SPACE - The Night Sky Flashcards
(28 cards)
What is a satellite?
An object that revolves around another object in space.
What is an artificial satellite?
A man-made satellite, e.g. the International Space Station (ISS).
What is a natural satellite?
A naturally occurring satellite, e.g. the Moon.
What is the Moon?
The only natural satellite of the Earth.
How long does light from the ISS take to reach Earth?
Fraction of a second
How long does light from the Moon to reach Earth?
Just over a second
How many planets are visible with the naked eye from Earth?
5
What planets are visible with the naked eye from Earth?
Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn
What is the Solar System?
9 planets and other objects that orbit the sun
What is the closest planet to Earth?
Venus
How far is Venus from Earth? (in light distance)
Approximately 2 light minutes away
How far is Saturn from Earth? (in light distance)
Approximately 1.5 light hours away
From all the planets that are visible with our naked eye, which planet is the furthest away?
Saturn
What is a comet?
A huge snowball that orbits the Sun; it often has a visible trail.
What is a Meteor?
A rock or dust burning in the Earth’s atmosphere, also known as a shooting star
What is a Meteorite?
A meteor that crashed onto Earth
What is the difference in appearance between a comet and a meteor?
A comet has a glowing trail and shoots across the sky, while a meteor has a burning trail and can potentially appear to be getting closer and closer.
Why does a comet have a tail?
As it orbits the sun, the heat from the sun causes the ice to vaporise, creating a glowing trail.
Why does a meteor have a tail?
The high speeds cause it to burn as it enters the atmosphere and collides with the air particles.
Why don’t meteors burn in space?
There are no particles in space, so there are no collisions.
When we look up at the night sky, what can we see?
Stars, comets, meteors and galaxies.
What is a galaxy?
A collection of stars.
How far is the sun from Earth?
8 light minutes away
How far is the nearest star to us, after the Sun?
4 light-years away
