-
In this activity, you will make your own model solar system based on real distance!
Download activity here
-
In this activity, you will learn about why the moon seems to change shapes and look different.
Download activity here
-
Have you ever wondered what would happen if you dropped a bowling ball on the moon?
In this activity, you will compare earth and the moon’s gravity to bouncing balls.
Download activity here
-
Twinkle, twinkle little star, how we wonder what you are
In this activity, you will look at the different stars we can see from earth and determine their brightness.
Download the activity here
Space Measurements
In space, distances are often measured in "astronomical units" (AU). One astronomical unit is the average distance from the Earth to the Sun, which is about 93 million miles! This helps us understand how far apart planets are in our solar system. For example, Mercury is only about 0.39 AU from the Sun, while Neptune is about 30 AU away.
When we compare the sizes of planets, Earth is the third planet from the Sun and has a diameter of about 8,000 miles. Jupiter, the largest planet, is huge—about 11 times wider than Earth! This means you could fit over 1,300 Earths inside Jupiter! Understanding these distances and sizes helps us appreciate just how big our solar system really is.