Astronomy Review Ch. 5 (Venus & Mars)

Name reasons why Venus is so bright.

Highly Reflective atmosphere, 70% of light, close to sun.

Why is Venus so hot?

Close to sun, trapped green house gas

Explain why Venus has no magnetic field.

Rotation too slow

If Venus once had an ocean, what happened to the water?

Evaporated into space

Which "continent" on Venus contains the highest mountains on the planet?

Ishtar Terra

Name ways in which Earth and Venus are similar.

Jetstream Atmosphere, similar size (95% of earth)

What is the name of the largest mountain chain on Venus?

Maxwell Mountains

What are clouds on Venus made of?

Sulferic Acid

What % of Venus is considered to be highlands (continents)?

8%

Name pieces of evidence that there are active volcanoes on Venus.

Lava domes are visible

What part of the EM spectrum was used by Magellan to map the surface of Venus?

Radar

How much heavier is the atmosphere of Venus than Earth's atmosphere?

90 times heavier

What is the name of the only country to land a probe on Venus.

Russia.

What were the names of the probes?

Venera 9 and 10

How does the temperature on the day side of Venus compare to the night side?

Very constant, 859 degrees average

Where does Venus rank in brightness amongst all objects in the sky?

3rd

Where is Venus located when it is brightest in our sky?

39 degrees from sun

Why can't we see the full face of Venus from Earth?

Superior and inferior conjunction, when behind and in front of the sun

How does the density of Venus compare to Earth?

on venus its 5200 on Earth its 5500.

What is a caldera?

Crater at Summit.

What is unique about the spin of Venus?

Very slow spin and only planet in solar system that spins clockwise

Why does Venus spin have a slow, retrograde spin?

Something smacked the hell out of it

Name some features on Earth which absorbs CO2.

oceans and rocks.

What formed runoff channels on Mars?

Ancient dried up rivers.

What formed outflow channels on Mars?

Remnants of catastrophic flooding

Mars once had a thicker atmosphere - what happened to it?

Co2 dissolved into lakes/rocks, greenhouse diminished, water froze out of atmosphere

Name some ways Mars and Earth are similar.

24.6 hr rotation. 24 degree tilt, Eccentricity.

Name both moons of Mars.

Phobos and Deimos

Why are Martian volcanoes so large compared to those on Earth and Venus?

Low gravity

Where is it thought that Phobos and Deimos originated?

Captured asteroids

What is a shield volcano?

Volcanoes that pop up from surface without plate tectonics

What makes astronomers think the South hemisphere of Mars is older than the North?

Has more lava plains (maria) and few craters

What caused the Vallis Marineris to form?

Tectonic Fractures.

What were the first spacecraft to land on Mars?

Viking I and II

What spacecraft first used "bubble wrap" to land on Mars?

Pathfinder.

What types of planets, in general, have thicker atmospheres?

Comfortable Temperatures, blue sky, Rain.

What causes most of the erosion on the Martian surface today?

Dust

What is "opposition"?

Closest to Earth.

How often does Mars reach opposition?

Every two years.

What gives Mars its reddish tint?

Rust covered surface (iron oxide)

What types of planets are more likely to be geologically inactive (dead)?

Small planets and moons.

In what ways were Spirit & Opportunity surprisingly successful?

Lasted longer than expected.

Largest mountain in the solar system

Olympus Mons