Question | Answer |
Know the difference between: meteoroids, meteors and meteorites. | Meteoroid-small rocks and dirt floating in space; meteors-meteoroids that hit Earth's atmosphere and completely burn up; meteorites--meteoroids that hit Earth's atmosphere but don't completely burn up (part hits Earth) |
Know the difference between comet tails that are blue and yellow. | Blue tail--made of steam
Yellow tail--made of dust particles |
Know the difference between short-period comets and long-period comets. | Short-period comets-orbits the Sun every 200 years or less; long-period comets-orbits the Sun every 201 years or longer |
Comets do not orbit in a circle. What shape is their orbit? | long and elliptical |
What is the Asteroid Belt? | An area between Mars and Jupiter where large rocks are located |
Where on Earth have lots of meteorites been found (more than 10,000)? | Antarctica |
What is the center of a comet called (it is made up of ice and a large rock)? | nucleus |
Comets are named for the Greek word kometes which means what? | head of hair |
What is the difference between asteroids and meteoroids? | Size--asteroids are larger than meteoroids |
Name the Galilean moons in order by size, largest to smallest. | Ganymede, Callisto, Io, Europa |
What is the Great Red Spot on Jupiter? | A giant hurricane-like storm that travels around Jupiter |
How long has the Great Red Spot been raging? | more than 300 years |
How long is a year on Jupiter? | 12 Earth years |
How long is a day on Jupiter? | 10 Earth hours |
What is the name of the biggest moon in our Solar System and which planet is it revolving around? | Ganymede is the biggest moon in our Solar System and it is one of Jupiter's moons. |
Is Jupiter a terrestrial or gaseous planet? | gaseous |
Jupiter was named after the Roman god of what? | rain, thunder and lightning |
The four largest moons of Jupiter are called the Galilean moons. Why? | Because they were discovered by Galileo. |
What are the two main gases found on Jupiter? | hydrogen and helium |
Explain gravity assist. | It is when NASA scientists use the gravity of planets to help propel or send spacecraft into outer space. |