Earth, Moon, and Beyond Chapter 9

Day and Night The sun is the star at the center of our solar system. The cycle of day and night occurs because Earth rotates, or spins on its axis. Earth’s axis is an imaginary line that passes through the North and South Poles. 24 hour cycle

Earth’s Seasons Earth revolves or travels in a path around the sun. This path is called Earth’s orbit. Seasons are produced by Earth’s tilt on its axis. Earth is divided into 2 hemispheres by the equator which is an imaginary line. When it is summer in the Northern Hemisphere it is winter in the Southern Hemisphere.

High and Lows Seasons at the North and South Pole are very different from other places. In the summer the poles get 6 months of daylight and no darkness. In winter there are 6 months of darkness and no daylight. The South Pole has vey low temperatures all year long.

The Moon Any natural body that revolves around a planet. Rocky Made up of aluminum, oxygen, calcium, silicon, and iron. Contains craters which are bowl shaped areas on the surface. No atmosphere or water.

The Moon and the Earth Craters No Liquid Water or Air Liquid Water Rocky Moon Earth Dense Revolves Around A Planet Same Elements Atmosphere

Phases of the Moon The moon travels around the Earth. The moon rotates as it revolves. The moon rotates slower than the Earth. The moon does not give off its own light. As the moon orbits the Earth its position in the sky changes. A moon phase is one of the shapes the moon seems to have as it orbits Earth. The cycle takes 29 ½ days. The side of the moon we can not see from Earth was once called the dark side of the moon. This is incorrect because all sides of the moon receives light.

Eclipses Occurs when one body in space blocks light from reaching another body. On Earth, we see solar and lunar eclipses. A solar eclipse occurs when a new moon casts a shadow on Earth. A lunar eclipse occurs when a full moon passes through the shadow of Earth.

Phases of the Moon

The Sun and Other Stars The sun is a star which is a huge ball of hot gases in space. The sun is the center of our solar system. A solar system is made up of a star and planets and objects that revolve around that star. The sun is important because of the energy it provides. Scientists classify stars by color and brightness. A constellation is a pattern of stars.

Inner Planets A planet is a body that revolves around a star. The four inner planets are Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. They are rocky and dense. Mercury is closet planet to the sun. The asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.

Outer Planets There are 5 outer planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. The first four are gas giants (made mostly of hydrogen and helium) and Pluto is now considered a dwarf planet. Jupiter is the largest planet. There is a new dwarf planet Eris also called UB 313.

Our Solar System

Beyond the Solar System The universe is everything that exists which includes the stars, planets, dust, and energy. A galaxy is gas, dust, and a group of stars. Galaxies are classified by shapes.

Space Exploration The telescope allows people to get a closer look at space. Today scientists use telescopes, satellites, and space probes to explore space.

Questions How does Earth’s Orbit affect the seasons? How does the Earth and the moon compare? What makes up our solar system? If you were to survive on the moon, what supplies would you need?