More Fun Facts about Space

Our solar system

The Solar System: Our solar system consists of the sun and everything that orbits it, including planets, moons, asteroids, and comets. However, almost every star has a solar system with similar objects to ours. 

The Sun: Our sun is a medium-sized star which seems yellow to us but really produces white light. Sun light takes 8 minutes to reach Earth, so when we see the Sun, we are seeing it in the past! 

Planetary Orbits: Planets orbit the sun in an elliptical (oval, like an egg) shape. Some orbits are more circular, while others are more elliptical.

Asteroid Belt: This is a part of space between Mars and Jupiter where millions of asteroids orbit the sun. These asteroids might be very small or as big as dwarf planets, like the Ceres asteroid. 

Kuiper Belt: The Kuiper Belt is a region of space beyond Neptune filled with icy objects and dwarf planets, including Pluto.

Beyond the solar system

Galaxy: A galaxy is a huge collection of stars, gas, dust, and dark matter. The Milky Way is just one of billions of galaxies in the universe.

Milky Way: Our Milky Way galaxy is huge! It contains billions of stars, including our sun. It’s called 'milky' because it looks like milk spilled across the sky! 

Neighbouring Galaxy: The nearest galaxy to the Milky Way is the Andromeda Galaxy. It’s about 2.5 million light years away.

Constellations: These are patterns of stars in the sky. They have been used for navigation and storytelling for thousands of years.

Orion: This is a famous constellation and it's easy to spot because it looks like a giant warrior. Orion was a famous Greek warrior, so the constellation is named in his honour. It is also distinct because of its three bright stars in a row, which form Orion’s Belt. Orion is also a song by Metallica, one of our favourite bands! 

Betelgeuse: Betelgeuse is a bright star in the constellation Orion. It’s a red supergiant and is one of the largest visible stars.

Supernova: A supernova is the explosive death of a star. It’s one of the most powerful events in the universe, creating a burst of light and energy. Scientists think that Betelgeuse is close to going supernova. 

Sizes of Stars: Stars come in different sizes. Some, like Betelgeuse, are supergiants, while others, like our sun, are medium-sized stars.

Black Holes: These are parts of space with incredibly strong gravity. A black hole can be so strong that not even light can escape from it! Scientists think they they are formed from supernovas. 

Nebula: A nebula is a giant cloud of gas and dust in space. Some nebulae are regions where new stars are being born. The plural of 'nebula' is 'nebulae', and NOT 'nebulas'! This is because the word has a Latin origin. 

Pulsar: A pulsar is a type of neutron star that spins rapidly and emits beams of radiation. It looks like a blinking light in space.

Exoplanet: An exoplanet is a planet that orbits a star outside our solar system. Scientists have discovered thousands of exoplanets!

Light Year: A light year is the distance that light travels in one year. It’s about 5.88 trillion miles (9.46 trillion kilometers). That's a long way!

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Click the button, go to the quiz and test yourself to see how much you remember. You will also learn how to compare items in the article which accompanies the quiz. If you want to revise Part 1 of the article again, click that button, then try the quiz!