Unit: 7 Solar System

Causes the lunar phases

Causes the lunar phases

Varying amounts of the Sun's illumination on the Moon due to the angle between the Earth, Sun, and Moon.

Length of one lunar cycle

28 days.

Revolution

Object’s orbital motion around another object. Creates seasons on Earth.

Rotation

Object's spinning motion about its own axis. Creates day and night on Earth.

8

Number of lunar phases

New moon

When the moon is closest to the sun, completely dark.

Full moon

When the moon is furthest from the sun, completely illuminated, two weeks after a new moon.

Waxing

Visible portion of the Moon becomes larger, happens after new moon.

Waning

Visible portion of the Moon becomes smaller, happens after full moon.

Moon phases in order

New moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, third quarter, waning crescent.

Process that creates day and night on earth

Rotation.

Process that creates seasons

Revolution and tilt of the Earth.

23.5 degrees

Tilt of Earth's axis.

Tilted towards the Sun

More direct sunlight, summer

Solstice

The start of new seasons and the days with the most or least amount of sunlight. Summer solstice, longest day of the year, June 21, most amount of sunlight. Winter solstice, shortest day of the year, December 21, least amount of sunlight.

Equinox

Two times of the year when days and nights are of equal length (spring and fall).

Lunar eclipse

full moon passes into Earth's shadow causing the Moon to appear red. (sun, earth, moon), lasts 1 - 3 1/2 hours.

Solar eclipse

Moon passes between Earth & Sun, and covers all or part of the sun. (sun, moon, earth), lasts less than 12 minutes.

Umbra

The darkest part of a shadow where light is fully blocked, full shadow.

Penumbra

The lighter part of a shadow where light is partially blocked, partial shadow.

Sun

The star at the center of our solar system that holds all planets in orbit.

Planet

A large celestial body that revolves around the sun.

Moon

A celestial body that revolves around a planet.

Asteroid

Large and small rocks or metallic masses orbiting the Sun in a belt between Mars and Jupiter.

Comet

Small mass of dust and ice.

Meteoroid

Space rock smaller than an asteroid that changes to a meteor when it enters Earth's atmosphere.

Inner/ Rocky planets

Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars.

Outer/ Gas giants

Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.

Asteroid belt

Separates the inner planets from the outer.

Gravity

The force that causes objects with mass to attract one another.

Increase

Mass of a celestial body increases the gravitational pull _______

Decreases

Distance between two celestial bodies increases the gravitation pull _______

The Big Bang theory

Theory that states that the universe began as a small pinpoint that expanded rapidly about 13.7 billion years ago.

Elliptical

Galaxy egg shaped, no dust.

Spiral

Galaxy stars in the arms and lanes of dust.

Barred spiral

Galaxy with a bright bar across the center.

Irregular

Does not have a regular shape (any shape), does not fit into any one catagory.

Solar System

Was formed 4.6 billion years ago it is a part of the Milky Way galaxy.