OUTER SPACE HABITS
BY: LEAH T.
I made this web page based on this Georgia performance Standard
S4E2. Students will model the position and motion of the earth in the solar system and will explain the role of relative position and motion in determining sequence of the phases of the moon
a. Explain the day/night cycle of the earth using a model.
b.
Explain the sequence of the phases of the moon.
c.
Demonstrate the revolution of the earth around the sun and the earth’s tilt to
explain
d.
Demonstrate the relative size and order from the sun of the planets in the solar
system.
Phases of the Moon
While the moon orbits Earth it looks like it is changing shape, but it is really
going through its phases.
 |
• A New Moon cannot be seen from the Earth. It is too close to the Sun in the sky and only the dark side is facing us. |
 |
• At First Quarter we see half of the Moon. It rises around midday and sets around midnight. |
 |
• A Full Moon rises at Sunset and sets at Sunrise. We see the entire sunlit side. |
 |
• At Last (or Third) Quarter we see half of the Moon. It rises about midnight and sets around midday. |
Information found on this website-www.museum.vic.gov.au/planetarium/solarsystem/moon.html
For more information on the phases of the moon
The Earth spins on an invisible line called an axis and it is right in the middle of the Earth. The northern point of the axis is the North Pole. So the southern point is the South Pole. The equator is an invisible line too. It marks the widest part of the Earth, separates the north and south pole and is the same distance away from each pole at every point along it.
Click here for more information on the seasons
FUN FACTS
There are nine planets and the sun in the Solar System.
The planets are:
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars,
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto.
Click here for more information
| Planets | Fast Facts | Picture | Size |
|
Mercury |
Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun.
|
 |
Two-fifths the size of Earth; second smallest in the solar system |
| Venus | Venus is the hottest planet in the Solar System. |  |
About 650 miles smaller in diameter than Earth |
| Earth |
Earth is the only planet that has life.
|
 |
Four planets in our solar system are larger and four are smaller than Earth |
| Mars |
Mars has a blood red color which comes from iron-rich dust.
|
 |
About one-quarter the size of Earth |
| Jupiter | Jupiter is the largest planet in our Solar System. |  |
11 times the diameter of Earth |
| Saturn | Jupiter is the largest planet in our Solar System. |  |
About 10 times larger than Earth |
| Uranus | Uranus used to have a different name, it was Georgium Sidus. |  |
4 times larger than Earth |
| Neptune | Neptune is a stormy blue planet |  |
About 4 times the size of Earth |
| Pluto | Pluto is the smallest planet in the Solar System. |  |
Less than one-fifth the size of Earth |
DAY AND NIGHT
Day and night are caused because Earth spins on its axis. Earth rotates completely around its axis in 24 hours. The part of Earth that is facing the sun is day. The part of Earth that is the opposite direction is night. The Earth spins counterclockwise.