Download The Outer Planets

Name:
Pd.
Date:
The Universe – The Outer Planets
Watch the episode titled “The Outer Planets” from the series “The Universe” and completely answer the questions below.
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Question
What is the name of the astronomer who was
instrumental in removing Pluto from the list of planets?
Is there such a thing as Planet X?
What do astronomers believe the white areas of Pluto
are made up of?
What do astronomers believe the dark areas of Pluto
are made up of?
What is the average temperature of Pluto?
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What is the ratio of gravity on Pluto as compared to
gravity on Earth?
Why is the rock on Pluto much older than the rock on
Earth?
What causes the features on Pluto?
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Is Pluto’s atmosphere permanent or temporary?
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What is the name of the ‘10th’ planet that is nearly the
same size as Pluto?
What are the new class of planets like Pluto called?
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How long does Pluto’s winter last?
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New Horizons has been sent to explore Pluto. When
does it expect to arrive?
What is the angle of the axis of Uranus?
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Why is Uranus blue? (what gas)
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Why is the appearance a ‘soft’ color?
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In addition to gas, what else do you find in Uranus and
Neptune?
Is it solid?
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Why do scientists think Uranus is not stormy like
Jupiter, Saturn and Neptune?
Why was the discovery of Uranus unique?
What was causing the winking of the star as
astronomers observed Uranus?
How fast do Uranus’ fastest moons orbit the planet?
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What do scientists think will happen to the moons
Cupid and Belinda?
Do Neptune’s winds blow faster or slower than the
other outer planets?
On Neptune, what is the heat source that drives the
winds?
Why is the moon, Triton, so extremely cold?
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What special cargo is New Horizons carrying?
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Answer
Dottie Edwards, Strasburg High School, Strasburg, VA, Shenandoah County Public Schools
Name:
KEY
Pd.
Date:
The Universe – The Outer Planets
Watch the episode titled “The Outer Planets” from the series “The Universe” and completely answer the questions below.
#
1
Question
What is the name of the astronomer who was
instrumental in removing Pluto from the list of planets?
Is there such a thing as Planet X?
Answer
Mike Brown
What do astronomers believe the white areas of Pluto
are made up of?
What do astronomers believe the dark areas of Pluto
are made up of?
What is the average temperature of Pluto?
ice (3 types of ice)
1/15
8
What is the ratio of gravity on Pluto as compared to
gravity on Earth?
Why is the rock on Pluto much older than the rock on
Earth?
What causes the features on Pluto?
9
Is Pluto’s atmosphere permanent or temporary?
temporary
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Eris
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What is the name of the ‘10th’ planet that is nearly the
same size as Pluto?
What are the new class of planets like Pluto called?
12
How long does Pluto’s winter last?
62 years
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July, 2015
14
New Horizons has been sent to explore Pluto. When
does it expect to arrive?
What is the angle of the axis of Uranus?
15
Why is Uranus blue? (what gas)
methane
16
Why is the appearance a ‘soft’ color?
smog
17
In addition to gas, what else do you find in Uranus and
Neptune?
Is it solid?
ice
Why do scientists think Uranus is not stormy like
Jupiter, Saturn and Neptune?
Why was the discovery of Uranus unique?
no internal heating system
What was causing the winking of the star as
astronomers observed Uranus?
How fast do Uranus’ fastest moons orbit the planet?
5 rings
collide, be destroyed and create rings
26
What do scientists think will happen to the moons
Cupid and Belinda?
Do Neptune’s winds blow faster or slower than the
other outer planets?
On Neptune, what is the heat source that drives the
winds?
Why is the moon, Triton, so extremely cold?
27
What special cargo is New Horizons carrying?
the ashes of Clyde Tombaugh
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No
rock
-388oF
Earth experiences tectonics…Pluto does not
impact craters
dwarf planets
98o
no
it was the first one discovered by a telescope
17 hours
faster
internal heat sources, radioactive decay of the interior
it is reflected and not absorbed
Dottie Edwards, Strasburg High School, Strasburg, VA, Shenandoah County Public Schools