CHAPTER Name Date

Concept Map

Astronomy
Complete the concept map on the universe and solar
system, using words and phrases from your textbook.

Our Moon Our Sun

The appearance of the Moon seems The length of our year is the length
to change each week, producing
of one revolution of Earth
phases of the Moon. around the Sun.

If the Moon comes between Earth Our Sun’ is an average-sized,

and the Sun or the Earth comes
between the Moon and the Sun, main-sequence star, but it
will eventually become a red giant.
a(n)
eclipse occurs.

What We See in Space

From Earth, we observe space with

telescopes . In space, artificial

satellites , space probes, and astronauts collect data.

Our Galaxy Our Solar System

We can sometimes see our galaxy, The inner planets are Mercury,

the Milky Way , in

Venus , Earth, and
the night sky. Our galaxy has a Mars. The outer planets include
barred spiral shape. Jupiter,
Saturn ,
© Macmillan/McGraw-Hill

Uranus, and Neptune.

Background radiation supports the
The solar system also includes
big bang theory. orbiting comets, meteors, and
meteorites .

Chapter 8 • Astronomy
174 Reading and Writing
 Name Date LESSON
Outline

The Earth-Sun System

Use your textbook to help you fill in the blanks.
What is astronomy?

1. The planets, the stars, and all of space make up

the universe .

2. The study of the universe is called astronomy .

3. A device that collects light from distant objects

and magnifies images of those objects is called

a(n) telescope .

4. Refracting telescopes and reflecting telescopes use

lenses and visible light to magnify
images of faraway objects.

5. Invisible light comes in the form of X rays, radio waves,

radar, and ultraviolet and infrared light.

How can we prove that Earth rotates?

6. Earth makes one rotation on its axis

every 24 hours.

7. The Sun seems to rise in the east and travel west on

its apparent path .

© Macmillan/McGraw-Hill

8. Earth rotates at a rate of 360 degrees

every 24 hours, or 15 degrees per hour.

9. Earth is divided into 24 vertical belts, each about

15 degrees wide in longitude, called standard time zones .

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Reading and Writing The Earth-Sun System
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 LESSON Name Date
Outline

What makes a year?

10. One complete revolution of Earth around

the Sun takes 365.24 days.

11. In a hemisphere’s summer, that hemisphere is tilted

toward the Sun and receives the Sun’s
rays more directly; in winter, that hemisphere is tilted
away from the Sun and receives the Sun’s
rays at a lower angle.

12. In summer, when the Sun is higher overhead at

midday, objects cast shorter shadows;

in winter, when the Sun is lower in the sky at midday,

objects cast longer shadows.

How can we explore space?

13. Scientists launch artificial satellites into

space to study Earth.

14. Images and data about planets and other objects in

space are studied with the help of space probes .

15. The Hubble Space Telescope takes clear pictures of Earth

because it orbits above most of Earth’s atmosphere .

Critical Thinking
© Macmillan/McGraw-Hill

16. What three factors can explain changes in the shadows

objects cast, time differences, and changes of season
over the Earth?
Earth’s rotation on its axis, Earth’s revolution around the Sun, and the
tilt of Earth’s axis

Chapter 8 • Astronomy Use with Lesson 1

176 Reading and Writing The Earth-Sun System
 Name Date LESSON
Vocabulary

The Earth-Sun System

Match the correct letter with the description.

a. astronomy e. rotation

b. axis f. standard time zone

c. International Date Line g. telescope

d. revolution h. universe

1. g I am a device that collects light and magnifies

images to make distant objects appear closer and
larger. What am I?

2. d I am one complete trip around the Sun.

What am I?

3. f I am a vertical belt, about 15 degrees wide in

longitude, in which all locations have the same
time. What am I?

4. h I consist of Earth, the planets, the stars, and all of

space. What am I?

5. b I am an imaginary line that runs from the North

Pole to the South Pole through the center of
Earth. What am I?

6. c I am a line at a longitude of 180 degrees.

© Macmillan/McGraw-Hill

What am I?

7. a I am the study of the universe. What am I?

8. e I am one complete spin of Earth on its axis.

What am I?

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Reading and Writing The Earth-Sun System
177
LESSON Name Date
Cloze Activity

The Earth-Sun System

Fill in the blanks.

axis space shuttles visible light

revolution telescope

space probes time zones

The study of the universe is called astronomy.

Astronomers use a(n) telescope to see distant

objects. Telescopes use lenses and visible light

to magnify images of faraway objects. Scientists launch

artificial satellites and space probes into space to

obtain data and images. The Hubble Space Telescope

and the International Space Station are maintained by

astronauts who travel into space and back home again

aboard space shuttles .

Earth rotates 360 degrees on its axis

every 24 hours, or at a rate of 15 degrees every hour.

Earth is divided into 24 standard time zones that

© Macmillan/McGraw-Hill

are about 15 degrees wide in longitude. It takes Earth

365.24 days to make one revolution , or one

complete trip around the Sun. The direction in which Earth

tilts on its axis during this time causes the seasons to change.

Chapter 8 • Astronomy Use with Lesson 1

178 Reading and Writing The Earth-Sun System