NASA Solar System Webquest
For each of the following planets, click on the link and look through the tabs at the top of the page for the answers:
Mercury:
1. Why is Mercury difficult for us to see?
2. How many earth days equal a Mercury day?
3. What spacecraft(s) visited Mercury?
4. Basic Planetary Information:
A. How long is a day on this planet: _______________
B. If you weighed 100 pounds on earth how much would you weigh here: _____________
C. Maximum / Minimum Temperature: _______________ (in Fahrenheit)
D. Number of moons (satellites) and rings: _______________
Venus:
1. What does “retrograde” mean, and why is it important to Venus?
2. Describe the atmosphere on Venus.
3. How do scientists know what the surface of Venus looks like?
4. Basic Planetary Information:
A. How long is a day on this planet: _______________
B. If you weighed 100 pounds on earth how much would you weigh here: _____________
C. Maximum / Minimum Temperature: _______________ (in Fahrenheit)
D. Number of moons (satellites) and rings: _______________
Mars:
1. How and why did Mars receive its name in ancient times?
2. Describe the weather on Mars.
3. What is an interesting fact that you learned about the moons of Mars?
4. Basic Planetary Information:
A. How long is a day on this planet: _______________
B. If you weighed 100 pounds on earth how much would you weigh here: _____________
C. Maximum / Minimum Temperature: _______________ (in Fahrenheit)
D. Number of moons (satellites) and rings: _______________
Jupiter:
1. What spacecraft have we sent to Jupiter?
2. Describe the atmosphere on Jupiter. Is it hot or warm inside Jupiter?
3. What is the most famous feature on Jupiter, and what is it?
4. What is interesting about Jupiter’s moons? Tell a cool fact about each of the following moons:
4. Basic Planetary Information:
A. How long is a day on this planet: _______________
B. If you weighed 100 pounds on earth how much would you weigh here: _____________
C. Maximum / Minimum Temperature: _______________ (in Fahrenheit)
D. Number of moons (satellites) and rings: _______________
Saturn:
1. How did the rings of Saturn form?
2. What is the Cassini Spacecraft studying about Saturn?
3. What is interesting about Saturn’s moons? Tell a cool fact about each of the following moons:
4. Basic Planetary Information:
A. How long is a day on this planet: _______________
B. If you weighed 100 pounds on earth how much would you weigh here: _____________
C. Maximum / Minimum Temperature: _______________ (in Fahrenheit)
D. Number of moons (satellites) and rings: _______________
Uranus:
1. Uranus is retrograde AND rotating on its side! Why?
2. What gives Uranus its blue tint of color?
3. Who discovered Uranus? What did he want to name the planet originally? Why was Uranus chosen instead?
4. Basic Planetary Information:
A. How long is a day on this planet: _______________
B. If you weighed 100 pounds on earth how much would you weigh here: _____________
C. Maximum / Minimum Temperature: _______________ (in Fahrenheit)
D. Number of moons (satellites) and rings: _______________
Neptune:
1. How was Neptune discovered?
2. Neptune’s moon Triton orbits opposite the rest of Neptune’s moons, why?
3. Basic Planetary Information:
A. How long is a day on this planet: _______________
B. If you weighed 100 pounds on earth how much would you weigh here: _____________
C. Maximum / Minimum Temperature: _______________ (in Fahrenheit)
D. Number of moons (satellites) and rings: _______________
Pluto:
1. Why is Pluto no longer considered a planet?
2. What mission is underway to observe Pluto? When is it expected to arrive in Pluto’s orbit?
3. Basic Planetary Information:
A. How long is a day on this planet: _______________
B. If you weighed 100 pounds on earth how much would you weigh here: _____________
C. Maximum / Minimum Temperature: _______________ (in Fahrenheit)
D. Number of moons (satellites) and rings: _______________
Mercury:
1. Why is Mercury difficult for us to see?
2. How many earth days equal a Mercury day?
3. What spacecraft(s) visited Mercury?
4. Basic Planetary Information:
A. How long is a day on this planet: _______________
B. If you weighed 100 pounds on earth how much would you weigh here: _____________
C. Maximum / Minimum Temperature: _______________ (in Fahrenheit)
D. Number of moons (satellites) and rings: _______________
Venus:
1. What does “retrograde” mean, and why is it important to Venus?
2. Describe the atmosphere on Venus.
3. How do scientists know what the surface of Venus looks like?
4. Basic Planetary Information:
A. How long is a day on this planet: _______________
B. If you weighed 100 pounds on earth how much would you weigh here: _____________
C. Maximum / Minimum Temperature: _______________ (in Fahrenheit)
D. Number of moons (satellites) and rings: _______________
Mars:
1. How and why did Mars receive its name in ancient times?
2. Describe the weather on Mars.
3. What is an interesting fact that you learned about the moons of Mars?
4. Basic Planetary Information:
A. How long is a day on this planet: _______________
B. If you weighed 100 pounds on earth how much would you weigh here: _____________
C. Maximum / Minimum Temperature: _______________ (in Fahrenheit)
D. Number of moons (satellites) and rings: _______________
Jupiter:
1. What spacecraft have we sent to Jupiter?
2. Describe the atmosphere on Jupiter. Is it hot or warm inside Jupiter?
3. What is the most famous feature on Jupiter, and what is it?
4. What is interesting about Jupiter’s moons? Tell a cool fact about each of the following moons:
4. Basic Planetary Information:
A. How long is a day on this planet: _______________
B. If you weighed 100 pounds on earth how much would you weigh here: _____________
C. Maximum / Minimum Temperature: _______________ (in Fahrenheit)
D. Number of moons (satellites) and rings: _______________
Saturn:
1. How did the rings of Saturn form?
2. What is the Cassini Spacecraft studying about Saturn?
3. What is interesting about Saturn’s moons? Tell a cool fact about each of the following moons:
4. Basic Planetary Information:
A. How long is a day on this planet: _______________
B. If you weighed 100 pounds on earth how much would you weigh here: _____________
C. Maximum / Minimum Temperature: _______________ (in Fahrenheit)
D. Number of moons (satellites) and rings: _______________
Uranus:
1. Uranus is retrograde AND rotating on its side! Why?
2. What gives Uranus its blue tint of color?
3. Who discovered Uranus? What did he want to name the planet originally? Why was Uranus chosen instead?
4. Basic Planetary Information:
A. How long is a day on this planet: _______________
B. If you weighed 100 pounds on earth how much would you weigh here: _____________
C. Maximum / Minimum Temperature: _______________ (in Fahrenheit)
D. Number of moons (satellites) and rings: _______________
Neptune:
1. How was Neptune discovered?
2. Neptune’s moon Triton orbits opposite the rest of Neptune’s moons, why?
3. Basic Planetary Information:
A. How long is a day on this planet: _______________
B. If you weighed 100 pounds on earth how much would you weigh here: _____________
C. Maximum / Minimum Temperature: _______________ (in Fahrenheit)
D. Number of moons (satellites) and rings: _______________
Pluto:
1. Why is Pluto no longer considered a planet?
2. What mission is underway to observe Pluto? When is it expected to arrive in Pluto’s orbit?
3. Basic Planetary Information:
A. How long is a day on this planet: _______________
B. If you weighed 100 pounds on earth how much would you weigh here: _____________
C. Maximum / Minimum Temperature: _______________ (in Fahrenheit)
D. Number of moons (satellites) and rings: _______________