Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Galaxies - facts 7

The Andromeda Galaxy can be seen at night with the naked eye in dark areas.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Universe - facts 6

There are estimated to be 300 sextillion stars in the Universe. That is 300,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 stars.

Friday, October 15, 2010

Planets - facts 12

Planets are in orbit around their star.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Planetary rings

Planetary rings are rings around a planet. They are made up of cosmic dust and other particles.

Moon - facts 7

Moons are also called satellites.

Mars - facts 11

The names of the two moons that orbit Mars are Phobos and Deimos.

Mars - facts 10

Mars is approximately half the size of Earth.

Earth - facts 10

Earth's diameter is not much larger than that of Venus.

Mercury - facts 3

Mercury is named after the messenger of the Roman gods.

Mercury - facts 2

If you were standing on Mercury, the Sun would be approximately three times as larger in the sky compared to viewing the Sun on Earth.

Sun - facts 10

Sunspots are darker areas on the Sun with stronger magnetic fields that are cooler than the surrounding area.

Asteroid belt

The Asteroid belt is a region in space between Mars and Jupiter where many asteroids are found.

Kuiper belt

The Kuiper belt is an area beyond the orbit of Neptune that contains large and many small icy celestal bodies left from the formation of the Solar System. The Kuiper belt is before the Oort cloud and is much larger than the asteroid belt.

Oort cloud

The Oort cloud is a giant area surrounding the outer Solar System that contains many comets. The Oort cloud is beyond the Kuiper belt.

Solar wind

The solar wind is a stream of gas ejected from the Sun.

Heliosphere

The heliosphere is a bubble in space caused by the Sun's solar wind. It extends past the furthest planets in the Solar System.

Astronomical unit

An astronomical unit (AU) is the distance from the Earth to the Sun. One AU is approximately 93 million miles.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Universe - trivia 5

1) What is the Universe mostly made up of?

a) dark matter
b) dark energy
c) stars

Check comments for the answer.

Mars - facts 9

Mars has the tallest known volcano and mountain in the Solar System.

Jupiter - facts 7

The Great Red Spot rotates counterclockwise.

Jupiter - facts 6

The Great Red Spot on Jupiter can be seen from Earth based telescopes.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Universe - facts 5

The Universe is mostly made up of dark energy.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Venus - trivia 5

1) How bright is Venus in the sky?

a) it is the second brightest object
b) it is the third brightest object
c) it is the fourth brightest object

Check comments for the answer.

Venus - trivia 4

1) What is the temperature on Venus?

a) it is the hottest planet in Solar System
b) it is the coldest planet in Solar System
c) it has the same temperature as Earth

Check comments for the answer.

Venus - trivia 3

1) How big is Venus in relation to Earth?

a) smaller
b) larger
c) same size

Check comments for the answer.

Sun - trivia 7

1) What is the temperature in the Sun's core?

a) 5 million degrees Fahrenheit
b) 10 million degrees Fahrenheit
c) 27 million degrees Fahrenheit

Check comments for the answer.

Stars - trivia 2

1) Do all dying stars become a supernova or hypernova?

a) all
b) some
c) none

Check comments for the answer.

Moon - trivia 3

1) Do we ever see the other side of the Moon from Earth?

a) always
b) sometimes
c) never

Check comments for the answer.

Monday, August 9, 2010

Hypernovae - trivia 1

1) How large are hypernovae compared to a supernova?

a) smaller
b) larger
c) same size

Check comments for the answer.

Black holes - trivia 4

1) Do all dying stars become black holes?

a) all
b) some
c) none

Check comments for the answer.

Black holes - trivia 3

1) Can light escape a black hole?

a) always
b) sometimes
c) never

Check comments for the answer.

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Sun - facts 9

The temperature in the Sun's core is 27 million degrees Fahrenheit.

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Antimatter

Antimatter are particles that have the opposite charge of matter particles. An example is a proton, which has a positive charge. An antiproton has a negative charge.

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Jupiter - facts 5

Jupiter would have to be 50 to 100 times bigger in order to become a star.

Planets - facts 11

Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune all have planetary rings.

Jupiter - facts 4

Jupiter is named after the supreme Roman god of the sky.

Venus - facts 6

After the Sun and Moon, Venus is the third brightest object in the sky.

Venus - facts 5

Venus is named after the Roman goddess of love.

Sun - trivia 6

1) How much total mass does the Sun make up in the Solar System?

a) 99%
b) 10%
c) 50%

Check comments for the answer.

Sun - trivia 5

1) What will the Sun eventually become?

a) a black hole
b) a red giant
c) a supernova

Check comments for the answer.

Jupiter - trivia 2

1) What is the Great Red Spot?

a) sand
b) a giant storm
c) giant rocks

Check comments for the answer.

Planets - trivia 13

1) What is a gas giant?

a) a very large solid planet
b) a solid planet
c) a planet that has no solid surface

Check comments for the answer.

Mars - facts 8

The surface of Mars is covered with sand and dust.

Mars - facts 7

It is believed that Mars once had a lot of water on its surface.

Particle physics

Particle physics is a branch of physics that deals with subatomic particles. An example are quarks and leptons and their interactions between them.

Astrophysics

Astrophysics is the study of the physics of celestial bodies. Stars, galaxies, and planets in the Universe.

Physics

Physics is the study of matter, energy, and its motion.

Astronomy

Astronomy is the study of celestial bodies. Examples are planets, moons, stars, and galaxies.

Cosmology

Cosmology is the study of the structure of the entire Universe.

Multiverse

A multiverse means more than one Universe. Besides our Universe, others may or may not exist.

Meteorite

A meteorite is a rocky like object that survives passage through the Earth's atmosphere and impacts with the Earth's surface.

Meteoroid

A meteoroid is a very small sand size to larger rock sized celestial bodies in interplanetary space. Meteoroids are smaller than asteroids.

Comet

A comet is a generally small celestial body made up of ice, rock, and dust. A comet tail is seen when a comet passes close to the Sun.

Asteroid

An asteroid is a rocky celestial body that orbits around the Sun. They are smaller than planets. In the Solar System, the asteroid belt is located between Mars and Jupiter.

Planetary nebula

Planetary nebula are the gaseous outer layers of a star that have been ejected into space from a star later in its life. This happens as a star forms into a white dwarf.

Star

A star is a massive celestial body made up of gas and plasma that is held together by gravity. Stars shine because of nuclear fusion.

White dwarf

A white dwarf is a small star (its mass is not high enough to become a neutron star) that has exhausted all of its nuclear fuel.

Red giant

A red giant is a very bright giant star in its late phase of evolution, when no hydrogen remains in the core and thermonuclear fusion of hydrogen happens in a shell surrounding the core. A red giant is yellow-orange to red in color.

Gamma-ray burst

Gamma-ray burst are released from supernovae and hypernovae. Gamma-ray bursts are the brightest events in the Universe.

Gas giant

A gas giant is a planet that has no solid surface.

Black hole

A black hole is an area in space that has extreme high gravity. Nothing can escape a black hole, including light.

Hypernova

Hypernovae are produced from the largest dying stars in the Universe. A hypernova is larger than a supernova.

Supernova

A supernova occurs when a giant star explodes. It is a giant burst of extremely bright light. They are more energetic than a nova.

Black dwarf

A black dwarf is when a white dwarf cools enough that it no longer emits much heat or light. Since the Universe is approximately 13.7 billion years, no black dwarfs are thought to exist yet, since white dwarfs can still emit heat.

Sun - facts 8

The Sun was formed from a giant nebula cloud.

Hypernovae - facts 1

Hypernovae are produced from the largest dying stars in the Universe. A hypernova is larger than a supernova.

Sun - facts 7

The Sun is not large enough to explode as a supernova or hypernova.

Stars - facts 3

Not all dying stars will become a supernova or hypernova.

Supernovae - facts 1

A supernova occurs when a giant star explodes. It is a giant burst of extremely bright light. They are more energetic than a nova.

Galaxies - facts 6

A supermassive black hole may lie at the center of the Milky Way galaxy.

Globular cluster

A globular cluster is many stars in one area that are tightly bound by gravity.

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Sun - facts 6

The Sun contains approximately 99% of the total mass of the Solar System.

Big Bang

The Big Bang is a cosmic explosion that marks the beginning of the Universe. It is believed to have happened 13.7 billion years ago.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Sun - facts 5

The Sun will eventually become a red giant.

Jupiter - facts 3

The Great Red Spot is a giant storm south of Jupiter's equator.

Asteroids - facts 3

The asteroid belt is a region in space between Mars and Jupiter where many asteroids are found.

Planets - facts 10

Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are the gas giants in the Solar System.

Planets - facts 9

A gas giant is a planet that has no solid surface.

Galaxies - trivia 3

1) How many stars are in the Milky Way galaxy?

a) billions
b) millions
c) thousands

Check comments for the answer.

Sun - trivia 4

1) How far is the Sun along in its lifespan?

a) 10%
b) 50%
c) 90%

Check comments for the answer.

Stars - trivia 1

1) What are stars mostly made up of?

a) hydrogen and helium
b) hydrogen and oxygen
c) helium

Check comments for the answer.

Black holes - trivia 2

1) What are the largest type of black holes called?

a) intermediate-mass
b) supermassive
c) stellar-mass

Check comments for the answer.

Universe - trivia 4

1) Is the Universe still expanding, contracting, or remaining the same?

a) expanding
b) contracting
c) remaining the same

Check comments for the answer.

Galaxies - trivia 2

1) How many galaxies are in the Universe?

a) thousands
b) millions
c) billions

Check comments for the answer.

Black holes - trivia 1

1) How is the gravity near a black hole?

a) no gravity
b) extremely high gravity
c) extremely low gravity

Check comments for the answer.

Sun - trivia 3

1) What is the approximate distance of the Sun from Earth?

a) 9,000 miles
b) 93,000,000 miles
c) 93,000 miles

Check comments for the answer.

Moon - trivia 2

1) What is the approximate distance of the Moon from Earth?

a) 2,000 miles
b) 239,000 miles
c) 24,000 miles

Check comments for the answer.

Universe - trivia 3

1) What is the most common element in the Universe?

a) carbon dioxide
b) oxygen
c) hydrogen

Check comments for the answer.

Galaxies - facts 5

The Andromeda Galaxy is the closest spiral galaxy to the Milky Way galaxy.

Galaxies - facts 4

There are hundreds of billions of stars in the Milky Way galaxy.

Sun - facts 4

The Sun is approximately half way through its lifespan.

Stars - facts 2

Stars are made up of mostly hydrogen and helium.

Black holes - facts 4

Some dying stars can become a black hole.

Black holes - facts 3

Supermassive black holes are the largest type of black holes, with some on the order of billions of solar masses.

Universe - facts 4

The Universe is still expanding from 13.7 billion years ago.

Galaxies - facts 3

The Universe contains billions of galaxies.

Black holes - facts 2

Nothing can escape a black hole, including light.

Gamma-ray burst - facts 2

Gamma-ray bursts are the brightest events in the Universe.

Gamma-ray burst - facts 1

Gamma-ray burst are released from supernovae and hypernovae.

Stars - facts 1

A star is a massive celestial body made up of gas and plasma that is held together by gravity. Stars shine because of nuclear fusion.

Black holes - facts 1

Black holes are areas in space that have extreme high gravity.

Sun - facts 3

The Sun is approximately 4.5 billion years old.

Supernovae - trivia 1

1) How is the light near a supernova?

a) no light
b) extremely bright
c) extremely dim

Check comments for the answer.

Sun - facts 2

The Sun is approximately 93 million miles from Earth.

Moon - facts 6

The Moon is approximately 239,000 miles from Earth.

Universe - facts 3

Hydrogen is the most common element in the Universe.

Nuclear fusion

Nuclear fusion is when atomic nuclei fuse into one larger nucleus and in the process release a large amount of energy.

Monday, May 3, 2010

Venus - trivia 2

1) What is the atmosphere on Venus mostly made up of?

a) carbon dioxide
b) sulfur dioxide
c) nitrogen

Check comments for the answer.

Uranus - trivia 2

1) What is the atmosphere on Uranus mostly made up of?

a) methane
b) helium
c) hydrogen

Check comments for the answer.

Saturn - trivia 2

1) What is the atmosphere on Saturn mostly made up of?

a) helium
b) hydrogen
c) methane

Check comments for the answer.

Neptune - trivia 3

1) What is the atmosphere on Neptune mostly made up of?

a) hydrogen
b) helium
c) methane

Check comments for the answer.

Mars - trivia 6

1) What is the atmosphere on Mars mostly made up of?

a) nitrogen
b) carbon dioxide
c) oxygen

Check comments for the answer.

Planets - facts 8

Mars has the tallest volcano and mountain of all the planets in the Solar System.

Planets - facts 7

Mercury is the smallest planet in the Solar System.

Planets - facts 6

Mercury is closest to the Sun.

Planets - facts 5

Earth's atmosphere is made up of mostly nitrogen.

Venus - facts 4

The atmosphere on Venus is made up of mostly carbon dioxide.

Uranus - facts 3

The atmosphere on Uranus is made up of mostly hydrogen.

Universe - trivia 2

1) What is the approximate age of the Universe?

a) 5.5 billion years old
b) 9.8 billion years old
c) 13.7 billion years old

Check comments for the answer.

Saturn - facts 3

Saturn's atmosphere is made up of mostly hydrogen.

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Neptune - trivia 2

1) How high are the winds on Neptune compared to the other planets?

a) fastest in the Solar System
b) slowest in the Solar System

Check comments for the answer.

Neptune - facts 3

Neptune's atmosphere is made up of mostly hydrogen.

Mars - trivia 5

1) How long is a Martian day compared to a Earth day?

a) longer
b) shorter

Check comments for the answer.

Mars - trivia 4

1) How long is a Martian year compared to a Earth year?

a) longer
b) shorter

Check comments for the answer.

Mars - trivia 3

1) How much would weigh if you were standing on Mars compared to Earth?

a) weigh more
b) weigh less

Check comments for the answer.

Mars - trivia 2

1) What is Mars also called?

a) Blue Planet
b) White Planet
c) Red Planet

Check comments for the answer.

Mars - facts 6

The atmosphere on Mars is mostly carbon dioxide.

Jupiter - facts 2

Jupiter's atmosphere is made up of mostly hydrogen.

Galaxies - trivia 1

1) What is the approximate diameter of the Milky Way galaxy?

a) 5,000 light years
b) 100,000 light years
c) 20,000 light years

Check comments for the answer.

Earth - trivia 8

1) What is the Earth's atmosphere mostly made up of?

a) nitrogen
b) oxygen
c) argon

Check comments for the answer.

Earth - trivia 7

1) What is Earth also called?

a) Red Planet
b) Blue Planet
c) White Planet

Check comments for the answer.

Earth - trivia 6

1) What is the tallest mountain on Earth?

a) Cho Oyu
b) Makalu
c) Mount Everest

Check comments for the answer.

Asteroids - facts 2

The asteroid belt is located between Mars and Jupiter.

Asteroids - facts 1

Asteroids are small rocky celestial bodies that orbit around the Sun. They are smaller than planets.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Universe - facts 2

If you talked or yelled in space, nobody can hear you.

Saturn - facts 2

Saturn is the only planet in the Solar System that can float on water.

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Earth - trivia 5

1) What percent of the Earth is solid ground?

a) 10%
b) 50%
c) 30%

Check comments for the answer.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Mars - facts 5

A Martian day is a little over a half hour longer than a day on Earth.

Mars - facts 4

A Martian year is almost twice as long as a year on Earth.

Mars - facts 3

You would weigh less standing on the surface of Mars than you would on Earth.

Earth - facts 9

Earth's atmosphere is made up of mostly nitrogen.

Earth - facts 8

Space dust falls to the Earth and reaches the ground every day.

Earth - facts 7

Earth is sometimes called the Blue Planet.

Mars - facts 2

Mars is also called the Red Planet.

Earth - facts 6

The Earth is approximately 70% water. Only 30% is solid ground.

Earth - facts 5

The tallest mountain on Earth is Mount Everest.

Moon - facts 5

The creation of the Moon came about when a giant rock slammed into Earth billions of years ago.

Moon - facts 4

The Moon always shows us the same face. We never see the other side of the Moon from Earth.

Moon - facts 3

The Moon is cratered more than Earth because of asteroid collisions and the lack of a Moon atmosphere.

Friday, March 12, 2010

Planets - facts 4

Jupiter is the largest planet in the Solar System.

Planets - facts 3

Venus is the hottest planet in the Solar System.

Planets - facts 2

Mars is also called the Red Planet.

Planets - facts 1

Jupiter and Saturn have over 60 moons each.

Neptune - facts 2

Neptune has 13 moons.

Uranus - facts 2

Uranus has 27 moons.

Saturn - facts 1

Saturn has over 60 moons.

Jupiter - facts 1

Jupiter has over 60 moons.

Mars - facts 1

Mars has two moons.

Earth - facts 4

Earth has one moon.

Mercury - facts 1

Mercury has no moons.

Venus - facts 3

Venus has no moons.

Earth - facts 3

Over 1,000,000 Earths would fit inside the Sun.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Universe - trivia 1

1) What would happen if you talked or yelled in space?

a) you couldn't hear your voice
b) you can hear your voice

Check comments for the answer.

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Asteroids - trivia 2

1) Which two planets is the asteroid belt located between?

a) Mars and Jupiter
b) Venus and Mercury
c) Earth and Mars

Check comments for the answer.

Asteroids - trivia 1

1) Are asteroids bigger or smaller than planets?

a) smaller
b) bigger

Check comments for the answer.

Friday, February 19, 2010

Moon - facts 2

The Moon causes the tides in the Earth's oceans.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Uranus - facts 1

Uranus is tilted so far over that it almost orbits the Sun on its side.

Neptune - facts 1

Neptune has the highest winds out of all the planets in the Solar System, at over 1,200 mph.

Venus - facts 2

As the hottest planet in the Solar System, Venus can reach temperatures near 870 degrees Fahrenheit.

Monday, February 8, 2010

Planets - trivia 12

1) What planet has two moons?

a) Earth
b) Mars
c) Venus

Check comments for the answer.

Planets - trivia 11

1) What planet has 13 moons?

a) Uranus
b) Jupiter
c) Neptune

Check comments for the answer.

Earth - trivia 4

1) How many moons does Earth have?

a) 0
b) 1
c) 2

Check comments for the answer.

Neptune - trivia 1

1) How many moons does Neptune have?

a) 5
b) 10
c) 13

Check comments for the answer.

Uranus - trivia 1

1) How many moons does Uranus have?

a) 10
b) 15
c) 27

Check comments for the answer.

Saturn - trivia 1

1) How many moons does Saturn have?

a) 40
b) 50
c) over 60

Check comments for the answer.

Jupiter - trivia 1

1) How many moons does Jupiter have?

a) 25
b) 40
c) over 60

Check comments for the answer.

Mars - trivia 1

1) How many moons does Mars have?

a) 0
b) 1
c) 2

Check comments for the answer.

Mercury - trivia 1

1) How many moons does Mercury have?

a) 0
b) 1
c) 2

Check comments for the answer.

Venus - trivia 1

1) How many moons does Venus have?

a) 0
b) 1
c) 2

Check comments for the answer.

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Venus - facts 1

Venus is smaller than Earth but bigger than Mars.

Planets - trivia 10

1) Which of these planets has no rings?

a) Jupiter
b) Mars
c) Saturn

Check comments for the answer.

Universe - facts 1

The age of the Universe is approximately 13.7 billion years old.

Friday, February 5, 2010

Universe terms - trivia 1

1) What is the approximate distance in miles of a light year?

a) 6 thousand miles
b) 6 million miles
c) 6 trillion miles

Check comments for the answer.

Light year

A light year is approximately six trillion miles (6,000,000,000,000). This is how far light travels in a year. To see how far light travels each second, see light speed.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Planets - trivia 9

1) What planet is farther from the Sun?

a) Earth
b) Mars
c) Venus

Check comments for the answer.

Planets - trivia 8

1) What planet is not one of the gas giants?

a) Venus
b) Neptune
c) Jupiter

Check comments for the answer.

Earth - trivia 3

1) Approximately how many Earth's would fit inside the Sun?

a) 100
b) 100,000
c) 1,000,000

Check comments for the answer.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Planets - trivia 7

1) What planet is also called the Red Planet?

a) Venus
b) Mars
c) Jupiter

Check comments for the answer.

Monday, February 1, 2010

Planets - trivia 6

1) What planet is the hottest?

a) Venus
b) Mercury
c) Earth

Check comments for the answer.

Planets - trivia 5

1) Which planet has the tallest volcano and mountain?

a) Mars
b) Earth

Check comments for the answer.

Planets - trivia 4

1) What is the smallest planet?

a) Venus
b) Uranus
c) Mercury

Check comments for the answer.

Earth - trivia 2

1) What is the approximate distance around the equator of the Earth?

a) 20,000 miles
b) 2,900 miles
c) 24,900 miles

Check comments for the answer.

Earth - trivia 1

1) What is the approximate age of the Earth?

a) 4.5 million years old
b) 4.5 billion years old
c) 4.5 trillion years old

Check comments for the answer.

Moon - facts 1

The Moon is slowly moving farther from the Earth.

Sun - facts 1

Most of the Sun's mass is hydrogen.

Galaxies - facts 2

The Milky Way galaxy is approximately 100,000 light years in diameter.

Galaxies - facts 1

A galaxy is made up of a massive amount of gas, dust, stars, planets, and other objects. They are held together by their own gravity.

Earth - facts 2

The distance around the equator of the Earth is approximately 24,900 miles.

Earth - facts 1

The Earth is approximately 4.5 billion years old.

Planets - trivia 3

1) What planet is the closest to the Sun?

a) Mars
b) Mercury
c) Venus

Check comments for the answer.

Planets - trivia 2

1) What planet has an atmosphere of mostly nitrogen?

a) Earth
b) Mars
c) Jupiter

Check comments for the answer.

Planets - trivia 1

1) What planet is the largest?

a) Jupiter
b) Earth
c) Saturn

Check comments for the answer.

Sun - trivia 2

1) What is the approximate age of the Sun?

a) 4.5 million years old
b) 4.5 billion years old
c) 4.5 trillion years old

Check comments for the answer.

Sun - trivia 1

1) What is the majority of the Sun's mass?

a) helium
b) hydrogen
c) oxygen

Check comments for the answer.

Moon - trivia 1

1) How far is the Moon in relation to Earth?

a) it is moving closer to Earth
b) it is moving farther from Earth
c) it is staying the same distance from Earth

Check comments for the answer.