Our Solar System
What objects make up our solar system?
The sun, the planets and their moons, and several kinds of smaller objects that revolve around the sun.
Heliocentric
Earth and the other planets revolve around the sun in a heliocentric system. When the planets revolve around the sun, it goes in a ellipse path. This oval shape is where all the planets orbit.
Gravity
The force of gravity, attraction of all objects towards each other, helps keep our solar system intact. Gravity and inertia together wok to keep Earth in orbit around the sun and the moon in orbit around the Earth. Inertia is the way an object will resist to change in motion. Gravity from the Earth pulls the moon toward it, while inertia keeps the moon moving ahead. This keeps our planets orbiting and on the ellipse path. Newton concluded that two factors-inertia and gravity-combine to keep Earth in orbit around the sun and the moon in orbit around the Earth.
The Moon
Scientists and many others have pondered over the creation of the moon. Most believe in the collision-ring theory. About 4.5 billion years ago, the solar system was full of rocky debris. Some of the debris was so large, that it was the size of a planet. Scientists believe that a large piece of debris crashed into the newly forming Earth, causing it to fly into an orbit around Earth. The moon has distinct features that allow us to recognize it. This includes maria, craters, and highlands. Maria, Latin for "seas," were hardened rock formed by the lava flows that occurred billions of years ago. Craters are large pits formed on the moon. Scientists realized that large meteoroids had crashed into the moon, leaving everlasting marks. The lighter bumps on the moon are highlands, or mountains. This feature covers much of the moon's surface. Several distinct and recognizable features from the moon's past has allowed scientists to trace the origins of the moon.
The sun, the planets and their moons, and several kinds of smaller objects that revolve around the sun.
Heliocentric
Earth and the other planets revolve around the sun in a heliocentric system. When the planets revolve around the sun, it goes in a ellipse path. This oval shape is where all the planets orbit.
Gravity
The force of gravity, attraction of all objects towards each other, helps keep our solar system intact. Gravity and inertia together wok to keep Earth in orbit around the sun and the moon in orbit around the Earth. Inertia is the way an object will resist to change in motion. Gravity from the Earth pulls the moon toward it, while inertia keeps the moon moving ahead. This keeps our planets orbiting and on the ellipse path. Newton concluded that two factors-inertia and gravity-combine to keep Earth in orbit around the sun and the moon in orbit around the Earth.
The Moon
Scientists and many others have pondered over the creation of the moon. Most believe in the collision-ring theory. About 4.5 billion years ago, the solar system was full of rocky debris. Some of the debris was so large, that it was the size of a planet. Scientists believe that a large piece of debris crashed into the newly forming Earth, causing it to fly into an orbit around Earth. The moon has distinct features that allow us to recognize it. This includes maria, craters, and highlands. Maria, Latin for "seas," were hardened rock formed by the lava flows that occurred billions of years ago. Craters are large pits formed on the moon. Scientists realized that large meteoroids had crashed into the moon, leaving everlasting marks. The lighter bumps on the moon are highlands, or mountains. This feature covers much of the moon's surface. Several distinct and recognizable features from the moon's past has allowed scientists to trace the origins of the moon.