is covered in craters that are the result of asteroids colliding into the moon.

The Maria, or dark areas of the moon is thought to have been formed by lava that filled the craters, cooled and hardened into solid rock.

Moon

Moon Phases - The moon appears to have different shapes as the result of it’s orbital position in relation to the Earth and Sun.

When the moon is on the same side of Earth as the sun, then it is said to be a New Moon.

A Full Moon is seen when the Earth is between the sun and moon and the moon is illuminated by the sun.

Quarter moons result as the moon is partially illuminated by the sun as a result of it’s relative position in orbit.

The time from one full moon to the next is 29.5 days

Phases of the Moon

An Eclipse will occur when the Earth, sun and moon are in a straight line.

Solar Eclipse results when the moon is in a direct line between Earth and the Sun. This would take place during a New Moon Phase and could result in a daytime sky becoming dark.

Lunar Eclipse will result from a shadow being cast on the moon when the Earth is directly between the sun and moon.

These are rare because the moon’s orbit is slightly above or below the path between the Earth and Sun.

Eclipse

Coastal areas have 2 high tides and 2 low tides each day.

Tides are primarily influenced by the gravitational pull of the moon.

The side of Earth nearest the moon is the most affected by the gravitational pull creating a Bulge known as high tide.

The side of the Earth opposite the moon experiences the weakest force resulting in low tide.

When the sun and moon are on the same side of the Earth, then the coastal areas will experience the highest tides of the month.

Tides vary from time to time each day of the month due to the moons orbit around Earth.

Tides