Out in Space

What keeps the planet and other object in orbitaround the sun?

How are they different?

How are they alike?

Which planet has the most moons? Why?

Gravity and inertia

Inner- rockyOuter- gas

All have mass, orbit the sun

Jupiter, as it has the largest mass.

What are some other things in our solar system besides the sun and the

planets?

Asteroid- a body composed of rock and/or metal which orbits the Sun.Inner and outer planets are separated by an asteroid belt.

It is larger than a meteor.

These fragments were left over from the formation our Solar System about 4.6 billion years ago. Our universe is about 14 billion years old.

It is believed that a asteroid hit our planet millions of years ago and caused the extinction of the dinosaurs.

Meteoroid, Meteor, Meteorite

• What is the difference?

MeteoroidA chunk of rock that is smaller than an asteroid in space.

Meteor -Chunk of rock/dust (meteoroid) traveling through our atmosphere.

These are mistaken forfalling stars.

A meteor is a bright streak of light that appears briefly in the sky. Air friction heats the meteoroid so that it glows. They usually burn up when entering the atmosphere due to air friction.

MeteoriteA meteoroid that has hit the Earth’s surface.

A comet is an icy body of gas and dust.

Most of the comets that can be seen from Earth travel around

the sun in long, oval orbits. Astronomers believe that comets

are leftover debris from a collection of gas, ice, rocks, and dust.

COMET

(Bright tail, black hearts)