Astronomy
6th grade Science unit
Mrs. Davis
Unit 3
Time Zones: Brain Pop
https://www.brainpop.com/science/sp
ace/timezones/
Earth’s Rotation
 Rotation:
To move in a circle around a
central point or axis.
 Earth rotates from the West to East.
 This is why we see the sun set in the West
and rise in the East.
 The further East a location, the sooner
they experience the next day.
 At all times ½ of the Earth is lit by the sun;
the other ½ is in darkness.
 The
Earth’s axis is tilted 23.5 degrees from
vertical.
 The day and night line does not line up the
tilt of the axis, causing some regions of
Earth to have very long periods of daylight
or darkness at some points throughout the
year.
Earth’s Rotation Spinner Activity
 Example
of how to
read the spinner:
When the spinner
model is turned as it
appears above, the
letter C is closest to
midnight. Point A is 3
hours earlier, making it
about 9 pm at point A.
Point B is at 8 am,
because it is 8 major
time zones ahead of
(east of) point C.
Note: The spinner does not necessarily represent the exact time of the locations
used because the spinner does not account for the Earth’s tilt and the changes in
the amount of daylight and darkness as Earth orbits the sun.
Day and Night Spinner Questions
1.
How many degrees does the Earth rotate per
hour?

2.
How many major time zones is the Earth divided
into?

3.
24 time zones
How much of the Earth is in daylight at any given
time?

4.
15 degrees
½ or 50%
How long does it take for Earth to make one
complete rotation?

24 hours
5.
From a bird’s-eye view, which direction does the
Earth rotate?

6.
Line up location C on the spinner with the
midnight line. Approximately what time is it at
point B?

7.
West to East or Counterclockwise
8 am
Point C is near New York City, and point A is near
Los Angeles, California. If the sun is rising in New
York, about what time is it in California?

3 am
Imagine your friend is traveling to point B for
the summer, while you are staying at point C.
You would like to call her but you want to
make sure it is a good time. What is the time
difference between point B and point C?
8.

Approximately 8 hours time difference.
When it is NOON at point A, what time is it at
point B?
9.

10.
11 pm
The sun is setting at point A. What is most likely
happening at point B?
a)
b)
c)
People are eating lunch
People are sleeping or just waking up
People are eating dinner
The Seasons
and Earth’s Tilt
Minds-on Seasons
1.
Why is it cold in the winter and hot in
the summer?
2.
What about places near the
equator? Why is their temperature
pretty much constant throughout the
year?
Effects of Earth’s Rotation:
Rotation:
spinning of an object
around its axis.
One rotation of Earth takes 24
hours.
Earth’s
rotation causes half the planet
to face towards the sun (day) and the
other half away (night) at all times.
Effect of Earth’s Revolution
 Revolution:
movement of one object
traveling around another.
 Takes Earth one year to travel in a
circle around the Sun.
 This allows us to see different
constellations during different
seasons.
 Causes the tilt to create the seasons,
why?
Earth’s Tilt 1
Earth
is slightly tilted on it’s axis (23.5
degrees).
 This
is the main cause of seasons.
Why?
 As the earth revolves around the sun the
hemisphere that is tilted towards the sun will
have summer while the hemisphere tilted
away from the sun will have winter.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=Pgq0LThW7QA&feature=youtu.be
Minds-On Revisit

Why is it cold in the winter and hot in the summer?



During the summer months the earth’s tilt is pointed
directly at the sun, receiving direct sunlight.
During winter months the earth’s tilt is away from the
sun, receiving less direct sunlight.
Why is the temperature near the equator pretty
much constant throughout the year?

Because of the tilted axis of the Earth, the poles and
locations away from the equator lean towards or away
from the sun as an orbit is completed, while the
equator stays in essentially the same location relative
to the sun.
Earth’s Tilt 2: Land of the
midnight sun
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUsWUiVCq5U&feature=youtu.be
Explain:
 How
is it possible to have 24 hours of daylight or
24 hours of darkness in Norway? (Think about
the simulation they did in the video.)


When the northern most part of the earth is
facing the sun, the sun is always shining on it.
Having direct sunlight at all times causes there to
be 24 hours of sunlight.
When the northern most part of the earth is
facing away from the sun, the sun is never shining
on it. This causes there to be darkness for 24
hours at a time.
When you arrive:
 Complete
the Warm-Up section of your
worksheet.
 Be ready to discuss these questions.
*******************************************************
 Review:


Notes
2 Tilt videos
 Discussed
Earth’s tilt
 Cause of Seasons
 Today:
Create diagram of Earth’s tilt and its
seasons.
Seasons: Warm Up/Review
1.
What is it called when an object (Earth) spins
around on its axis?

2.
How long does it take for Earth to rotate on its
axis one time?

3.
24 hours
When half of the planet faces the sun, it is
experiencing

4.
Rotation
Day
When half of the planet faces away from the
sun, it is experiencing

Night
Seasons: Warm Up/Review
5.
6.
7.
The movement of one object (Earth) around
another object (Sun) is called:
 Revolution
How long does it take for Earth to revolve around
the Sun?
 1 year
What causes seasons to occur?
 Earth’s tilt
Seasons
Seasons are caused by Earth’s tilt (23.5 degrees).
Arctic Circle
Summer = 24 hrs Daylight
Winter = 24 hrs Darkness
When the Northern
Hemisphere is
pointing towards
the sun, it is
summer.
When the Southern
Hemisphere is
pointing away
from the sun, it is
winter.
During summer
sunlight is
direct.
During winter
sunlight is
indirect.
During winter
sunlight is
indirect.
During summer
sunlight is
direct.
Antarctic Circle
Summer = 24 hrs Daylight
Winter = 24 hrs Darkness
When the Northern
Hemisphere is
pointing away from
the sun, it is winter.
When the Southern
Hemisphere is
pointing towards
the sun, it is
summer.
Independent Practice
1.
2.
3.
4.
Explain what is taking place with Earth during
both the Summer and Winter seasons. Be sure
to include information about Earth’s tilt and the
Sun’s light.
Explain how it’s possible for the Arctic and
Antarctic circles to experience seasons of both
24 hours of daylight and 24 hours of darkness.
By drawing an asterisk (*) on your diagram,
show where you believe Earth would be
located during Spring. Explain your
answer/reasoning on this paper.
Use two asterisks (**) to show where you believe
Earth would be located during Fall. Explain your
answer/reasoning on this paper.
Phases of the Moon
https://www.brainpop.com/s
cience/space/moonphases/
gibbous: any moon that appears more than ½ lighted but less than full.
crescent: phases of the moon where less than ½ is illuminated.
waxing: growing.
waning: shrinking or decreasing.
Satellites
https://www.brainpop.com/tec
hnology/communications/satell
ites/
Artificial Satellites
https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/269-artificial-satellites
Artificial Satellites Guided Notes

What is an artificial satellite?


What is the range in sizes of an artificial satellite?


An artificial satellite is an object that people have made
and launched into orbit using rockets. There are currently
over a thousand active satellites orbiting the Earth. The size,
altitude and design of a satellite depend on its purpose.
Satellites vary in size. Some cube satellites are as small as 10
cm. Some communication satellites are about 7 m long
and have solar panels that extend another 50 m. The
largest artificial satellite is the International Space Station
(ISS). The main part of this is as big as a large five-bedroom
house, but including solar panels, it is as large as a rugby
field.
What is the source of power for those orbiting satellites?

 What



are the 3 common Earth orbits?
Low Earth orbit (LEO) – from 200 to 2,000 km, for
example, the ISS orbits at 400 km with a speed of
28,000 km/hour, and time for one orbit is about 90
minutes.
Medium Earth orbit (MEO) – most MEO satellites are
at an altitude of 20,000 km, and time for one orbit is
12 hours.
Geostationary orbit (GEO) – 36,000 km above the
Earth. Time for one orbit is 24 hours. This is to match
the rotation of the Earth so that the satellite
appears to stay above the same point above the
Earth’s surface. This is used for many
communications and weather satellites.
 What
are the advantages and disadvantages
of an orbit of 200 km versus 36,000 km?





What are the types of satellites?
Navigation satellites -The GPS (global positioning
system) is made up of 24 satellites that orbit at an
altitude of 20,000 km above the surface of the Earth.
The difference in time for signals received from four
satellites is used to calculate the exact location of a
GPS receiver on Earth.
Communication satellites - These are used for
television, phone or internet transmissions, for
example, the Optus D1 satellite is in a geostationary
orbit above the equator and has a coverage
footprint to provide signals to all of Australia and New
Zealand.
Weather satellites - These are used to image clouds
and measure temperature and rainfall. Both
geostationary and low Earth orbits are used
depending on the type of weather satellite. Weather
satellites are used to help with more accurate
weather forecasting.



Earth observation satellites - These are used to
photograph and image the Earth. Low Earth orbits
are mainly used so that a more detailed image can
be produced.
Astronomical satellites - These are used to monitor
and image space. A satellite such as the Hubble
Space Telescope orbits at an altitude of 600 km and
provides very sharp images of stars and distant
galaxies. Other space telescopes include Spitzer and
Chandra.
International Space Station (ISS) - This is a habitable
space laboratory. At an altitude of 400 km, the ISS
travels at a speed of 28,000 km/h and orbits the
Earth once every 92 minutes. Scientists inside the ISS
are able to perform many valuable experiments in a
microgravity environment.
 What are the basic parts of a Satellite?
1. The bus – this is the frame and structure of the
satellite to which all the other parts are attached.
2. A power source – most satellites have solar panels
to generate electricity. Batteries store some of this
energy for times that the satellite is in the shadow of
the Earth.
3. Heat control system – satellites are exposed to
extremely high temperatures due to exposure to
the Sun. There needs to be a way to reflect and
reradiate heat. Electrical components of the
satellite can also produce a lot of heat.
4. Computer system – satellites need computers to
control how they operate and also to monitor
things like altitude, orientation and temperature.
5.
6.
7.
Communication system – all satellites need to be
able to send and receive data to ground stations
on Earth or to other satellites. Curved satellite
dishes are used as antennae
Attitude control system – this is the system that
keeps a satellite pointed in the right direction.
Gyroscopes and rocket thrusters are commonly
used to change orientation. Light sensors are
commonly used to determine what direction a
satellite is pointing.
A propulsion system – a rocket engine on the
satellite may be used to help place the satellite
into the correct orbit. Once in orbit, satellites do
not need any rockets to keep them moving.
However, small rockets called thrusters are used if
a satellite needs to change orbit slightly.
Earth’s Rotation: What if the Earth
Stops Spinning?
https://youtu.be/nH3bmG-KjvU
Earth’s Rotation: What if the Earth Stops
Spinning?
 What
do we know about the influence of the
rotation of the Earth on our planet?
 Do
you think changing just one little thing would
change anything else?
 Why
or why not?
 Here
is your problem: As a junior NASA student
observer you have been monitoring the Planet
Earth and it’s history for some time. Everyone is
so busy with the “space race” they forget to
keep an eye out on our own planet. You notice
that the rotation of the Earth has been slowing
down each year. You need to write a proposal
to humans on what to do to survive if the Earth
were to stop spinning all together.
Feature
Oceans
Continents
Atmosphere:
Weather:
Radiation:
Effects:
Cause/Why:
People:
Trade/business:
Fuel:
Travel:
Civil Safety: (police/fire etc)
Time:
Food/ Water
Plants/Animals:
Effects:
Cause/Why:
Habitable Earth
Earth is unique in the Solar System as being
the only planet which is able to support life in
all its forms. There are many reasons why
this happens.
Essential QuestionWhat are the characteristics that make a planet
habitable for humans? What conditions need to
exist in order for life to survive?
Oxygen is a key ingredient to life.
All human beings breathe oxygen.
Oxygen is constantly put
into the atmosphere by
plants and trees.
Earth has a
breathable
atmosphere.
Water on Earth can be found anywhere, in its
three states. It can be frozen, taking the form of
ice. It can be liquid, seen in seas and oceans and
lakes.
No other planet has liquid water.
Water is essential for life – our
bodies are 50-70% water.
Water can transport nutrients,
absorb heat and regulate body
temperature.
Sunlight is very important. Heat, light, and
energy all come from the sun. Trees and plants
need the Sun to produce oxygen through a
process called photosynthesis. We also need
sunlight to grow our food - crops and animals.
The
protective
atmosphere
around the
earth is
needed to
for the
survival of
humans.
The ozone is
the layer
around the
earth that
screens out
harmful
radiation.
Reason Five: The Sun
If there was no Sun, there would be no life on
Earth. Earth would not exist.
Because of Earth's ideal distance from the Sun, it
receives the perfect amount of heat and light to
support life. Earth is the only planet with the right
temperature range for there to be liquid water
Reason Six:
Gravity is what
holds us down to
the planet,
without it we
would fly out
into space.
Too little
gravity
results in
weaker
bones and
muscles.
Too much gravity
tires muscles,
breaks bones and
would require a
lot more energy
to move.
Human Body Systems Modifications For Future Life on Mars
Mars in the Past:
Early in its history, the "Red Planet" had
an atmosphere dense and warm enough to
sustain liquid water, and it may even have
had an ocean throughout its northern
hemisphere.
Mars Today:
Mars is not much farther from the sun
than Earth, but it is much colder. Clouds of
ice and frozen CO2 (dry ice) drift over its
surface. Frozen ice caps at the poles,
which can be seen from Earth with a
telescope, reflect sunlight. Although
Mars's atmosphere consists mainly of
CO2, it is 100 times thinner than Earth's
atmosphere, so it provides only a small
warming effect. Today, however, all water
on Mars is frozen.
Hypothetical Mars of the Future:
Primitive plant life, such as algae, could
exist on Mars. Oxygen could be formed by
algae photosynthesis. Underground geothermal springs could be a result of the
large volcanic system that exists on Mars.
These springs could be a source of water.
Humans will live underground due to the
cold temperature. It will be warmer
underground due to the heat from geothermal springs.
Day 1: Introduction to PBL
Know
Prior Knowledge
Need to Know
Information on what the planet is
like/characteristics.
http://eplanetarium.com/shows/d
dome/great_planet_adventures/
(Kids version)
The Planet Adventures
Planet
Mercury
Problem or Challenge to
Living there
•
•
•
Need protection from Sun’s
radiation;
Need to mine ice under surface;
Need to have oxygen, food;
greenhouse.
Solution
• Solar energy farm that powers the
colony;
• Use zip lines to move places
• Supplies and ice travel in closed
containers;
• Wear space suits under zip boards
that shield you from solar radiation;
• Greenhouses.
Venus
• Need to live in cooler clouds to
survive;
• Scorched (hot) surface;
• Gravity almost as strong as Earth’s;
• Heat and pressure make it a
dangerous place;
• Dangerous volcanos.
• Live in ocean liner in the clouds;
• Need to live in lighter clouds above
surface;
• Use a high pressure submersible vessel
to visit the surface;
• Use submarines to travel.
Mars
• A cold desert with volcanic
mountains and deep canyons;
• Canyons are always cold;
• Cannot breathe; planet’s thin CO2
atmosphere;
• Weigh much less than on Earth.
• Habitat has living quarters and a
greenhouse for fresh food and a
command center;
• Outpost – where they live and travel in
high pressurized rovers.
Planet
Jupiter
Problem or Challenge to
Living there
•
•
•
•
Cannot land on Jupiter; no land;
Would sink deeper and deeper into
the clouds;
Could find life on Europa – made of
rock and ice – must live on side
facing away from Jupiter’s deadly
radiation;
Caves on Europa.
Solution
• Can land on it’s many moons;
• Europa – largest moon of Jupiter.
Could live in igloos on Europa;
• Can travel thru Europa’s ice to reach
subsurface H2O.
• Can get H2O samples to test for alien
life.
Saturn
• Rings of particles in a thin disk that
go around Saturn – dirty chunks of
ice;
• One big moon called Titan – has air
and oceans (made of liquid natural
gas) like earth;
• Too cold for liquid H2O;
• Lakes of liquid methane on Titan;
• Low gravity and thick atmosphere
on Titan.
• Live on Titan.
Uranus
• Calmer than Jupiter and Saturn;
• Far away from the sun;
• Temperatures are even colder than
other worlds traveled.
• Need much energy to survive this
being far away from the sun;
• Much gravity pull on the planet;
• Atmosphere allows for skimming.
• Can fly a plane through its clouds;
• Can scoop up gases to use for fuel;
• Need a ram-scoop to collect Helium 3
in it’s upper atmosphere (fuel for
nuclear fusion reactors.);
• Thrusters mounted on space craft alter
the orbit of the ram scoop to push
upward against gravity transports dock
at ram-scoop.
Planet
Problem or Challenge to
Living There
Solution
Neptune
• Moon called Triton-geysers erupt
and spew out hot water (and
nitrogen gas, water, ice, and other
compounds needed for life.)
• Triton’s surface constantly
changes;
• Low gravity on Triton.
• Can travel on Triton by jet packing.
Pluto
• Always winter;
• Much snow;
• Low gravity
• Winter sport paradise
• Snowmobiles used for travel;
• Rocket-powered skiing.
Day 2: Planet Station Research

You are going to visit Planet Stations.


You will complete “Solar System Note-taking Guides”
You will use handouts, videos, and websites to
determine the characteristics of each planet focusing
on:









Size;
Shape;
Composition;
Temperature;
Orbital information(like length of day and length of
year);
Celestial bodies like moons or rings;
Geological activity;
Surface features;
Seasons.
Planet Research
Characteristics
Earth
Mercury
Venus
Mars
Size
7,928 miles
3,032 miles
7,521 miles
4,221 miles
Shape
Not an exact
sphere.
Sphere
Sphere
Sphere
Composition
(What it’s made
of)
• Its surface is split
into plates
(tectonic plates)
which float on a
rocky mantle – the
layer between the
surface of the
earth, its crust,
and its hot liquid
core.
• Small; rocky
surface,
covered with
craters;
• Thin
Atmosphere.
• Thick
atmosphere of
greenhouse
gas;
• CO2 with clouds
of sulfuric acid;
• Mountains and
volcanos.
• Cold, desert
world;
• Rusty iron;
• Seasons; ice
caps,
volcanoes,
canyons;
• CO2, H, O
Temperature
(high and low)
• 115 F hottest;
• -100 F coldest
• Avg: 61 F
• 801 F day
• -269 F night
• 864 F Average
• 70 F day
• -195 F night
Orbital
Information
Length of Day
Length of Year
Orbital Shape
LOD = 24 hrs
LOY = 365.25
Orbital Shape =
Elliptical; slightly
oval.
1 d = 59 ED
1 y = 88 ED
Elliptical – oval
shaped.
1 d = 243 ED
1 y = 225 ED
Elliptical – oval
shaped
1 d is greater than
1 y on Venus.
1 d = 24.6 E Hours
1 y = 687 ED
Elliptical – oval
shaped
Natural Satellites
1 Moon
0
0
2
Earth
Characteristics
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
74,898 miles
31,763 miles
30,775 miles
Sphere
Sphere
Sphere
Sphere
• Swirling cloud
stripes;
• Has big storms;
• No solid
surface;
• Gas giant.
• Hydrogen and
Helium.
• Mostly a ball
of Hydrogen
and Helium
• Is a gas
giant.
• No solid
surface;
• Atmosphere
made up of
water,
methane,
ammonia
fluids above
a small
rocky
center.
• (smallest of 4
outer planets)
• Dark, cold,
very windy;
• Thick soup of
H20,
ammonia
and methane
over Earth
sized solid
center.
Size
7928 miles
Shape
Not an exact
sphere.
Composition
(What it’s made
of)
•
Temperature
(high and low)
• 115 F hottest;
• -100 F coldest
• Avg: 61 F
• 43,000 F at
core
• -234 F in clouds
• -288 F Avg.
• -350 F Avg.
• Coldest
planet
• -373 F Avg.
Orbital
Information
Length of Day
Length of Year
Orbital Shape
LOD = 24 hrs
LOY = 365.25
Orbital Shape =
Elliptical; slightly
oval.
1 d = 10 E Hours
1 y = 11.8 EY
Slightly elliptical
1 d = 10.7 E
Hours
1 y = 29.5 EY
Slightly elliptical
1 d = 17 E
Hours
1 y = 84 EY
Slightly
elliptical
1 d = 16 E Hours
1 y = 164 EY
Circlular Orbit
Natural
Satellites
1 Moon
Its surface is
split into plates
(tectonic
plates) which
float on a
rocky mantle –
the layer
between the
surface of the
earth, its crust,
and its hot
liquid core.
63
60
27
13
The Goldilocks Zone



What conditions allowed Earth to have advanced life
on it?
Liquid Water
Distance from our star (Sun)
https://www.twigcarolina.com/film/the-goldilockszone-3067/
nwcms - t

The Goldilocks Zone
 Video

A delicate balancing act between the Sun and
Earth makes ours the only known life-bearing
planet in our Solar System.
 Key




Summary:
Facts
Earth is the only planet with liquid water.
If a planet is too close to the Sun, water
evaporates.
If a planet is too far away from the Sun, water is
frozen ice.
The Sun's size, and Earth's distance from it, is just
right for life to exist.
TWIG: The Goldilocks Zone
There’s only one place in the entire Universe
where we know that advanced life has
evolved.
 Earth


Central to this is the existence of liquid water.
Earth has liquid water because of its proximity to
the Sun.
 Mars

Too far away, like Mars, and water is frozen ice.
The Goldilocks Zone: Mars

Temperatures on Mars plummets to -143C (225.4 F)
VENUS
 Too close, like Venus, and any water will have
boiled away to vapor.
 Temperatures soar to 450C (842 F)


Earth is the only place in the whole Solar System
where liquid water can exist.
We call it, the Goldilocks Zone.
The Goldilocks Zone
 Like
Baby Bear’s porridge, it’s not too hot,
nor too cold… but just right.
 Our
distance from the Sun is vital to life on
Earth… but so is the type of star it is.
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/19oWRZ_U7lWHs3jwEcCLEmyMp6erbaMiqlimxAFnnqnQ/edit#slide=id.p
What are some important things the
atmosphere does?
1. Atmosphere allows organisms to grow.
2. Atmospheric ozone protects us from ultraviolet radiation.
3. CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) and other gases in
the atmosphere trap in heat and keep
the surface warm enough for life to thrive.
Nitrogen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oy8e2HrOh6Q
What is the Atmosphere on Earth like?
Characteristics of Atmosphere
Benefit
• 78 % Nitrogen
• Critical for all life on Earth.
• Plants use it to grow.
• 21 % Oxygen (O2)
• Needed to breath.
• 1 % Other Gases
- Argon (Ar)
- Greenhouse Gases
- Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
- Methane (CH4)
- Water Vapor (H2O)
- Nitrous Oxide (N2O)
• Argon = Provides thermal
efficiency.
• Carbon Dioxide = Needed by
plants. Helps with the quality
and quantity of our
plants/foods.
• Methane = Used for energy.
• Water Vapor = Controls Earth’s
temperature.
• Nitrous Oxide = Used in
agriculture.
Earth has an ideal blend of gases to support life.
What is the Atmosphere for your
colony like?
Planet
What is it made up of?
Is it thick or thin?
Mercury
Sodium and potassium
Thin
Venus
Carbon Dioxide with small
amounts of nitrogen,
helium, argon and neon.
Mars
Carbon Dioxide, with small
amounts of nitrogen,
argon, and oxygen and
water vapor.
Jupiter
Helium and Hydrogen
with small amounts of
water, ammonia, and
methane
Thick
Planet
What is it made up of?
Is it thick or
thin?
Saturn
Hydrogen and Helium
Thick
Uranus
Hydrogen with minor amounts of Thick
helium and methane.
Neptune
Mainly hydrogen and helium
with small amounts of methane.
Titan
Mostly Nitrogen with small
amounts of methane.
Europa
Mostly Oxygen
Thin
Trappist – 1f
Carbon Dioxide and Nitrogen
Thin
Proxima Cen B
Carbon Dioxide with small
amounts of nitrogen, helium,
argon, and neon.
Kepler – 22b
Carbon Dioxide, small amounts
of nitrogen, argon, and oxygen
and water vapor.
Thick
What affect does this have on us if we
colonize there?
Factor
Is there breathable air?
Is there the elements needed for
plants?
Will solar radiation be blocked?
Affect on us
How could you address these issues?
Technology
How would it solve the problem?
Gravity
Albert Einstein: Scientist
 Albert
Einstein: a great scientist who lived in the
20th century.
 Had a new idea about gravity; thought that
gravity is what happens when space itself is
curved or warped around a mass, such as a star
or planet.
 Believed a star or planet would cause kind of a
dip in space so that any other object that came
too near would tend to fall into the dip.
This 2-D animation gives an idea of how gravity
works in 3-D.
What is Gravity?
What are some important effects of Gravity?
1. Gravity is what makes pieces of matter clump
together into planets, moons, and stars.
2. Gravity is what makes the planets orbit the
stars…like Earth orbits our star, the Sun.
3. Gravity is what makes the stars clump together in
huge, swirling galaxies.
4. Gravity causes something to fall down if you drop
it rather than fall/float up.
Use the chart to figure out the
gravity for your planet.
Planet
Gravity (1 = Earth)
Mercury
0.387
Venus
0.907
Mars
0.377
Jupiter
2.36
Saturn
0.916
Uranus
0.889
Neptune
1.12
How would Gravity effect life at your
colony?
 How
does your atmosphere compare to Earth’s
atmosphere?
 What
affect does this have on us if we colonize
there?

What would happen to our muscles and bones?

What would happen with our heart and blood?

How would this affect the way we move/travel
there?
What effect does Gravity have on
us?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CuYx9mZCQA
What effect does less gravity have
on people?
Factor
Effect on Humans
Muscle and Bone
• Lose bone; causes muscles that work against
gravity, postural muscles, to shrink and lose
strength.
Heart and Veins
• You have to work against gravity to make your
heart pump blood to your head.
• If you can’t keep pumping blood to your head
you will pass out.
Balance
• You maintain balance by working against
gravity.
• Without gravity you wouldn’t have to worry
about falling. Balance keeps us from falling.
• In space your brain adapts to allowing you to be
weightless. You don’t notice this until you return
to Earth.
What effect would more gravity
have on people?
(Infer the answers to these based on what more gravity does.)
Factor
Muscle and Bone
Heart and Veins
Balance
Effect on humans
Dealing with different gravities.
 As
a team, brainstorm ways to address having
more or less gravity and the problems that are
created because of it.
 Floating
without Imploding- technology that holds
up to extreme pressure
 Prototype
Spacesuits
How could you address these
issues?
Technology
How would it solve the problem?
Orbit and Tilt
What is an orbit? Lets review.
https://www.twigcarolina.com/film/what-is-an-orbit3065/
Why do we have seasons?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgHmqv_-UbQ
What are some things orbit and tilt affect?
1. Day and Night
2. Seasons: Sunlight hits Earth in different ways
because of its tilt. Tilted to the sun = warm, direct
light, longer hours light; Tilted away from the sun =
cooler, indirect light hit at an angle, less hours of
light.
3. Light and Darkness
What does this mean for your
colony?
Use the chart on the next page to figure out what the orbital
information is for your colony.

Length of Day

Length of Year

Does it tilt or have an unusual shape?

It is in a tidal lock? (ex. The Moon is tidally locked to the
Earth, which means that it always shows one face to our
planet.)
Fill in the information on your note-taking sheet.
What is the orbit and tilt information
for your colony?
Factor
Length of Day
Length of Year
Does it have seasons?
Is it in a tidal lock?
Are there any other unusual
features?
Data from Chart
How does the orbital information
you collected affect life there?
 How
does your orbital information compare to
Earth’s orbit?
 What affect does this have on us if we colonize
there?




Would our daytime/nighttime change?
Would plants be able to grow?
Would there be seasons?
How would our sunlight change (type of
electromagnetic waves)?
How does this affect your colony?
(Use the data you’ve collected and your own knowledge to infer an answer).
Factors to consider
Would our day and nighttime
change?
How would the length of day or
the tilt affect plant growth at your
colony?
What would seasons look like at
your colony?
Would the electromagnetic wave
(our sunlight) change for your
colony?
Challenges this creates
How could you address these
issues?
Technology
How would it solve the problem?
Temperatures and Stars
Temperature: Where does heat
come from?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fO6qsaEFWio
Where does heat come from?,
cont.
https://www.twigcarolina.com/film/the-sun-3081/
What two essential things does the sun provide?
1. Heat: Warmth for the earth.
2. Light
Facts about our Sun
 Our
sun is a G2V star.
 The light it gives off looks yellow or white.
 Average surface temperature is about
5,800 K.
 It is a yellow dwarf star – it is in a very
stable stage of its life, which last about 5
billion years.
What does this mean for your
colony?
 Use
the chart on the next page to figure out
what the temperature is for your planet and
what your star is like for your planet.
 Fill
in the information on your Note-taking Sheet.
What is our Sun like? (Use the chart)
Factor
Data from Chart
Type of Star
Yellow dwarf
Color of Light
White or yellow
Temperature
5,800 K
Brightness
3.83
Distance from Earth
92.96 million miles
Mass
4.835 x 1030 lbs
What is the Star for your planet like?
(Use the 2 charts to figure this out.)
Factor
Type of Star
Color of Light
Temperature
Brightness
Distance from Earth
Mass
Data from Chart
Comparison to Sun
How would the star and the planet’s
temperature affect living there?
 How
does the temperature compare to Earth’s
temperature?
 Is your colony’s star similar or different than our
sun? How so?
 What affect does this have on us if we colonize
there?



Would we have liquid water?
What affect would the temperature have on
people’s bodies? Would you get hypothermia?
What color would our light be? Would the star be as
bright as ours?
What is the temperature for your
colony?
(Use the chart to figure this out.)
Temperature
How does it compare to Earth’s
temperature?
How does this affect your colony?
(Use the data you’ve collected and your own knowledge to infer an
answer.)
Factors to Consider
Would we have liquid water?
What affect would the
temperature have on people’s
bodies?
What color would our light be?
Would the star be as bright as our
sun?
Affect on humans
How could we fix this?
 As
a team, brainstorm ways that you could
address the problems that the temperature of
your planet creates.
 Use
•
NASA’s Icy Concept for Living on the Red Planet
 Use
•
the following to help you:
the following for more ideas
Staying Cool on the International Space Station
Bill Nye
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QC2tdZEH
czk
How could you address these
issues?
Technology
How would it solve the problem?
Soil and Water
What do plants need to grow?
https://www.brainpop.com/science/earthsystem/soil/
What do plants need to grow?
https://www.twigcarolina.com/film/what-plants-need-togrow-3344/
What are some things plants need to grow?
1. Sunlight
2. Air
3. Soil and minerals
What is the ground like on your
planet? (Use the chart)
Factor
Structure
Surface Description
Geological Features
Data from Chart
Is there water somewhere on your
planet? (Use the chart to figure this out.)
Factor
Water
What state is it in?
(Liquid, Frozen,
Vapor)
Where is it located?
Does your planets soil and water
help support life?
 How
does your ground and water conditions
compare to Earth’s atmosphere?
 What
affect does this have on us if we colonize
these?

Would we be able to grow plants and food?

Would we have water to drink?
How does this affect your colony?
(Use the data you’ve collected and your own knowledge to infer an
answer.)
Factors to consider
Would we be able to grow
plants for food in the ground?
Would humans be able to use
the water to drink in the current
state it is in?
Would the plants be able to use
the water in the current state it is
in?
Challenges this creates
How can we address these issues?
 As
a team brainstorm ways to address the issues
you came up with on the last slide. How could
you ensure that your settlers have food and
water?
 Nine Real NASA Technologies in “The Martian

Use the following to come up with more ideas
 Pioneering Space Requires Living Off the Land
 Veggie Plant Growth System
How could you address these
issues?
Technology
How would it solve the problem?