Name _________________________________________________________________________________
Planet Riddles
_____1. I’m the planet that everyone calls “Red,”
But really my soil is rust-colored instead.
Look up and you may spot me in the sky,
I’m the orange-colored dot, way up high.
A. Earth
B. Jupiter
_____2. With over 63 moons, you might say I have a lot.
Look with a telescope to see my big, red spot.
The spot is a wind storm, swirling around.
High in the night sky is where I can be found.
_____3. I’m blue and green and a little brown.
I’m a small planet with life all around.
They call me the third rock from the Sun.
I don’t have many moons - just one.
C. Mars
D. Mercury
E. Neptune
F. Pluto
G. Saturn
_____4. No matter how hard you look, you’ll never find me,
Unless you have a telescope to help you see.
I was once called a planet, but not anymore.
Now I’m just a “Dwarf Planet,” but too important to ignore.
_____5. Look very close to the Sun and you’ll spot,
A tiny, cratered planet that’s very hot.
I have no moons but I orbit the Sun very fast.
Can you guess my name at last?
_____6. I’m yellow and cloudy and super hot.
Look low in the sky, I’m easy to spot.
People call me the “Evening Star”
From planet Earth, I’m not very far.
_____7. Named for the Roman god of the Sea,
Look past Saturn and Uranus for me.
I had a black spot that was a huge storm.
Now it’s all gone, but I’ll still never be warm.
_____8. I’m a giant gas planet out in space,
There are bands or stripes all over my face.
When it comes to size, I’m number two,
I have bright rings. That’s an easy clue.
_____9. A gas planet that’s off in the distance,
Only recently they found my rings in existence.
I’m blue and cold and far away,
People say I’m funny because I spin sideways.
~1~
H. Uranus
I. Venus
Tour the Planets!
(source: funtrivia.com)
Tourism industry- businesses are trying to describe their planets as ideal tourist destinations through their
brochures. Which planets they are advertising? (One choice is used twice.)
_____10. “Come to our beautiful planet, where you can fill your lungs with carbon dioxide, or
be blown by winds moving at 220 miles per hour containing droplets of sulfuric acid! The
planet is the hottest in the Solar System, with a temperature of around 900o F., and is only the
2nd from the Sun, giving you an opportunity to soak up those rays (on a clear day which
almost never happens)!”
A. Earth
_____11. “Visit our home, the 7th planet from the Sun, and the 3rd-largest. Our planet’s
atmosphere contains traces of methane, giving the planet that lovely hue of blue-green! You
will get to be on the only planet that rotates side along its journey along the Sun, unlike any
other! Come here, and on your way you’ll see our planet’s rings, which are believed to contain
some of the Solar System’s darkest matter!”
D. Mercury
_____12. “Our cool world, with a maximum temperature of –444o F., is named after the
Roman god of the underworld. It’s one of five dwarf planets. You can also have a look at our
largest moon, Charon. Come visit us!”
G. Saturn
_____13. “Come one, come all...come see the most enchanting gas-giant of them all, of a
lovely dark-blue shade! Allow your mind to be blown away by the fastest winds in the Solar
System, with speeds reaching 1,240 miles per hour! We’re the 8th planet from the Sun. Don’t
forget to bring your sweater along, as it gets as cold as –392o F.!”
_____14. “Ah...the 3rd planet from the Sun ... 2/3rds of its surface is covered by water, the
rest by land. It has an atmosphere containing an ideal amount of oxygen (21%), and a one-ofa-kind climate. There are several noticeable features on this planet, particularly a large area
covered by water referred to by locals as “The Pacific Ocean.” Come visit; we guarantee you
won’t leave unsatisfied!”
_____15. “Take a look at the 2nd-largest planet in the Solar System, and yet another gas-giant!
Our planet boasts of the Solar System’s largest ring-system, extending 260,000 miles from the
planet’s surface. Our rings are made of silica, iron oxide and chunks of ice. Don’t forget to
stop by at the planet’s largest moon, Titan, on your way here!”
_____16. “Do come and visit the closest planet to the Sun, and the fastest-orbiting one as
well, all in one trip! That’s right, our planet is the closest to the Sun, and also has the fastest
orbiting speed- 30 miles per second! Take a look at the Caloris basin, the planet’s largest
crater, measuring 800 miles across. Experience living in conditions where there is virtually no
atmosphere!”
_____17. “Take a trip to the Red Planet, the fourth from the Sun, and experience a whole
new world! We have red dust covering most of the planet for the kids to play with, and several
huge volcanoes, including Olympus Mons, the Solar System’s biggest! Not to worry, though,
these volcanoes are all extinct, and so there’s nothing to fear. The planet also has two little,
very irregularly-shaped satellites, Phobos and Deimos!”
~2~
B. Jupiter
C. Mars
E. Neptune
F. Pluto
H. Uranus
I. Venus
_____18. “Come and visit the king of ‘em all - the largest planet in the Solar System! Our
planet is a massive gas giant, and its mass is 2.5 times that of the sum of the masses of all the
other 8 planets! It also features the Great Red Spot, a high-pressure storm, which has lasted
for at least 300 years. While you’re here, why not take some time off to visit the planet’s
largest moons – Ganymede, Callisto, Io and Europa? You might even have a chance to
witness a comet come crashing into the planet thanks to its strong gravitational force of
attraction!”
A. Earth
_____19. Most of these advertisers are completely untrustworthy, intent on convincing
travelers that their inhospitable planets are nothing short of paradise. Fortunately, you can tell
which of these planets is favorable to human life. Which of these planets is the safest for you
to go off on a holiday on?
E. Neptune
B. Jupiter
C. Mars
D. Mercury
F. Pluto
G. Saturn
H. Uranus
I. Venus
Abducted by Aliens
(source: funtrivia.com)
“Extra, Extra: Read All About It!” Local woman shares her true account of alien abduction in the article entitled
“Abducted by Aliens: Dawn’s story.”
_____20. There I was asleep in my bed, when all of a sudden a bright light flashed through my
window. At first, I had the distinct sensation of floating through the air and being completely
weightless, and then nothing at all, just darkness. When I came to, I realized that I had been
abducted by aliens! The next thing I knew I was in a strange place, another planet actually.
Wow, it’s quite hot here, at least 900º F. They must have given me something while I was
unconscious, otherwise no human would be able to withstand such temperatures. The next
thing that I notice is that I have the feeling that this planet is moving backwards, like a
rollercoaster in reverse. I overhear the aliens referring to this place as “evening star”. Which
planet have my alien captors taken me to?
A. Earth
_____21. The darkness encompasses me again and I fall asleep. I then wake up to freezing cold
temperatures. My goodness it feels like it must be about –234º F! This planet is quite large; in
fact I would say the largest of all planets. As the fog from my brain lifts I can see many moons,
over sixty in total, although four of them stand out more than the others. Well, would you look
at that! One of the moons has its very own magnetic field. As I stare at the sights before me, I
can sort of make out some of what the aliens are saying, sounds like something about a “red
spot”. Which planet have we landed on this time?
F. Neptune
_____22. We have been on this next planet for quite some time. During the day the
temperature rose as high as 800ºF, but at night it dipped as low as –300º F. From the looks of
it, this planet is the smallest in the solar system. Not much to see here, just some craters, and
no moons to speak of. It does however seem to be travelling very rapidly. I wish I had some
Dramamine to take. What is the name of this speedy planet?
J. Venus
~3~
B. Jupiter
C. Mars
D. Mercury
E. Moon
G. Pluto
H. Saturn
I. Uranus
_____23. By now I know the drill, be put to “sleep”, wake up, and lo and behold, I’m on a new
planet. This next planet is a spectacular sight to see. It is one of the four gas planets, and one of
the five planets that can be seen from Earth without the use of a visual aid. It’s brutally cold
here; I’d have to say about –288º F. The aliens are taking notes and they are writing down that
this is the second largest planet in the solar system. The rings surrounding this planet are so
beautiful that I am beginning to feel less like a victim of abduction, and more like a tourist.
What is this breathtakingly beautiful planet on which we have arrived?
A. Earth
_____24. All this travelling is making me hungry. I wonder if these aliens ever eat. As we
approach this next planet, I am somehow reminded of a delicious candy bar back on Earth.
Anyway, as we arrive at the next destination, I’m not sure what weather we will face this time.
To my surprise it seems to be about 20ºF, the closest so far to planet Earth. As the aliens
collect their data, I learn that this planet also has seasons of a sort, with temperatures ranging
from –67º to 80ºF. Now I know where I am! This is the planet that seems to be the subject of
so many science fiction movies, although surely the unique color of this planet should have
been a red giveaway...oops, did I say red? I meant dead, a dead giveaway. What is the name of
this planet?
E. Moon
_____25. This next planet is a gorgeous shade of blue-green, quite pleasing to the eye.
Unfortunately, I soon forget about the beauty as I realize it’s a crisp –357ºF here. This planet
has the distinction of being the first one to be discovered through the use of a telescope. The
astronomer William Herschel discovered it, in the year 1781 and he named it after King
George III, calling it “Georgian Sidus”. The name however didn’t stick and was ultimately
named after the “Father of Saturn”. Which planet are we visiting this time?
J. Venus
_____26. Well if Chicago is known as “the windy city”, this next planet must be the “Chicago”
of the planets, because these winds have been known to reach 750 mph, coupled with a
temperature of –385º F, makes for quite a frigid experience. I have temporarily forgotten about
the cold, as I gaze at the most brilliant shade of blue I have ever seen. We are mighty far from
the sun over here, if I am reading this alien handwriting correctly; I believe it says 2.8 billion
miles to be exact. This planet cannot be seen with the naked eye which incidentally I should
note; it was the first planet to be discovered using mathematical equations as opposed to
observational skills. Which planet has this claim to fame?
_____27. Well from a distance this next destination looks like a giant diamond sparkling in the
night sky. I’m glad they woke me from my slumber so that I may appreciate the sight. Now
that we have landed, the first thing I notice is that it’s another chilly place, roughly –380° F.
The second thing I notice is that this “planet” is much smaller than any of the others. Hey, wait
a minute; I think this is a dwarf planet! The aliens are just trying to make sure that I’m paying
attention. I guess I passed that test. What is this dwarf planet called?
_____28. What a relief, things are finally beginning to look familiar. Although, I’ve never
actually been here, I know I have definitely seen this place before. Wow, there are footprints
here, actual human footprints! Do my eyes deceive me or are those golf balls I see? Perhaps
this is some sort of extraterrestrial golf club, where the aliens have stopped to relax and shoot a
few holes. Someone mentions something about a “sea”, and I get excited because I could also
use some relaxation with a nice swim. What’s that the aliens say? They seem to be laughing at
me, saying there’s no actual water in this “sea”. Oh, now I know where we are I say, with a
reddened face. Where in the solar system have we landed?
~4~
B. Jupiter
C. Mars
D. Mercury
F. Neptune
G. Pluto
H. Saturn
I. Uranus
_____29. As much as I am enjoying this abduction/tour, I am beginning to tire. I look out the
window as we are approaching yet another planet. I suddenly experience déjà vu; am I finally
heading home? I’ve never seen it from this particular view before, well maybe in photos,
certainly not in person. What a beautiful place, there are birds chirping, and the sun is shining,
there are plants and oceans and just life in general everywhere I look. I tap the pilot on the
shoulder, or where I would imagine a shoulder to be, and tell him that this is my stop, time for
me to get off and go home. The doors open and they just shove me out! I go flying down at
great speed; oh no, I’ll be killed! I brace for my crash landing, the fear causes me to pass out. I
come to, and somehow I am in my own bed on my own planet. Had I ever really left? Was it a
dream? Which planet, am I left on to ponder what has just happened, or not happened to me?
A. Earth
B. Jupiter
C. Mars
D. Mercury
E. Moon
F. Neptune
G. Pluto
H. Saturn
I. Uranus
J. Venus
~5~
Planet Riddles – Key
C 1. I’m the planet that everyone calls “Red,”
But really my soil is rust-colored instead.
Look up and you may spot me in the sky,
I’m the orange-colored dot, way up high.
B 2. With over 63 moons, you might say I have a lot.
Look with a telescope to see my big, red spot.
The spot is a wind storm, swirling around.
High in the night sky is where I can be found.
A 3. I’m blue and green and a little brown.
I’m a small planet with life all around.
They call me the third rock from the Sun.
I don’t have many moons - just one.
F 4. No matter how hard you look, you’ll never find me,
Unless you have a telescope to help you see.
I was once called a planet, but not anymore.
Now I’m just a “Dwarf Planet,” but too important to ignore.
D 5. Look very close to the Sun and you’ll spot,
A tiny, cratered planet that’s very hot.
I have no moons but I orbit the Sun very fast.
Can you guess my name at last?
I 6. I’m yellow and cloudy and super hot.
Look low in the sky, I’m easy to spot.
People call me the “Evening Star”
From planet Earth, I’m not very far.
E 7. Named for the Roman god of the Sea,
Look past Saturn and Uranus for me.
I had a black spot that was a huge storm.
Now it’s all gone, but I’ll still never be warm.
G 8. I’m a giant gas planet out in space,
There are bands or stripes all over my face.
When it comes to size, I’m number two,
I have bright rings. That’s an easy clue.
H 9. A gas planet that’s off in the distance,
Only recently they found my rings in existence.
I’m blue and cold and far away,
Tour the Planets! – Key
~6~
I 10. “Come to our beautiful planet, where you can fill your lungs with carbon dioxide, or be blown by winds
moving at 220 miles per hour containing droplets of sulfuric acid! The planet is the hottest in the Solar System, with
a temperature of around 900o F., and is only the 2nd from the Sun, giving you an opportunity to soak up those rays
(on a clear day which almost never happens)!”
H 11. “Visit our home, the 7th planet from the Sun, and the 3rd-largest. Our planet’s atmosphere contains traces of
methane, giving the planet that lovely hue of blue-green! You will get to be on the only planet that rotates side along
its journey along the Sun, unlike any other! Come here, and on your way you’ll see our planet’s rings, which are
believed to contain some of the Solar System’s darkest matter!”
F 12. “Our cool world, with a maximum temperature of –444o F., is named after the Roman god of the underworld.
It’s one of five dwarf planets. You can also have a look at our largest moon, Charon. Come visit us!”
E 13. “Come one, come all...come see the most enchanting gas-giant of them all, of a lovely dark-blue shade! Allow
your mind to be blown away by the fastest winds in the Solar System, with speeds reaching 1,240 miles per hour!
We’re the 8th planet from the Sun. Don’t forget to bring your sweater along, as it gets as cold as –392o F.!”
A 14. “Ah...the 3rd planet from the Sun...2/3rds of its surface is covered by water, the rest by land. It has an
atmosphere containing an ideal amount of oxygen (21%), and a one-of-a-kind climate. There are several noticeable
features on this planet, particularly a large area covered by water referred to by locals as “The Pacific Ocean.” Come
visit; we guarantee you won’t leave unsatisfied!”
G 15. “Take a look at the 2nd-largest planet in the Solar System, and yet another gas-giant! Our planet boasts of the
Solar System’s largest ring-system, extending 260,000 miles from the planet’s surface. Our rings are made of silica,
iron oxide and chunks of ice. Don’t forget to stop by at the planet’s largest moon, Titan, on your way here!”
D 16. “Do come and visit the closest planet to the Sun, and the fastest-orbiting one as well, all in one trip! That’s
right, our planet is the closest to the Sun, and also has the fastest orbiting speed- 30 miles per second! Take a look at
the Caloris basin, the planet’s largest crater, measuring 800 miles across. Experience living in conditions where there
is virtually no atmosphere!”
C 17. “Take a trip to the Red Planet, the fourth from the Sun, and experience a whole new world! We have red dust
covering most of the planet for the kids to play with, and several huge volcanoes, including Olympus Mons, the
Solar System’s biggest! Not to worry, though, these volcanoes are all extinct, and so there’s nothing to fear. The
planet also has two little, very irregularly-shaped satellites, Phobos and Deimos!”
B 18. “Come and visit the king of ‘em all - the largest planet in the Solar System! Our planet is a massive gas giant,
and its mass is 2.5 times that of the sum of the masses of all the other 8 planets! It also features the Great Red Spot,
a high-pressure storm, which has lasted for at least 300 years. While you’re here, why not take some time off to visit
the planet’s largest moons – Ganymede, Callisto, Io and Europa? You might even have a chance to witness a comet
come crashing into the planet thanks to its strong gravitational force of attraction!”
A 19. Most of these advertisers are completely untrustworthy, intent on convincing travelers that their inhospitable
planets are nothing short of paradise. Fortunately, you can tell which of these planets is favorable to human life.
Which of these planets is the safest for you to go off on a holiday on?
Abducted by Aliens – Key
~7~
J 20. There I was asleep in my bed, when all of a sudden a bright light flashed through my window. At first, I had
the distinct sensation of floating through the air and being completely weightless, and then nothing at all, just
darkness. When I came to, I realized that I had been abducted by aliens! The next thing I knew I was in a strange
place, another planet actually. Wow, it’s quite hot here, at least 900º F. They must have given me something while I
was unconscious, otherwise no human would be able to withstand such temperatures. The next thing that I notice is
that I have the feeling that this planet is moving backwards, like a rollercoaster in reverse. I overhear the aliens
referring to this place as “evening star”. Which planet have my alien captors taken me to?
B 21. The darkness encompasses me again and I fall asleep. I then wake up to freezing cold temperatures. My
goodness it feels like it must be about –234º F! This planet is quite large; in fact I would say the largest of all planets.
As the fog from my brain lifts I can see many moons, over sixty in total, although four of them stand out more than
the others. Well, would you look at that! One of the moons has its very own magnetic field. As I stare at the sights
before me, I can sort of make out some of what the aliens are saying, sounds like something about a “red spot”.
Which planet have we landed on this time?
D 22. We have been on this next planet for quite some time. During the day the temperature rose as high as 800ºF,
but at night it dipped as low as –300º F. From the looks of it, this planet is the smallest in the solar system. Not
much to see here, just some craters, and no moons to speak of. It does however seem to be travelling very rapidly. I
wish I had some Dramamine to take. What is the name of this speedy planet?
H 23. By now I know the drill, be put to “sleep”, wake up, and lo and behold, I’m on a new planet. This next planet
is a spectacular sight to see. It is one of the four gas planets, and one of the five planets that can be seen from Earth
without the use of a visual aid. It’s brutally cold here; I’d have to say about –288º F. The aliens are taking notes and
they are writing down that this is the second largest planet in the solar system. The rings surrounding this planet are
so beautiful that I am beginning to feel less like a victim of abduction, and more like a tourist. What is this
breathtakingly beautiful planet on which we have arrived?
C 24. All this travelling is making me hungry. I wonder if these aliens ever eat. As we approach this next planet, I
am somehow reminded of a delicious candy bar back on Earth. Anyway, as we arrive at the next destination, I’m
not sure what weather we will face this time. To my surprise it seems to be about 20ºF, the closest so far to planet
Earth. As the aliens collect their data, I learn that this planet also has seasons of a sort, with temperatures ranging
from –67º to 80ºF. Now I know where I am! This is the planet that seems to be the subject of so many science
fiction movies, although surely the unique color of this planet should have been a red giveaway...oops, did I say red?
I meant dead, a dead giveaway. What is the name of this planet?
I 25. This next planet is a gorgeous shade of blue-green, quite pleasing to the eye. Unfortunately, I soon forget
about the beauty as I realize it’s a crisp –357ºF here. This planet has the distinction of being the first one to be
discovered through the use of a telescope. The astronomer William Herschel discovered it, in the year 1781 and he
named it after King George III, calling it “Georgian Sidus”. The name however didn’t stick and was ultimately
named after the “Father of Saturn”. Which planet are we visiting this time?
F 26. Well if Chicago is known as “the windy city”, this next planet must be the “Chicago” of the planets, because
these winds have been known to reach 750 mph, coupled with a temperature of –385º F, makes for quite a frigid
experience. I have temporarily forgotten about the cold, as I gaze at the most brilliant shade of blue I have ever
seen. We are mighty far from the sun over here, if I am reading this alien handwriting correctly; I believe it says 2.8
billion miles to be exact. This planet cannot be seen with the naked eye which incidentally I should note; it was the
first planet to be discovered using mathematical equations as opposed to observational skills. Which planet has this
claim to fame?
~8~
G 27. Well from a distance this next destination looks like a giant diamond sparkling in the night sky. I’m glad they
woke me from my slumber so that I may appreciate the sight. Now that we have landed, the first thing I notice is
that it’s another chilly place, roughly –380° F. The second thing I notice is that this “planet” is much smaller than
any of the others. Hey, wait a minute; this isn’t exactly a planet, perhaps a smaller version of one. I think the aliens
are just trying to make sure that I’m paying attention. I guess I passed that test. What is this “small” planet called?
E 28. What a relief, things are finally beginning to look familiar. Although, I’ve never actually been here, I know I
have definitely seen this place before. Wow, there are footprints here, actual human footprints! Do my eyes deceive
me or are those golf balls I see? Perhaps this is some sort of extraterrestrial golf club, where the aliens have stopped
to relax and shoot a few holes. Someone mentions something about a “sea”, and I get excited because I could also
use some relaxation with a nice swim. What’s that the aliens say? They seem to be laughing at me, saying there’s no
actual water in this “sea”. Oh, now I know where we are I say, with a reddened face. Where in the solar system have
we landed?
A 29. As much as I am enjoying this abduction/tour, I am beginning to tire. I look out the window as we are
approaching yet another planet. I suddenly experience déjà vu; am I finally heading home? I’ve never seen it from
this particular view before, well maybe in photos, certainly not in person. What a beautiful place, there are birds
chirping, and the sun is shining, there are plants and oceans and just life in general everywhere I look. I tap the pilot
on the shoulder, or where I would imagine a shoulder to be, and tell him that this is my stop, time for me to get off
and go home. The doors open and they just shove me out! I go flying down at great speed; oh no, I’ll be killed! I
brace for my crash landing, the fear causes me to pass out. I come to, and somehow I am in my own bed on my
own planet. Had I ever really left? Was it a dream? Which planet, am I left on to ponder what has just happened, or
not happened to me?
~9~