Question

1. describe the types of objects located in the solar system. think planets, stars, moons, etc.
2. what is the collection of small icy objects that marks the edge of the solar system called?
3. looking at the diagram on page 272, tell me the largest planet, satellite (moon), and asteroid in the solar system.
4. how far is an astronomical unit? how about a light year? how many aus make up one light year?
5. what is the name of our galaxy? how long does it take our part of the galaxy to revolve around the galactic center?

Explanation:

1. The solar - system has various objects. Planets orbit the Sun, moons orbit planets, stars like the Sun are at the center, asteroids are rocky bodies in the asteroid belt and other regions, comets are icy bodies with tails, and dwarf planets are smaller planet - like objects.
2. The collection of small icy objects marking the edge of the solar system is the Oort Cloud. It is a spherical cloud of predominantly icy planetesimals thought to surround the Sun.
3. The largest planet in the solar system is Jupiter. The largest moon is Ganymede (a moon of Jupiter). The largest asteroid is Ceres, which is also a dwarf planet.
4. An Astronomical Unit (AU) is the average distance from the Earth to the Sun, approximately 149.6 million kilometers. A light - year is the distance that light travels in one year in a vacuum, about 9.461×10¹² kilometers. There are about 63,241 AUs in one light - year.
5. Our Galaxy is called the Milky Way. It takes about 225 - 250 million years for our part of the Galaxy (the Solar System) to revolve around the galactic center.

Answer:

1. The solar system contains planets, moons, stars, asteroids, comets, and dwarf planets.
2. The Oort Cloud.
3. Largest planet: Jupiter; Largest satellite (moon): Ganymede; Largest asteroid: Ceres.
4. An Astronomical Unit is about 149.6 million kilometers. A light - year is about 9.461×10¹² kilometers. Approximately 63,241 AUs make up one light - year.
5. Our Galaxy is called the Milky Way. It takes about 225 - 250 million years for our part of the Galaxy to revolve around the galactic center.