Fun Facts About Space!
Part 1 of our articles on outer space!
What do you know about space and have you been learning about it at school? Here we have some fun facts about space and the cosmos that you might like to know. Read on and learn about the expanses of outer space!
Stars and Celestial Objects
Proxima Centauri: Proxima Centauri is the nearest star to our solar system. We can see it in the night sky, and it is about 4 light years away. That’s close, right? You would still be traveling for thousands of years to get there with our current technology!
Small vs. Smaller: Meteorites are usually smaller than asteroids. Meteorites are pieces of rock or metal that fall to Earth from space, so they might only be as big as tennis balls, though they might be bigger. Asteroids are normally larger rocks that orbit the sun.
The Brightest Star: The brightest star in the night sky is Sirius. It’s also known as the Dog Star and is part of the constellation Canis Major. Woof woof!
Comets: Comets are icy objects that develop tails when they come close to the sun. The heat causes the comet’s ice to vaporize, creating a glowing tail.
A comet racing across the night sky
Asteroids: Asteroids are generally larger than comets. They are rocky objects that orbit the sun. The largest asteroid, Ceres, is also classified as a dwarf planet.
Planets and their Satellites
The Closest Planet to the Sun: Mercury is the planet closest to the sun. It’s so close that a year on Mercury is only 88 Earth days long!
The Biggest Planet: Jupiter is the biggest planet in our solar system. It’s so large that all the other planets could fit inside it!
The Smallest Planet: Mercury is also the smallest planet in our solar system. It’s just a bit bigger than our moon.
The Red Planet: Mars is known as the Red Planet because of its reddish appearance, which comes from iron oxide, or rust, on its surface.
Longest Orbit: Pluto has the longest orbit around the sun. It takes about 248 Earth years for Pluto to complete one orbit!
The Hottest Planet: Venus is the hottest planet in our solar system. Even though Mercury is closer to the sun, Venus has thick clouds that trap heat, making it even hotter. Venus is often called Earth’s twin because it is similar in size to Earth.
Beautiful Rings: Saturn is known for its beautiful rings. These rings are made up of ice and rock particles and are the most extensive ring system of any planet.
The Coldest Planet: Neptune is the coldest planet in our solar system. It’s so far from the sun that its surface temperature is extremely cold.
Moons Galore: Saturn has the most moons of any planet in our solar system. It has 83 confirmed moons!
Shortest Day: Jupiter has the shortest day of any planet in our solar system. One day on Jupiter is just about 10 hours long!
Natural Satellite: The Moon is Earth’s only natural satellite. It orbits our planet and affects the ocean tides. It is about one-quarter the size of Earth.
Brightest Object: After the Moon, Venus is the brightest object in the night sky. It’s so bright that it’s often called the Evening Star or the Morning Star, depending on when it’s visible.
Dwarf Planet: Pluto is a dwarf planet, meaning it is smaller than normal planets. It used to be considered the ninth planet in our solar system, but now it’s classified differently because of its size.
Do you want to learn more? Then click the link and head to Part 2 of our article on fun facts about space!