Galaxy

A galaxy consists of gas, dust and many stars including the objects that orbit the stars.

We are a part of the Milky Way Galaxy.

We are as spiral galaxy.

Stars

Stars are different sizes (some are small and some are large).

The Sun is the closest star to Earth.  All other stars are so far away they only look like points of light.

The Sun appears large and bright because it is the closest star to Earth.

Solar System

Many objects are included in our Solar System.  (Sun, planets, asteroids, moons, and comets)

The order of the planets from the Sun is:  Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto (dwarf planet)

The inner planets are:  rocky, solid, smaller, closer to the sun.

The outer planets are:  gas, larger, farther from the sun.

Pluto is a dwarf planet (it is the smallest planet and made of rock).

All planets orbit or revolve around the sun, rotate on an axis, have a mass, and have gravity.

Comets – masses of ice, dust and rock, they will appear to have a tail as they near the Sun.

Asteroids – small rocks that orbit the Sun between Mars and Jupiter.

Earth

The rotation of the Earth on its axis results in day and night (24 hours for one rotation).

Earth orbits the Sun in approximately 365 days or 1 year.

The pattern of the stars seem to move and shift across the sky due to Earth’s rotation.

Due to Earth’s orbit you can see different stars in different seasons.

The shape of the moon changes over the course of a month including a full moon, quarter moons and a new moon.