Sky Science

Introduction: What do you know?

Name the 8 planets.

Where do the names come from?

What things in the solar system have we visited?

Name some common space shows.

The heart of a solar systemA solar system is a collection of planets that

circle a sunOur sun is called Sol and our solar system the

Sol System. It is a one sun system where the one sun is the center of the system

Over 200 billion stars in our galaxy the Milky Way

Nearest Solar system is Alpha Centauri, 4 light years away (or 40 trillion km)

A light year is how far light can travel in a year (300 000 KM per second)

Inside a solar system we use AU as a measurement. One Astronomical Unit is the distant from Earth to the sun

Parts of SpaceSolar systemGalaxyUniverseMilky Way

In which of the following lists are parts of space ordered from smallest to largest?

a. Solar system, galaxy, universeb. Galaxy, universe, solar systemc. Milky Way, solar system, universed. Universe, Milky Way, solar system

Quick tour of the solar system

Stars

What is a star?• The sun is a star• Stars emit light. They are the only

objects in the Universe that do so. • Venus looks like a star• Stars are different colors due to their

heat• Magnitude of stars (look at chart)

Stars

How does the earth’s rotation effect the position of stars in the sky?

• Stars and planets appear to move due to the rotation of the earth. It is actually the Earth that rotates.

• Overhead of an Example

The Apparent Motion of the Stars in the Sky

Patterns in the Sky Click here

• We call maps of the stars in the sky, star-maps.

• Constellations are patterns in the stars that are in the sky.

• The constellations seem to move when it is actually our planet that is moving

• 88 known Constellations

Some well knownconstellations

Why do they move?

• Constellations do not move! They seem to because Earth is moving.

• The stars do not really rise and set. Earth spins around on its axis once a day giving the appearance that the stars are moving.

Why do some disappear

during the year?• The Earth is not pointed

straight up on it’s axis. We are tilted 23.5 degrees.

• The north pole is pointed at the North Star - Polaris

• Certain constellations are not seen because of that tilt (zodiac constellations).

• Certain ones remain in the sky all year but change how they look (big dipper). These are called CIRCUMPOLAR.

The center of our solar system

The colour of a star show how much heat it gives off.

Sol is a medium star that burns off Hydrogen turning it to helium

Temperature of 5000 degrees Celsius

It is the only source of light in the solar system.

An Earth year is the time it takes to circle the sun

The Sun?? Click here

Viewing the Sun

• Safety

• Devices for viewing

Telling time with the Sun!

• SUNDIALS WORK DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE SUN SEEMS TO MOVE EAST TO WEST IN OUR SKY.

• The gnomon is the stick in the middle. It blocks the sun’s light causing a shadow.

• The sun moves from east to west (right to left) yet the shadow will move west to east (left to right). The numbers on the dial indicate the time when the shadow touches them.

• Shadows are the longest during early day and late day

• Shadows are the shortest at solar noon. Regular noon is 12 o’ clock yet solar noon is when the sun reaches it’s height in the sky, which casts the shortest shadow.

Telling time with the sun!

• Information• Use of it

Telling time with the sun!

• Achievement test question pg. 9

The crooked Earth 1• We have seasons because the earth is tilted

on its axis at 23.5 degrees and pointed at a distant star (the North Star - Polaris). As we revolve around the sun the earth gets uneven heat at the hemispheres. In the summer we get more then the south and in our winter they get more then us.

The crooked Earth 2

The crooked Earth 3Click here

Notice how the Northern Hemisphere is leaning toward the sun. That means it receives more of the sun’s energy. Since the days are longer, once the sun’s heat energy reaches the Earth it will keep it warmer because there is more sunlight during the day.

Here, the top part of the earth is leaning away form the sun, meaning the Northern Hemisphere receives less energy from the sunlight. Because the days are shorter, the Earth loses more heat each day than it receives. It will not heat up until the days become much longer.

The warmest day is in August yet thelongest day is June 21st?

Summer

Winter

Our nearestneighbour

• Moon light is just a reflection of the sunlight

• The moon is our only natural satellite• It has an elliptical orbit• It rotates on it’s axis at the exact same speed it revolves

around the Earth, therefore no one has seen the far face of the moon

• The moon circles the Earth approximately every 28 days (actually 27 1/3 days). This is called one Lunar Month

• Sometimes the moon blocks the Sun’s light. This is called a Solar Eclipse

The Moon Dance • The waxing

moon is gradually reflecting more light to us. The moon appears to get bigger.

• The waning moon is gradually reflecting less light to us. It appears to get smaller.

Click here

Name the phases in class

My Very Energetic Mother Just Served Us Nachos (probably).

Planet order: Mercury Venus Earth Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune (Pluto) Their distances from the Sun are very large…. Distances???? Click here

Planet types 1)Terrestrial - Earth like planets that are made of solid materials like rocks are. 2) Jovian- Planets that consist largely of gasses. 3) Dwarf - Like a planet but much smaller. They do not have a regular orbit. Hint about sizes _Click here

Rocky planet Gas giant Dwarf planet

1st Planet (Terrestrial)

• This is the closest planet to the sun• It has no atmosphere• It has the shortest year in the solar

system

2nd planet (Terrestrial)• The hottest planet.• Runaway green house effect

where gas in the atmosphere keeps in heat

• Temperature so hot metal runs like liquid (molten).

Surface of Venus

3rd plant(Terrestrial)• The only planet there is evidence

of water in the liquid, solid and gas states

• Evidence of life • Has a lot of geological activity (i.e.

earthquakes and volcanoes)• Has an atmosphere• Has 1 moon

4th Planet(Terrestrial)

• Thin atmosphere of carbon dioxide• The red colour is due to rust• Has polar ice caps• Has 2 natural satellites (moons)• Contains water only in the solid state

Earth compared to Mars. Earth is the larger one

5th Planet(Jovian)

• Largest planet - Named after Zeus• The red spot is a storm that is over

400 years old• Has over 4 larger moons - some with

water.• Made of the same gas as the sun.

Satellites

Gas verses Terrestrial

6th Planet(Jovian)

• Has a massive ring system• The rings are 2 Km thick in areas• Has many moons

Moons

7th Planet(Jovian)

• The atmosphere is made up of Methane. That gives it a green appearance.

• It is believed to have beentilted on its rotational axis by a meteor strike

• Uranus rolls on side

8th Planet(Jovian)

• Atmosphere contains mostly Methane gas, which creates the blue colour

• Largest moon is Titan which is bigger then Pluto.

• Has the longest orbit of all planets

Not considered a planet anymore

• Pluto was once believed to be the smallest planet, but in 2006 the definition changed and it became a dwarf planet.

• It has an irregular orbit. It takes the longest to revolve around the sun

Earth and Pluto

UB313 another dwarf

Quick tour of the solar system

Q: What else is “Out There”?

A: Rocks and ice!• Comets - Balls of frozen gases and water that rush

towards the sun , circle back and go to the Kuipter belt. Known as hairy stars. Click here

• Asteroids- Rocks that float in space. Click here

• Meteor- An asteroid that comes near the Earth’s atmosphere (shooting stars).Click here

• Meteorites - Asteroids that have hit Earth.

• Asteroid belt- Large band of rocks that orbit the sun between Jupiter and Mars

• OTHERAurora Borealis-The aurora borealis is also called the northern lights, as it is only visible in the North sky from the Northern Hemisphere. The aurora borealis most often occurs from September to October and from March to April.

Discoveries

• Telescopes

• Canada’s contribution to technologies used in space

Discoveries

• Space Probes

• Other Space equipment and their uses