Space Gr9

Question 1

What is Astronomy?

Answer 1

Study of celestial objects and phenomena.

Question 2

What is a Celestial Object?

Answer 2

Natural objects outside Earth’s atmosphere (stars, planets, moons).

Question 3

What is a Star?

Answer 3

A luminous ball of gas, mainly hydrogen, undergoing nuclear fusion (e.g., Sun).

Question 4

What is a Planet?

Answer 4

large celestial object that travels around a star

Question 5

What is a Moon?

Answer 5

A natural satellite that orbits a planet.

Question 6

What is a Galaxy?

Answer 6

A massive system of stars, dust, and dark matter bound by gravity (e.g., Milky Way).

Question 7

What are Terrestrial Planets?

Answer 7

Rocky, smaller, inner planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars).

Question 8

What are Gas Giants?

Answer 8

Large, outer planets with thick atmospheres (Jupiter, Saturn).

Question 9

What are Ice Giants?

Answer 9

(Often grouped with Gas Giants) Uranus and Neptune.

Question 10

What are Dwarf Planets?

Answer 10

Smaller planetary bodies (e.g., Pluto).

Question 11

What are Meteors?

Answer 11

“Shooting stars”; meteoroids burning in Earth’s atmosphere.

Question 12

What are Meteorites?

Answer 12

Meteoroids that land on Earth.

Question 13

What are Meteoroids?

Answer 13

Small space rocks traveling through space.

Question 14

What are Asteroids?

Answer 14

Rocky bodies orbiting the Sun, mostly in the asteroid belt.

Question 15

What are Comets?

Answer 15

Icy bodies with glowing comas and tails when near the Sun.

Question 16

What is Earth’s Rotation?

Answer 16

Earth spinning on its axis (~24 hrs); causes day/night.

Question 17

What is Earth’s Revolution?

Answer 17

Earth orbiting the Sun (~365 days); causes seasons.

Question 18

What is Precession?

Answer 18

Slow wobble of Earth’s axis over 26,000 years.

Question 19

What is the Moon’s Motion?

Answer 19

Orbits Earth (~29.5 days); causes moon phases.

Question 20

What causes Tides?

Answer 20

Caused by gravitational pull of the Moon and Sun; leads to high and low tides.

Question 21

What is a Solar Eclipse?

Answer 21

Moon blocks Sun.

Question 22

What is a Lunar Eclipse?

Answer 22

Earth blocks Sun from Moon.

Question 23

What is the Sun?

Answer 23

A medium-sized star; source of energy via nuclear fusion (H → He).

Question 24

What causes Sunspots?

Answer 24

Magnetic Field causes sunspots and solar flares.

Question 25

What are Solar Spots?

Answer 25

Cooler, dark areas on the Sun’s surface.

Question 26

What are the Layers of the Sun?

Answer 26

Core – Fusion occurs. Radiative Zone Convective Zone Photosphere – Visible surface. Chromosphere Corona – Outer atmosphere.

Question 27

What is the Star Life Cycle for Massive Stars?

Answer 27

Red Supergiant → Supernova → Neutron Star or Black Hole.

Question 28

What is the Star Life Cycle for Low/Medium Mass Stars?

Answer 28

Red Giant → Planetary Nebula → White Dwarf.

Question 29

What is the Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram?

Answer 29

Graph plotting stars by brightness (luminosity) vs. temperature.

Question 30

What is the Main Sequence in the H-R Diagram?

Answer 30

Diagonal band where most stars lie.

Question 31

What is the Expanding Universe?

Answer 31

The universe is stretching; galaxies moving away from each other.

Question 32

What is the Big Bang Theory?

Answer 32

Universe began ~13.8 billion years ago from a single point.

Question 33

What is Hubble Red Shift?

Answer 33

Light from galaxies is red-shifted → moving away.

Question 34

What is Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation (CMB)?

Answer 34

Leftover energy from the Big Bang.

Question 35

What is Dark Matter?

Answer 35

Invisible mass affecting galaxy motion.

Question 36

What is Dark Energy?

Answer 36

Unknown force causing acceleration of universe’s expansion.

Question 37

What are Constellations?

Answer 37

Patterns of stars named by ancient cultures.

Question 38

What is the Cultural Importance of Constellations?

Answer 38

Used for navigation, storytelling, and calendars.

Question 39

What are Star Maps?

Answer 39

Charts showing constellations and major stars.

Question 40

How are Star Maps used?

Answer 40

celestial navigation