Showing posts with label Space Facts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Space Facts. Show all posts

Solar System Moon Facts

Author: Tamilpandiyan Posted under:
CallistoSolar System Moon Facts


Enjoy a range of interesting solar system moon facts. Learn about the variety of moons that orbit around planets such as Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and Neptune. What makes moons like Titan, Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, Triton, Charon, Phobos and Deimos unique? Read on and find out!

  • While we usually think of the Earth’s Moon there are many other moons in theSolar System.
  • As of 2009, there were 336 moons in the Solar System. 168 of these orbit planets, 6 orbit dwarf planets, while the rest orbit asteroids and other Solar System objects (many yet to be classified).
  • Jupiter’s four main moons are named the Galilean moons (after Galileo Galilei). Their names are Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto.
  • Io features over 400 active volcanoes.
  • Some scientists believe that water could exist below the surface of Europa.
  • Ganymede is the largest moon in the Solar System.
  • Callisto has a similar diameter to the planet Mercury but only one third of its mass.
  • Saturn’s largest moon is named Titan, it is the only moon known to have a dense atmosphere.
  • Neptune’s largest moon, Triton, is similar in size to Earth’s moon. Discovered in 1846 it is the seventh largest moon in the Solar System.
  • The largest moon of the dwarf planet Pluto is named Charon, it was discovered in 1978 and has a diameter that is around half as wide as Pluto’s.
  • Mars has two moons named Phobos and Deimos, both were discovered in 1877.
  • Venus and Mercury have no moons
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Meteoroid Facts

Author: Tamilpandiyan Posted under:
Large meteoriteMeteoroid Facts

Enjoy these great meteoroid, meteor and meteorite facts for kids. Learn the differences between the terms used to describe them, how fast they travel, how often they make it through Earth’s atmosphere and much more.

  • A meteoroid is a small rock or particle of debris in our solar system. They range in size from dust to around 10 metres in diameter (larger objects are usually referred to as asteroids).
  • A meteoroid that burns up as it passes through the Earth’s atmosphere is known as a meteor. If you’ve ever looked up at the sky at night and seen a streak of light or ‘shooting star’ what you are actually seeing is a meteor.
  • A meteoroid that survives falling through the Earth’s atmosphere and colliding with the Earth’s surface is known as a meteorite.
  • The fastest meteoroids travel through the solar system at a speed of around 42 kilometres per second (26 miles per second).
  • The Earth’s atmosphere experiences millions of meteors every day.
  • Meteors are easier to see during the lower light conditions of night.
  • A small percentage of meteoroids fly on a path that goes into the Earth’s atmosphere and then back out again, they are known as Earth grazing fireballs.
  • When many meteors occur in a close time frame in the same part of the sky it is called a meteor shower.
  • Around 500 meteorites reach the Earth’s surface every year but of those only around 5 ever make it to scientists for study.
  • Meteorites that are observed as they fall through the Earth’s atmosphere and later recovered are called ‘falls’, all others are called ‘finds’. To this date there have been around 1000 collected ‘falls’ and 40000 ‘finds’.
  • Unsure why a meteoroid is different to meteor, comet or asteroid? Learn the difference between a comet, asteroid, meteoroid, meteor & meteorite.
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Mars Facts

Author: Tamilpandiyan Posted under:
MarsMars Facts 

Mars, or the 'Red Planet' as it is sometimes known, has a dusty, rocky surface and a thin atmosphere. Its relatively calm conditions and close proximity to earth make it the most likely destination for future planet exploration by humans.
It has already been visited by a number of Mars Rovers in successful (and unsuccessful) robotic missions. These highly advanced robots gather samples and record important scientific data for scientists back on Earth to study.


  • Mars is nicknamed the red planet because it is covered with rust-like dust. Even the atmosphere is a pinkish red, colored by tiny particles of dust thrown up from the surface.
  • Mars experiences violent dust storms which continually change its surface.
  • Mars has many massive volcanoes and is home to Olympus Mons, the largest volcano in our solar system, it stands 21km high and is 600km across the base.
  • Mars has a very thin atmosphere made mostly of carbon dioxide. It is not thick enough to trap the sun's heat like Venus, so the planet is very cold. Temperatures range from -120 Degrees Celsius on winter nights to 25 Degrees Celsius in the summer.
  • Mars has many channels, plains and canyons on the surface which could have been caused by water erosion in the past.
  • Mars has very weak gravity which cannot hold onto the atmosphere well.
  • The polar ice caps consist of frozen Co2 (dry ice) which lies over a layer of ice.


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Gravity Facts

Author: Tamilpandiyan Posted under:
Gravity factsGravity Facts

Enjoy our range of interesting gravity facts that help explain how gravity relates to both life on Earth and other objects in our solar system.
Learn about important concepts such as acceleration, mass, tides and orbits as well as some useful formulas, strange trivia and other fun information relating to the topic of gravity.

  • Objects with mass are attracted to each other, this is known as gravity.
  • Gravity keeps Earth and the other planets in our solar system in orbit around the Sun. It also keeps the Moon in orbit around Earth.
  • Tides are caused by the rotation of the Earth and the gravitational effects of the Moon and Sun.
  • Because Mars has a lower gravity than Earth, a person weighing 100kg (220 pounds) on Earth would only weigh 38kg (84 pounds) on Mars.
  • It is thought that Isaac Newton’s theories on gravity were inspired by seeing an apple fall from a tree.
  • While Newton’s older law of universal gravitation is accurate in most scenarios, modern physics uses Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity to describe gravity.
  • Acceleration of objects to due to the gravity on Earth is around 9.8 m/s2. If you ignore air resistance (drag) then the speed of an object falling to Earth increases by around 9.8 metres per second every second.
  • The force of gravity 100 kilometres (62 miles) above Earth is just 3% less than at the Earth’s surface.
  • The human body can handle increased g-forces as seen in activities such as dragster races, airplane acrobatics and space training. The highest known acceleration voluntarily experienced by a human is 46.2 g by g-force pioneer John Stapp.
  • While formula one racing drivers may feel around 5 g’s under heavy braking, they can experience over 100 g’s if a crash causes them to decelerate extremely quickly over a very short distance.
  • Some roller coasters have been known to include g-forces of around 4 to 6 g.
  • The higher something is, the greater its gravitational potential energy. Back in the Middle Ages, weapons called trebuchets were used to take advantage of this principle, using mechanical advantage and the gravitational potential energy of a counterweight to hurl rocks and other projectiles at or over walls. In modern times we use the gravitational potential of water to create hydroelectricity.

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Pluto Facts

Author: Tamilpandiyan Posted under:
Pluto and its moon CharonPluto Facts


Don't forget Pluto! Sure it may not be officially recognized as a planet anymore but it's still there and offers a lot of interesting facts and cool information.
Check out these fun Pluto facts for kids.


  • Pluto was the smallest and furtherest planet from the Sun in our solar system, now it is not even officially recognized as a planet!
  • In 2006 Pluto was demoted to the status of dwarf planet.
  • Because it is so far away from the sun it is very cold with temperatures ranging form -235 Degrees Celsius to -210 Degrees Celsius.
  • Pluto consists of rock with a very thick coating of ice.
  • The atmosphere of Pluto consists of nitrogen with some carbon monoxide and methane.
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Neptune Facts

Author: Tamilpandiyan Posted under:
NeptuneNeptune Facts 

Neptune is a large planet that experiences extreme atmospheric weather conditions.
After the demotion of Pluto, it now holds the distinction of being further away from the sun than any other planet in our solar system.

  • Neptune is a large planet, nearly four times the size of Earth.
  • Neptune suffers the most violent weather in our Solar System.
  • Storms have been spotted swirling around its surface and freezing winds that blow about ten times faster than hurricanes on Earth make it the windiest planet.
  • Neptune is a large, water planet with a blue hydrogen-methane atmosphere and faint rings.
  • Neptune is covered in thin wispy white clouds which stretch out around the planet.
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Uranus Facts

Author: Tamilpandiyan Posted under:
UranusUranus Facts 

Uranus likes to be a bit different.
It shows off a majestic blue/green haze due to its high levels of methane gas and rolls like a barrel rather than spinning like Earth and the other planets in our Solar System.

  • Uranus spins lying on its side (like a barrel), this is perhaps due to a large collision early in its formation.
  • Uranus was the first planet discovered by telescope.
  • Since Uranus takes 84 Earth years to go around the sun, this means that each of its poles is in daylight for 42 years and in darkness for the next 42.
  • Uranus’s atmosphere is mostly hydrogen but it also contains large amounts of a gas called methane. Methane absorbs red light and scatters blue light so a blue-green methane haze hides the interior of the planet from view.
  • Uranus hides its interior but scientists guess that under the hydrogen-methane atmosphere is a hot, slushy ocean of water, ammonia and methane thousands of miles deep wrapped around a rocky core.
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Jupiter Facts

Author: Tamilpandiyan Posted under:
JupiterJupiter Facts 

Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system. Its famous 'Red Spot' and raging gas storms give it an impressive if not intimidating appearance.
As well as having many moons, Jupiter also has a number of rings similar to that of Saturn but much less noticeable.

  • Jupiter is the largest planet in our Solar system. It is so big that more than 1300 Earth's could fit inside it.
  • Thick, colorful clouds of deadly poisonous gases surround Jupiter. The quick spinning of the planet whips up the atmosphere, creating the bands around the planet.
  • If you were to descend into Jupiter, the thin, cold atmosphere becomes thicker and hotter, gradually turning into a thick, dark fog. In the blackness about 1000km down the pressure squeezes the atmosphere so hard that it becomes like liquid.
  • At the centre of Jupiter is a rocky core, slightly bigger than Earth but weighing about 20 times more.
  • Surrounding the core is an ocean of liquid hydrogen, about 1,000 kilometres deep.
  • Jupiter has many storms raging on the surface, most notably the big red spot which is the largest hurricane in our Solar System. It's been raging for over three hundred years.
  • Jupiter has a very strong magnetic field, you would weigh two and a half times as much as you would on earth.
  • Jupiter has many moons circling around it.  Four of these moons are bigger than Pluto.
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Saturn Facts

Author: Tamilpandiyan Posted under:
SaturnSaturn Facts 

Perhaps the most beautiful planet in our solar system (other than earth of course) due to its spectacular ring system, Saturn is a gas giant that features many extreme physical features and atmospheric conditions.

  • Saturn is the second largest planet in our solar system and is another gas giant.
  • Saturn has a small rocky core covered with liquid gas.
  • It is surrounded by a system of rings that stretch out into space for thousands of kilometres.
  • The rings are made up of millions of ice crystals, some as big as houses and others as small as specks of dust.
  • Saturn is very light as it is made up of more hydrogen than helium so it is less dense. If we could fit Saturn into a bathtub it would float (but that would have to be one big bathtub!)
  • Like Jupiter, Saturn has many moons which surround it.
  • Saturn is not a peaceful planet.  Storm winds race around the atmosphere at 800kmp/h.
  • Saturn has a very strong magnetic field which traps energy particles resulting in high levels of radiation.
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Venus Facts

Author: Tamilpandiyan Posted under:
VenusVenus Facts 

Venus is a fascinating planet that is similar in size to Earth but very different in regards to atmosphere and surface conditions.
Its thick clouds lock in the heat while the surface rages with active volcanoes.

  • The atmosphere of Venus made up mainly of carbon dioxide.
  • Its size is slightly smaller than Earth.
  • It also features gravity similar to that of Earth.
  • Venus is surrounded by clouds consisting of mercury, ferric chloride hydrocarbons and sulphuric acid. These clouds create the most corrosive acid rain found anywhere in our solar system.
  • The clouds are so thick that little light even reaches the surface. The light that does reach the surface is converted to heat and can not escape the atmosphere making Venus the hottest planet at around 500 Degrees Celsius.
  • The surface of Venus is often described as a "stormy desert" full of many craters and very active volcanoes.
  • The surface is also likened to molten lead.
  • Venus features no liquid water.
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Comet Facts

Author: Tamilpandiyan Posted under:
Halley's CometComet Facts


Enjoy these fun comet facts for kids. Learn interesting info about Halley’s Comet, Shoemaker-Levy 9 (the comet that collided with Jupiter in 1994), what comets are made of, why they have tails and lots more.



  • A comet is a relatively small solar system body that orbits the Sun. When close enough to the Sun they display a visible coma (a fuzzy outline or atmosphere due to solar radiation) and sometimes a tail.
  • The coma is created as the comet gets closer to the Sun, causing water, carbon dioxide and other compounds to sublime (quickly changing from solid to gas) from its surface.
  • Comets are made of ice, dust and small rocky particles.
  • The name comet comes from the Greek word meaning ‘hair of the head’, it came from the Greek philosopher Aristotle who observed comets as ‘stars with hair’.
  • Short term comets (also known as periodic comets) have orbital periods of less than 200 years while long term comets have orbital periods of over 200 years.
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Sun Facts

Author: Tamilpandiyan Posted under:
The SunSun Facts


Enjoy these fun Sun facts for kids. Learn how hot the Sun is, how long it takes light from the Sun to reach Earth, what the Sun is made of and more. Read on for a range of interesting facts about the Sun.



  • The Sun is a star found at the center of the Solar System.
  • It makes up around 99.86% of the Solar System’s mass.
  • At around 1,392,000 kilometres (865,000 miles) wide, the Sun’s diameter is about 110 times wider than Earth’s.
  • Around 74% of the Sun’s mass is made up of hydrogen. Helium makes up around 24% while heavier elements such as oxygen, carbon, iron and neon make up the remaining percentage.
  • Light from the Sun reaches Earth in around 8 minutes.
  • The Sun’s surface temperature is around 5500 degrees Celsius (9941 degrees Fahrenheit), so pack plenty of sunscreen if you plan on visiting (remembering that the average distance from the Sun to the Earth is around 150 million kilometers).
  • The Sun’s core is around 13600000 degrees Celsius!
  • The Sun generates huge amounts of energy by combining hydrogen nuclei into helium. This process is called nuclear fusion.
  • Because of the Sun’s huge influence on Earth, many early cultures saw the Sun as a deity or god. For example, Ancient Egyptians had a sun god called Ra while in Aztec mythology there is a sun god named Tonatiuh.
  • The Sun produces a solar wind which contains charged particles such as electrons and protons. They escape the Sun’s intense gravity because of their high kinetic energy and the high temperature of the Sun’s corona (a type of plasma atmosphere that extends into space).
  • Planets with strong magnetic fields such as Earth manage to deflect most of these charged particles as they approach.
  • A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon is between the Sun and the Earth.
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Space Facts

Author: Tamilpandiyan Posted under:
Fun space facts for kidsSpace Facts


Read some fun space facts for kids and find out more about astronomy, the Moon, planets, our Sun, the Milky Way galaxy, our Universe and much more.
Children will love the cool, crazy, strange, funny, weird, odd, bizarre and wacky information as well as did you know facts and other interesting space info that will help them learn a thing or two along the way.

  • The Sun is over 300000 times larger than earth. 
  • Halley’s Comet was last seen in the inner Solar System in 1986, it will be visible again from Earth sometime in 2061 (get your camera ready). 
  • Venus is the hottest planet in our solar system with a surface temperature of over 450 degrees celcius.
  • Many scientists believe that an asteroid impact caused the extinction of the dinosaurs around 65 million years ago. 
  • The Solar System formed around 4.6 billion years ago. 
  • The Moon appears to have more craters and scars than Earth because it has a lot less natural activity going on, the Earth is constantly reforming its surface through earthquakes, erosion, rain, wind and plants growing on the surface, while the moon has very little weather to alter its appearance. 
  • Saturn isn't the only ringed planet, other gas giants such as Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune also have rings, they are just less obvious.
  • Footprints and tyre tracks left behind by astronauts on the moon will stay there forever as there is no wind to blow them away.
  • In 2006, astronomers changed the definition of a planet. This means that Pluto is now referred to as a dwarf planet. 
  • Because of lower gravity, a person who weighs 100kg on earth would only weigh 38kg on the surface of Mars.
  • The only planet that rotates on its side like a barrel is Uranus. The only planet that spins backwards relative to the others is Venus.
  • Some of the fastest meteoroids can travel through the solar system at a speed of around 42 kilometres per second (26 miles per second). 
  • The first man made object sent into space was in 1957 when the Russian satellite named Sputnik was launched.
  • Jupiter's 4 biggest moons are named Europa, Ganymede, Callisto and Io. 
  • It is because of the Sun & Moons gravity that we have high & low tides.

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