Lesson 8 — The solar system

• The solar system
• Middelbare school
• havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 1

Astronomy

3.5 The solar system

This lesson

• Recap — life cycle of a star
  
• Discussing the homework.
• The solar system
  

Learning goals

• Describe the life cycle of a star.
  
• Describe the four layers of our solar system and what is inside them.
  
• Name the names of the 8 planets in our Solar System.
  
• Name several facts about the objects in our Solar System.
  

Recap

What did we learn previous lesson?

The life cycle of a star — average size star

• Nebula
  
• Main sequence star — nuclear fusion
  
• Red giant
  
• White dwarf
  

Red giant

White dwarf

Supernova 

The star Betelgeuse is expected to go supernova, that could be today, it could be in 10 years, it could be in a 100 or a thousand years. The cool thing is, there is a chance it will happen in your lifetime.

When this happens it will be the brightest object in the sky besides the sun for about 100 days. Right now Venus is the brightest object in the night sky and Betelgeuse's supernova would be 15 to 250 times brighter.

Neutron 

star

Black hole

1) What are the two pole stars and what are their names?

2) What is the process called that occurs in stars that generates the energy they radiate out in the form of light?

3) When you take a photograph of the night sky over several hours you will get a picture like the one below. Why do the stars appear to move?

4) What is a constellation?

5) Why do we see different constellations at night through out the year? 

6) In 2022 the Aquarius constellation was most visible between October and November, when will the Aquarius constellation be most visible in 2023?

Polaris

Sigma octantis

Nuclear fusion

The constellations

• A collection of stars in which we can see a pattern 

• This idea is estimated to originate in pre-historic times
  
• Easier to recognise that individual stars
  
• The constellations can give us a map of the night sky
  

Most visible during October and November (from the Northern hemisphere)

Aquarius

Most visible during December 

(from the Northern hemisphere)

Aries

Gemini

Most visible during April and May 

(from the Northern hemisphere)

3.5

The solar system

Planets

Suns

Galaxy

Solar system

Moons

Planets

Suns

Galaxy

Solar system

Moons

Clusters

Super clusters

Filaments

What are the names of the eight planets in our solar system?

Name the four layers of our solar system.

Describe which planets and or other objects are inside each layer.

Which planet is closest to the sun? What is the estimated peak temperature it can reach during the day? How cold can it get during the night?

Which planet in our solar system is the largest one?

Which planet is furthest away from the sun and what is the distance between it and the sun?

What are the names of the eight planets in our solar system?

• Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.
  

Name the four layers of our solar system.

• The inner planets, the astroid belt, the outer planets, dwarf planets.
  

Describe which planets and or other objects are inside each layer.

• Inner planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars
• Astroid belt: Millions of astroids
• Outer planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
• Dwarf planets: Pluto, Eris, Makemake

Which planet is closest to the sun? What is the estimated peak temperature it can reach during the day? How cold can it get during the night?

• Mercury, it can reach peak temperatures of up to 140 degrees Celsius and as low as -170 degrees celsius.
  

Which planet in our solar system is the largest one?

• Jupiter, with a diameter of 142800 kilometers.

Which planet is furthest away from the sun and what is the distance between it and the sun?

• Neptune, is is 4498 million kilometers away from the sun.

Learning goals

• Describe the life cycle of a star.
  
• Describe the four layers of our solar system and what is inside them.
  
• Name the names of the 8 planets in our Solar System.
  
• Name several facts about the objects in our Solar System.