TEACHER
RESOURCE
PLANETARIUM
&
RY
TO
VA
ER
BS
O
E
M
O
RD
A
ST
VITIES ON...
TI
FACTS, RESOURCES AND AC
L
A
C
I
M
O
N
ASTRO
S
T
I
B
R
O
SCIENC
CONTEN E
T/
CURRICU
LUM L
INK
NIGHT SK
Y WATCH
ING, SOL
SYSTEM,
AR
MOON PH
ASES AN
ECLIPSES
D
. PLANET
EARTH A
BEYOND
ND
– ASTRO
NOMICAL
SYSTEMS
. INVESTIG
ATE THE
COMPON
ENTS OF
THE SOL
SYSTEM,
AR
DEVELOP
ING
AN APPR
ECIATION
OF
THE DISTA
NCE
BETWEE
N THEM.
time with collisions and
ar System was a chaotic
g
The formation of our Sol
simplified. Understandin
t have since calmed and
erstand our
und
odd orbital patterns tha
to
is
tem
Sys
ar
Sol
planets in our
the orbital patterns of the
above.
sky
ht
nig
the
and
net
pla
own
ets, asteroids,
s have orbits; planets, com
Many astronomical object
orbital patterns.
e
hav
all
tion
Sta
ce
Spa
tional
satellites and the Interna
al pull of a larger
tion
vita
gra
determined by the
An astronomical orbit is
.
object on a smaller one
objects have their own
Moon, many astronomical
our
h
Much like Earth wit
ons (and counting), and
it them. Jupiter has 67 mo
celestial bodies that orb
Earth) has its own
by
d
izze
ich just recently wh
asteroid 2004 BL86 (wh
asteroid.
moon, making it a binary
s can
The effects of orbit pattern
by
just
,
sky
ht
nig
the
in
be seen
re are
observing the Moon. The
’ll
a couple of key terms you
class:
need to teach orbits in
omical
Opposition: When astron
e sides
objects occupy opposit
of the night sky.
omical
Conjunction: When astron
t of the night sky.
par
e
sam
the
upy
occ
objects
s to move in
: When a planet appear
tion
Mo
e
Apparent Retrograd
in our night sky.
s
net
pla
er
oth
and
rs
the sta
the opposite direction as
is in opposition or
ghbouring planet. Mars
Let’s look at Mars, our nei
in opposition,
was
it
r
yea
last
r:
yea
once a
conjunction with the Sun
occurs
ion
osit
opp
conjunction. Mars in
and this year it will be in
Sun, and
the
und
aro
its
orb
ir
the
to Mars in
when Earth catches up
orbits the
rth
(Ea
t”
dus
behind in the “space
then Earth leaves Mars
laps Mars
th
Ear
en
Wh
rs).
Ma
n
faster tha
Sun over 20,000 km/h
nt retrograde
, Mars goes into appare
IMAGE CREDIT: NASA
in its orbit around the Sun
ugh
thro
go
to
appears
motion. When a planet
ng
ngi
it is not actually cha
retrograde motion, its orb
t way from Earth’s
tha
s
ear
app
just
it
direction;
mars.jpl.nasa.gov/allaboutmars/nightsky/mars-close-approach
our night sky the
in
rs
Ma
perspective. Viewing
”, but it won’t
und
aro
www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=4459
rn
“tu
to
s
ear
planet app
r several months.
Super Planet Crash: www.stefanom.org/spc/#
do this overnight, but ove
Venus and Mercury are only
visible at sunrise or sunset
because their orbits are
inside of Earth’s orbit.
Check out these other resources...
Why do planets appea
e
n
tu
p
e
change their direction r to
Will N lanets
track them in the nightas we
ever have spition
sky?
in oppo n?
u
S
to the
DISCUSSION
What phase is the
POINTS
Moon in when it is in
opposition to the Sun?
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