| Our Solar System contains planets, dwarf planets, moons, asteroids, comets, and a star. | Solar System Components |
| What are the main components of our Solar System? | The main components of our Solar System are planets, dwarf planets, moons, asteroids, comets, and a star. |
| The star in our Solar System is called the Sun. | The Sun |
| What is the star in our Solar System called? | The star in our Solar System is called the Sun. |
| There are eight planets in our Solar System: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. | Eight Planets |
| How many planets are there in our Solar System and what are their names? | There are eight planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. |
| A mnemonic can help learn the order of the planets from the Sun. | Planet Order Mnemonic |
| How can the order of the planets from the Sun be learned? | The order of the planets from the Sun can be learned with a mnemonic. |
| Asteroids are like small rocky planets that orbit the Sun similarly to planets. | Asteroids |
| What are asteroids and how do they orbit the Sun? | Asteroids are like small rocky planets that orbit the Sun in orbits similar to the orbits of the planets. |
| Most asteroids are located between Mars and Jupiter. | Asteroid Belt |
| Where are most asteroids located in the Solar System? | Most asteroids are located between Mars and Jupiter. |
| Comets are similar to asteroids but contain ice, dust, and rock. | Comets |
| How do comets differ from asteroids? | Comets contain ice and dust as well as rock, whereas asteroids are mostly rock. |
| Comets have very squashed orbits, taking them very close to and far from the Sun. | Comet Orbits |
| Describe the orbits of comets. | Comets have very squashed orbits, taking them very close to the Sun as well as very far away from it. |
| Satellites are natural or artificial objects that orbit a planet. | Satellite Definition |
| What are satellites? | Satellites are natural or artificial objects that orbit a planet. |
| The Moon is a natural satellite of the Earth. Some planets have many moons, while others have none. | Moon Example |
| What is an example of a natural satellite, and do all planets have moons? | The Moon is a natural satellite of the Earth. Some planets have many moons, while others have none. |
| Moons are natural satellites that orbit planets. | Natural Satellites |
| What are natural satellites? | Natural satellites are moons that orbit planets. |
| Artificial satellites are human-made devices that orbit the Earth. | Artificial Satellites |
| What are artificial satellites? | Artificial satellites are human-made devices that orbit the Earth. |
| Artificial satellites perform useful tasks such as communications and weather monitoring. | Artificial Satellite Tasks |
| What are some tasks performed by artificial satellites? | Artificial satellites are used for communications and weather monitoring. |
| Most planets in our Solar System can be seen in the night sky with just our naked eyes. | Naked Eye Observation |
| Can most planets in our Solar System be seen without a telescope? | Yes, most planets in our Solar System can be seen in the night sky with just our naked eyes. |
| Humans have observed and recorded the motions of planets since ancient times. | Ancient Observations |
| How long have humans been observing and recording the motions of planets? | Humans have been observing and recording the motions of planets since ancient times. |
| Ptolemy (100-170 CE) used his observations to suggest the geocentric model of the Solar System. | Ptolemy's Model |
| Who suggested the geocentric model of the Solar System and when? | Ptolemy (100-170 CE) suggested the geocentric model of the Solar System. |
| Geocentric means "Earth at the centre". Ptolemy thought Earth was at the centre of the Solar System, orbited by the Sun, Moon, and planets. | Geocentric Definition |
| What does geocentric mean, and who proposed this model? | Geocentric means "Earth at the centre". Ptolemy proposed this model. |
| Copernicus (1473-1543 CE) first put forward the heliocentric model of the Solar System. | Copernicus's Model |
| Who first proposed the heliocentric model of the Solar System and when? | Copernicus (1473-1543 CE) first proposed the heliocentric model of the Solar System. |
| Heliocentric means "Sun at the centre". Copernicus thought the Sun was at the centre of the Solar System, orbited by Earth and other planets. | Heliocentric Definition |
| What does heliocentric mean, and who proposed this model? | Heliocentric means "Sun at the centre". Copernicus proposed this model. |
| With the invention of the telescope, Galileo (1564-1642 CE) made more precise observations, supporting the heliocentric model. | Galileo's Observations |
| How did Galileo's observations support the heliocentric model? | Galileo used the telescope to make precise observations that supported the heliocentric model. |
| In the past, astronomers used simple telescopes and made hand drawings to record observations. | Early Telescopes |
| How did astronomers record their observations in the past? | Astronomers used simple telescopes and made hand drawings to record what they saw. |
| Telescopes have become more powerful with technological advancements, now capturing images as photographs. | Technological Advancements |
| How have telescopes improved with technology? | Telescopes have become more powerful and can now capture images as photographs. |
| Computers can perform detailed analyses of photographs taken by telescopes. | Computer Analysis |
| What role do computers play in modern astronomical observations? | Computers perform detailed analyses of photographs taken by telescopes. |
| Telescopes have been placed on artificial satellites to overcome atmospheric distortion and absorption. | Satellite Telescopes |
| Why are telescopes placed on artificial satellites? | To overcome atmospheric distortion and absorption of radiation. |
| The atmosphere distorts light and absorbs some types of radiation completely (e.g., radio waves, infrared). | Atmospheric Distortion |
| How does the atmosphere affect astronomical observations? | It distorts light and absorbs some types of radiation completely, like radio waves and infrared. |
| Robotic spacecraft that travel further into the Universe than orbiting satellites to observe and gather data. | Space Probes |
| What are space probes and what do they do? | Space probes are robotic spacecraft that travel further into the Universe than orbiting satellites to observe and gather data. |
| Some space probes have traveled to the very edge of the Solar System to take photographs and measurements. | Edge of the Solar System |
| What have some space probes achieved in terms of distance and data collection? | Some space probes have traveled to the very edge of the Solar System to take photographs and measurements. |
