Karley - What's the most famous star of all (besides the sun)? If you travel through space and keep going straight will you ever stop or find a black hole or planet?
This is such a great question Karley. Different stars are important to different civilizations for many different reasons. While I'm not sure what the most famous star is, I can tell you that there is one star that is in a very unique place in relation to Earth. That star is called Polaris, also known as The North Star. This star aligns with the north pole of our planet. For this reason, it hardly moves in the sky, which makes it very unique for us. If you are in the northern hemisphere and you walk toward Polaris, you will be traveling north. This star has been important for navigation throughout the centuries. I would say that it could be quite famous for that reason.
What happens when you travel in a straight line through space forever depends on what the shape of the universe is. Scientists are not exactly certain what shape the universe is. It could be round or flat or slightly curved or saddle shaped or a blob. If the universe is round, you would end up back where you started, kind of like walking all the way around the earth. Even though you travel in only one direction, you end up back where you started. Many scientists debate the true shape of the universe, but the fact is they are still unsure. This is such an important question because the shape of the universe will likely tell us how the universe will end, begin again, or keep growing forever. And yes, you would encounter millions of black holes and planets on a trip to the edge of the universe. Great question!
This is such a great question Karley. Different stars are important to different civilizations for many different reasons. While I'm not sure what the most famous star is, I can tell you that there is one star that is in a very unique place in relation to Earth. That star is called Polaris, also known as The North Star. This star aligns with the north pole of our planet. For this reason, it hardly moves in the sky, which makes it very unique for us. If you are in the northern hemisphere and you walk toward Polaris, you will be traveling north. This star has been important for navigation throughout the centuries. I would say that it could be quite famous for that reason.
What happens when you travel in a straight line through space forever depends on what the shape of the universe is. Scientists are not exactly certain what shape the universe is. It could be round or flat or slightly curved or saddle shaped or a blob. If the universe is round, you would end up back where you started, kind of like walking all the way around the earth. Even though you travel in only one direction, you end up back where you started. Many scientists debate the true shape of the universe, but the fact is they are still unsure. This is such an important question because the shape of the universe will likely tell us how the universe will end, begin again, or keep growing forever. And yes, you would encounter millions of black holes and planets on a trip to the edge of the universe. Great question!
Morgan - If Mercury and Venus are the closest planets to the sun, then why is Mars hotter or is it? Has a meteor ever hit Earth?
Generally, the farther a planet is from the sun the colder its average temperature is. Venus is an exception because it has a very thick atmosphere that does not allow sunlight to reflect off the surface and go back into space very easily. So Venus is the hottest planet, then Mercury, then Earth, then Mars. Meteors fall to Earth all the time. Most of them are relatively small and burn up in the atmosphere. We notice these as shooting stars. If a meteor survives the atmosphere and hits the ground, it is called a meteorite. About 30,000 meteorites have been found on Earth, but there are probably many more.
Garrett - How many stars are there in space? How far is every planet from the sun?
Brady - How many stars are there? Has a shark gone in space?
Garrett & Brady, Great questions. There are simply too many stars in the universe to count all of them. To make matters worse, we can't even see them all. So astronomers have to make estimates using some theory and some observation. Currently, astronomers estimate that there are around 10^22 stars in the universe. That is a 1 with 22 zeros after it. It's hard to imagine, but there are more stars in the universe than there are grains of sand in all the beaches in the entire world. Garrett, see the answer to Damion's question about how far each planet is from the sun. Brady, as far as I know, there have not been any sharks in space. But there have been many other kinds of fish to go into space aboard the shuttle. Here are some examples: swordtail fish, Japanese Killfish, Medaka, Zebrafish, and an oyster toadfish. These types of fish were probably chosen because of their ability to survive in difficult environments.
Generally, the farther a planet is from the sun the colder its average temperature is. Venus is an exception because it has a very thick atmosphere that does not allow sunlight to reflect off the surface and go back into space very easily. So Venus is the hottest planet, then Mercury, then Earth, then Mars. Meteors fall to Earth all the time. Most of them are relatively small and burn up in the atmosphere. We notice these as shooting stars. If a meteor survives the atmosphere and hits the ground, it is called a meteorite. About 30,000 meteorites have been found on Earth, but there are probably many more.
Garrett - How many stars are there in space? How far is every planet from the sun?
Brady - How many stars are there? Has a shark gone in space?
Garrett & Brady, Great questions. There are simply too many stars in the universe to count all of them. To make matters worse, we can't even see them all. So astronomers have to make estimates using some theory and some observation. Currently, astronomers estimate that there are around 10^22 stars in the universe. That is a 1 with 22 zeros after it. It's hard to imagine, but there are more stars in the universe than there are grains of sand in all the beaches in the entire world. Garrett, see the answer to Damion's question about how far each planet is from the sun. Brady, as far as I know, there have not been any sharks in space. But there have been many other kinds of fish to go into space aboard the shuttle. Here are some examples: swordtail fish, Japanese Killfish, Medaka, Zebrafish, and an oyster toadfish. These types of fish were probably chosen because of their ability to survive in difficult environments.
Damion - How far away are we from each of the planets? How does the top of a telescope slide open? Is there a button that you push or does it just open by itself?
Damion, this is a really good question. The distances between Earth and the other planets is always changing because the planets are always moving. So it depends on which day you ask. An easier relation to understand would be the distance each planet is from the sun. Those distances are so large that we use something called an astronomical unit (AU) to help us understand where the planets are. 1 AU = 93,000,000 miles = the distance between Earth and the sun. This is like a space measuring stick. Here's the break down:
Planet and average distance from the sun in AUs:
Mercury = .38 au
Venus = .72 au
Earth = 1 au
Mars = 1.5 au
Jupiter = 5.2 au
Saturn = 9.5 au
Uranus = 19.2 au
Neptune = 30.1 au
The roof or dome of every observatory opens a little differently. Most of the time Astronomers can push a button or type a command into a computer to tell motors to open the dome or roof of an observatory. Some older observatories have a crank that you turn and some of the new ones can open all by themselves if they are programmed to be automatic. Damion, this is a really good question. The distances between Earth and the other planets is always changing because the planets are always moving. So it depends on which day you ask. An easier relation to understand would be the distance each planet is from the sun. Those distances are so large that we use something called an astronomical unit (AU) to help us understand where the planets are. 1 AU = 93,000,000 miles = the distance between Earth and the sun. This is like a space measuring stick. Here's the break down:
Planet and average distance from the sun in AUs:
Mercury = .38 au
Venus = .72 au
Earth = 1 au
Mars = 1.5 au
Jupiter = 5.2 au
Saturn = 9.5 au
Uranus = 19.2 au
Neptune = 30.1 au
Athena - How far is Mars from our planet? How were the planets created?
Colter - How were the planets created? Is there water on Mars?
Before the solar system existed, there was a giant cloud of gas and dust that began to collapse due to gravity. The largest chunks of gas and dust started to swirl in more gas and dust until the sun was formed. After that, the left over clumps would eventually form planets in much the same way. NASA has discovered water ice on Mars, but not liquid water. Many scientists believe that there is liquid water below the surface of Mars, but they need more evidence to be sure. This is a very important question Colter, because if conditions on Mars allow liquid water to exist, then there is a strong chance there could be life there also. Very good question.
Before the solar system existed, there was a giant cloud of gas and dust that began to collapse due to gravity. The largest chunks of gas and dust started to swirl in more gas and dust until the sun was formed. After that, the left over clumps would eventually form planets in much the same way. NASA has discovered water ice on Mars, but not liquid water. Many scientists believe that there is liquid water below the surface of Mars, but they need more evidence to be sure. This is a very important question Colter, because if conditions on Mars allow liquid water to exist, then there is a strong chance there could be life there also. Very good question.
Savannah - Can you walk on any of the planets? Are some planets close to the sun?
Great questions Savannah. In theory, you could walk on any of the terrestrial planets because they are made of rock. The terrestrial planets are Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. But there are some very harsh temperatures, acid rain, and radiation that your space suit would have to withstand. Mercury is the closest planet to the sun. It is about 1/3 of the distance the earth is from the sun.
Great questions Savannah. In theory, you could walk on any of the terrestrial planets because they are made of rock. The terrestrial planets are Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. But there are some very harsh temperatures, acid rain, and radiation that your space suit would have to withstand. Mercury is the closest planet to the sun. It is about 1/3 of the distance the earth is from the sun.
Danielle - Why isn't Pluto a planet? Do any of the 9 (8) planets have a sandstorm on it?
Excellent question Danielle. To be clear, nothing physically happened to Pluto itself. There is a group called the "International Astronomical Union (IAU)." Among many other things, members of this group are responsible for defining and naming objects in our solar system. They are always working to improve definitions of objects in space. This is a very important job because we learn new things about the universe every single day. As we learn new things, the way we explain the universe has to change to include new discoveries. Now, Pluto is officially considered a dwarf planet making the number of Planets in our solar system 8. Many of those 8 have storms. The big red spot on Jupiter is actually a giant storm that is bigger than the entire Earth. The place that has sandstorms that most closely resemble the ones we have on Earth occur on Mars. A single, large Mars dust storm can cover over half the planet with a red dust cloud.
Korbin - When was Pluto officially not a planet? How many types of telescopes are there?
1. Very good question Korbin! In August of 2006, the IAU wanted to improve the definition of a planet. Pluto no longer fit with this new definition. So, in August of 2006, Pluto was officially designated as a dwarf planet. A dwarf planet is a new class of objects that are smaller than the planet Mercury, but still revolve around the sun. Dwarf planets have to be round, but there can be other objects in the path of its orbit. 2. There are 3 major classes of telescopes. Radio Telescopes, Optical Telescopes, and X-ray/Gamma telescopes. Optical telescopes collect light particles called photons with large mirrors. Radio telescopes collect radio waves with large metal dishes. And X-ray telescopes collect very energenic particles that we cannot see with our eyes using special metals. Each type of telescope is used to learn different things about the universe.
Jack - Why is Pluto so small? How long is it before a star dies?
Jack, this is a great question that many astronomers have asked. 1.When objects form in the solar system they collect stuff that is floating in the space around them by swirling that stuff in. That is because of gravity. Big objects get big because when they formed, there was more stuff surrounding it, so there was more stuff to get swirled in. Since Pluto is very, very far away from the sun, it probably didn't have much material to swirl in when it was being formed. 2. There are many different types of stars, each with different ages. How long a star lives depends on how big it is. The bigger the star, the shorter its life is. This is because bigger stars burn through their fuel faster. An average star like our sun will live for about 10 billion years. The sun is about 5 billion years old, so you can probably figure out how much longer it has to live.
Beth - Is Jupiter really made out of gas? Is Pluto really not a planet anymore and why?
Wonderful question Beth. Jupiter really is made out of gas. It is mostly Hydrogen gas, but there is also some Helium which is the same gas that you put in balloons to make them float. You could not possibly stand on Jupiter because you would fall right through it. Some astronomers think there might be a rocky core at the center of Jupiter, but no one is quite sure. Pluto is now considered a dwarf planet because it does not fit the new definition of a Planet. The reason for a new definition was that pluto was discovered and classified as a planet in 1930. Since 1930, many more objects have been discovered in our solar system that are bigger than Pluto, but did not get classified as a planet. This seemed kind of weird, so in 2006 the IAU refined the defition of a Planet and Pluto could no longer be described with the new definition.
Excellent question Danielle. To be clear, nothing physically happened to Pluto itself. There is a group called the "International Astronomical Union (IAU)." Among many other things, members of this group are responsible for defining and naming objects in our solar system. They are always working to improve definitions of objects in space. This is a very important job because we learn new things about the universe every single day. As we learn new things, the way we explain the universe has to change to include new discoveries. Now, Pluto is officially considered a dwarf planet making the number of Planets in our solar system 8. Many of those 8 have storms. The big red spot on Jupiter is actually a giant storm that is bigger than the entire Earth. The place that has sandstorms that most closely resemble the ones we have on Earth occur on Mars. A single, large Mars dust storm can cover over half the planet with a red dust cloud.
Korbin - When was Pluto officially not a planet? How many types of telescopes are there?
1. Very good question Korbin! In August of 2006, the IAU wanted to improve the definition of a planet. Pluto no longer fit with this new definition. So, in August of 2006, Pluto was officially designated as a dwarf planet. A dwarf planet is a new class of objects that are smaller than the planet Mercury, but still revolve around the sun. Dwarf planets have to be round, but there can be other objects in the path of its orbit. 2. There are 3 major classes of telescopes. Radio Telescopes, Optical Telescopes, and X-ray/Gamma telescopes. Optical telescopes collect light particles called photons with large mirrors. Radio telescopes collect radio waves with large metal dishes. And X-ray telescopes collect very energenic particles that we cannot see with our eyes using special metals. Each type of telescope is used to learn different things about the universe.
Jack - Why is Pluto so small? How long is it before a star dies?
Jack, this is a great question that many astronomers have asked. 1.When objects form in the solar system they collect stuff that is floating in the space around them by swirling that stuff in. That is because of gravity. Big objects get big because when they formed, there was more stuff surrounding it, so there was more stuff to get swirled in. Since Pluto is very, very far away from the sun, it probably didn't have much material to swirl in when it was being formed. 2. There are many different types of stars, each with different ages. How long a star lives depends on how big it is. The bigger the star, the shorter its life is. This is because bigger stars burn through their fuel faster. An average star like our sun will live for about 10 billion years. The sun is about 5 billion years old, so you can probably figure out how much longer it has to live.
Beth - Is Jupiter really made out of gas? Is Pluto really not a planet anymore and why?
Wonderful question Beth. Jupiter really is made out of gas. It is mostly Hydrogen gas, but there is also some Helium which is the same gas that you put in balloons to make them float. You could not possibly stand on Jupiter because you would fall right through it. Some astronomers think there might be a rocky core at the center of Jupiter, but no one is quite sure. Pluto is now considered a dwarf planet because it does not fit the new definition of a Planet. The reason for a new definition was that pluto was discovered and classified as a planet in 1930. Since 1930, many more objects have been discovered in our solar system that are bigger than Pluto, but did not get classified as a planet. This seemed kind of weird, so in 2006 the IAU refined the defition of a Planet and Pluto could no longer be described with the new definition.
Kobe - Do you consider Pluto or Charon a real planet? Can you go inside any other planet beside Earth?
Good question Kobe. According to new definitions, Pluto is considered a dwarf planet and Charon is a moon that is orbiting Pluto. Neither is considered a planet according to the IAU. Many astronomers disagree with the decision that the IAU made to change the definition of a Planet, but I personally agree with them. You could theoretically go to the center of any planet with the right equipment. If you wanted to go inside one of the 4 Terrestrial Planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, or Mars, you would need a super strong drill that could withstand dramatic cold and extreme heat and pressure. If you wanted to travel inside one of the 4 Jovian Planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, or Neptune, the challenge is not getting crushed by the extreme pressure of the giant planets and getting there without the extreme pull of gravity pulling you apart. So far, we have only gone inside the Earth.
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