Solar System Overview

• Solar System Structure: The Sun is at the centre, with planets, moons, and other objects orbiting in elliptical (oval-shaped) paths.

• Rocky vs. Gas Planets:

  • Rocky (Terrestrial) Planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars. These have solid surfaces.

  • Gas Giants: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune. Made mostly of gases like hydrogen and helium.

Satellites

• Natural Satellites: Moons that orbit planets (e.g., Earth’s moon).

• Artificial Satellites: Human-made objects orbiting Earth (e.g., communication satellites).

Light from the Moon

• The moon reflects sunlight, so we can see it at night. Unlike the Sun, the moon does not produce its light. And the light rebounds of the moon from the sun

Phases of the Moon and Tides

• The moon has phases (new moon, full moon, etc.) depending on its position relative to Earth and the Sun.

• Tides are caused by the moon’s gravitational pull on Earth's oceans.

• New Moon, Waxing Crescent First Quarter Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon, Waning Gibbous, Last Quarter, Waning Crescent

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Knowledge

• Stars and moon phases are used to predict the weather, animal behaviour, plant cycles, and tidal changes.

Day, Night, and Seasonal Phenomena

• Day and night are caused by Earth’s rotation.

• Seasons happen because of Earth's tilt as it orbits the Sun.

• Leap years account for the extra 0.25 days in a year.

• Eclipses (solar and lunar) occur when the Earth, moon, and Sun align.

Investigations

• Data analysis: Study planetary data, and create graphs.

• Day and night models: Use torches to simulate Earth's rotation.

• Additional research (if time allows): Look into nebulas, black holes, star life cycles, galaxies, moons, and the Goldilocks zone (where conditions are just right for life).

Other Info

• The Earth’s Tilt is 23.5 Degrees with causes seasons

• The Heliocentric view is the view in which the Sun is at the centre of the universe