Astronomy

Astronomy

Coordinate systems for Earth and Space

Earth Motions

Seasons

The Moon

The Solar System
 * Kepler's Laws

Space

Some History

Space Exploration

History of astronomy

What have we learned about the universe that surrounds us?

What effect does the solar wind have on the earth system?

What processes have formed the surface of mars and other planets?

How does a start become a supernova?

Could mars support life?

What is the electromagnetic spectrum, and how does it help astronomers learn about stars?

What are the characteristics of stars?

What are the phases of a star’s life cycle?

What are galaxies?

Where do scientists think the universe came from?

Explain complex phenomena, such as tides, variations in day length, solar insolation, apparent motion of the planets, and annual traverse of the constellations. Most objects in the solar system are in regular and predictable motion. These motions explain such phenomena as the day, the year, seasons, moon phases, eclipses, and tides. Gravity influences the motions of celestial objects. The force of gravity between two objects in the universe depends on their masses and the distance between them.

Nine planets move around the Sun in nearly circular orbits. The orbit of each planet is an ellipse with the Sun located at one of the foci. Earth is orbited by one moon and many artificial satellites.

Earth's changing position with regard to the Sun and the moon has noticeable effects. Earth revolves around the Sun with its rotational axis tilted at 23.5 degrees to a line perpendicular to the plane of its orbit, with the North Pole aligned with Polaris

The Foucault pendulum and the Coriolis effect provide evidence of Earth's rotation.

The Suns apparent path through the sky varies with latitude and season.

Our solar system formed about five billion years ago from a giant cloud of gas and debris. Gravity caused Earth and the other planets to become layered according to density differences in their materials. The characteristics of the planets of the solar system.

The universe is vast and estimated to be over ten billion years old. The current theory is that the universe was created from an explosion called the Big Bang. Evidence for this theory includes: cosmic background radiation a red-shift (the Doppler effect)

Asteroids, comets, and meteors are components of our solar system. Impact events have been correlated with mass extinction and global climatic change. Impact craters can be identified in Earth’s crust.

Approximately 70 percent of Earths surface is covered by a relatively thin layer of water, which responds to the gravitational attraction of the moon and the Sun with a daily cycle of high and low tides.

Targeted Skills:

Plot sun’s path across the sky

Eccentricity calculation

Creating an Ellipse