17

Stars and the Solar System

Expected Learning Outcomes

Knowledge to be gained: •Celestial objects •Stars and constellations •Measuring distances in the
universe •Solar system •Sun and the planets •Moon •Other members of the solar system
Skill to be developed: •Finding constellations in the night sky.
Attitude to be inculcated: •Earth is a tiny pale blue dot in the vast Universe. is tiny blue dot is
home to us. Everyone we love, know, ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their
lives on Earth.

When we look at the sky during the day, we can
see the Sun. Apart from the Sun, there are also
many heavenly bodies present in the sky. Due to
the brightness of the Sun, we cannot see other
heavenly bodies present in the sky. When we
look up at the sky on a clear night, we can see the
Moon and thousands of stars twinkling in the
sky. ere are also other bright heavenly bodies
in the sky that do not twinkle; they are the
planets. e objects that exist in the sky (outer
space), like the Sun, Moon, stars, planets, etc.,
are known as celestial objects or heavenly
bodies.
In this Chapter, we are going to study about the
various celestial bodies present in the vast
surrounding space called the universe.
e Universe encompasses all of time and space
and its contents. It includes all matter that exists.
e Universe comprises everything we can
touch, feel, sense, measure or detect. It
includes living things, planets, stars, galaxies,
light, and even time. It comprises of the celestial
objects, everything that exists on these celestial
objects, and even the vast empty space that exists
between them. e general belief is that the
universe began with a big bang, and has been
expanding since then.
e science dealing with the study of the
universe is called astronomy. e scientists
who study the universe are called astronomers.
No one knows for sure just how big the universe
is. It could be in nitely large. Our Earth, the
planet on which we live, is a part of the universe.
Even though the Earth seems really big to us, it’s

268 Exploring Science-8

actually a very tiny part of the universe. It appear to move? Where is this star located?
revolves around a star called the Sun. e Sun is You will nd that all the stars on the spokes
just one star in the Milky Way galaxy that appear to move. However, the star located at
contains over 300 billion stars, and scientists the top of the central rod (handle) does not
estimate that there are over 170 billion galaxies in appear to move.
the universe! Now suppose, if the central rod of the umbrella
However, most of the universe is made up of was the axis of the Earth on which the Earth
empty space. rotates, then the star just above the axis would
STARS seem to be stationary from the Earth, while
Stars are huge, spinning, celestial objects that other stars would seem to be moving.
are extremely hot and emit light. ey are
spherical in shape. Most of the stars are made up
of two gases—hydrogen and helium. e heat
and light of the star are produced by the nuclear
fusion reaction taking place inside them all the
time. In the centre of a star, the hydrogen atoms
fuse to form helium atoms.
e Sun we see in the sky during the daytime is
also a star. It is a medium-sized star. Some stars
are smaller than the Sun, while some are bigger Fig.1 Pole star does not appear to move
than the Sun. e stars appear to be small tiny While all stars in the sky seem to be moving,
objects in the sky because they are extremely far there is one star which does not appear to move
away from us. e Sun is much closer to the
in the sky at all. It is called the Pole Star (Dhruva
Earth in comparison to other stars. at is why, it
Tara). e pole star appears to be stationary in
looks much bigger and brighter than other stars.
the sky, i.e., it does not change its position in the
e Sun is nearly 150,000,000 kilometres (150
sky with time. e pole star appears to be
million km) away from the Earth. e next
stationary in the sky because it is located just
nearest star is Proxima Centauri. It is at a
distance of about 40,000,000,000,000 km from above the North Pole, in the line of the axis of the
the Earth. Earth. In the night sky, the Pole Star always
points to the north direction. Before the
invention of the magnetic compass, explorers
Activity-1
and travellers used the Pole Star to nd the north
Take an umbrella and open it. Make about 10- directions at night.
15 stars out of white paper. Paste one star at the Pole star
position of the central rod of the umbrella and
others at different places on the cloth near the
end of each spoke (Fig.1). Now rotate the
umbrella by holding its central rod in your
hand. Observe the paper stars on the rotating
umbrella. Is there any star which does not
Fig.2 Apparent movement of stars
Stars and the Solar System 269
 Measuring Distances in the Universe
We know that the universe is vast. Celestial
objects in the universe may be located extremely
far apart. In such situations, the units we use for
measuring large distances on Earth seem to be
too small. We have studied that the distance
between the Earth and the Sun is close to 150
million kilometres (150,000,000 kilometres). As
we start measuring larger distances between
celestial bodies, it becomes very inconvenient to
write distances in units like kilometres.
Astronomers, therefore, use a different unit
to measure distances in space. Instead of
kilometres, they use a unit called a light-year.
A light-year is the distance travelled by light in
one year. We know that the speed of light is
about 3,00,000 km/s, i.e., light travels a distance
of about 3,00,000 km in one second. Now, we can
also calculate the number of seconds in one year
(60 x 60 x 24 x 365 = 3,15,36,000 seconds).
erefore, 1 Light-year = 3,00,000 x 3,15,36,000
= 94,60,80,00,00,000 kilometres
= 9.46 x 1012 kilometres
Always remember that a light-year is a unit of
distance, and not of time. We earlier studied
that the nearest star to the Earth, next to the Sun
is Proxima Centauri. It is at a distance of about
4,00,00,00,00,00,000 km from the Earth. In
respect to light-years, Proxima Centauri is 4.3
light-years from Earth. It means that light from
this star takes over 4 years to reach the Earth.
is also means that if we pick up the telescope,
and look at Proxima Centauri in the sky, we
would be looking at it as it was 4.3 years ago! e
light from the Sun reaches us in about eight
minutes. So, the distance of the Sun from the
Earth is said to be about eight light minutes.
Constellations
ere are about 10,000 billion stars in the
270 Exploring Science-8
universe. When we look at the night sky, we can
see thousands of stars in the sky. ousands of
years ago, people used to look at the night sky
and draw imaginary pictures around the stars.
ey used to remember the stars and the patterns
they make through these imaginary shapes. For
example, a few stars grouped together formed the
shape of a bear. ey called this group of stars the
Great Bear constellation. A few other stars
grouped together formed the shape of a hunter.
ey called this group of stars as the Orion
constellation. Today also, we can identify speci c
stars by looking at the patterns they form.
A group of stars which appear to form some
recognisable shape or pattern is known as a
constellation. Today, astronomers have
recognised 88 such constellations in the night
sky. e shape of these constellations always
remains the same. ey appear to move from
east to west in the night sky. Each constellation
has been given a name to signify the object which
it appears to resemble.
Let us study about a few constellations that can
be easily located in the night sky.
Ursa Major (Great Bear)
e Ursa Major constellation is one of the most
easily recognised constellations in the night sky.
It is also known as ‘Great Bear’, ‘Big Dipper’ or
‘Plough’. In India, it is known as ‘Saptrishi ’.
ere are seven prominent bright stars in this
constellation. It is known as the Big Dipper
because it resembles a ladle (dipper), which was
used to drink water in the olden days. Four stars
form the bowl of the dipper, and the rest three
stars form the handle of the dipper.
You can also locate the Pole Star with the help of
Ursa Major. It is located just above the front two
stars of the Ursa Major. e Ursa Major seems to
revolve around the Pole Star in the night sky.
 Pole star

6 1
7 1
5 4 6
7 5 4
2 2
3
3
Fig.3 Ursa Major constellation Fig.4 Locating the pole star Fig.5 Ursa Major/Great Bear
using Ursa Major along with other stars
e Ursa Major constellation is visible in the sky M or W. ey are thought to represent the image
in the summer season. Ursa Major, along with of the Egyptian queen, Cassiopeia.
other stars, also forms the shape of a bear. It is,
therefore, also known as ‘Great Bear’.
Orion (Hunter)
Orion is also called the Hunter. In India, it is
known as ‘Mriga’. It has eight bright stars and
Fig.7 Cassiopeia
several faint ones. e four bright stars mark the
shoulders and legs of the hunter, while the three Scorpius
middle stars represent the belt of the hunter. Scorpius is another prominent constellation
You can locate Sirus, the brightest star in the visible in the northern sky during the summer
sky, with the help of Orion. A straight line season. It consists of seven bright stars and other
through the three middle stars of the Orion faint stars, that are arranged in the shape of a
leads to Sirus. scorpion.

Sirus
Fig.6 Orion (Hunter)
e Orion constellation is visible in the sky in the
winter season.
Cassiopeia
Cassiopeia is another prominent constellation
visible in the northern sky during winter in the
early part of the night. It consists of ve main
stars that are arranged in the shape of a distorted
Fig.8 Scorpius
Knowledge Booster
A constella on does not have only 5-10 stars. It has a
large number of stars. However, we can see only the
bright stars in a constella on with our naked eyes.
All the stars which make up a constella on are not at
the same distance. They are at widely varying distances
from the Earth. When viewed from the Earth, they just
appear to be at the same distance and form a group.
They are just in the same line of sight in the sky.

Stars and the Solar System 271

 Checkpoint-1
Write True or False
1. Earth is a celestial object. _____________
2. Astrologers study the universe. _____________
3. Nuclear reactions take place inside a star. _____________
4. Light year is a unit of time. _____________
5. e pole star appears to revolve around the Ursa Major in the night sky. _____________

SOLAR SYSTEM Compared to other stars in the galaxy, the Sun is

e Sun and the celestial bodies which revolve
around it form the solar system. e solar system
consists of the Sun, eight planets, the satellites of
the planets, and millions of other smaller objects
like asteroids, comets and meteors.
e Sun is the centre of the solar system and all
other objects in the solar system revolve around
the Sun in xed elliptical paths called orbits.
All objects in the solar system revolve around the
Sun because of the immense gravitational pull of
the Sun. e Gravitational force acting
between the Sun and other celestial objects in
the solar system controls the movement of all
objects of the solar system.
Let us study about some of the members of the
Solar Family.
Sun
e Sun is the nearest star to us. It is about 150
million kilometres from the Earth. It is also
about 3,33,000 times as heavy as the Earth. Like
any other star, it is a huge aming ball of hot gases
like hydrogen and helium. e temperature of
the Sun is about 6000oC. It is continuously
emitting huge amounts of heat and light.
It is the star around which all the planets of the
solar system (including the Earth) revolve.
e Sun is the source of almost all energy on the
Earth. In fact, the Sun is the main source of heat
and light for all the planets and their satellites.
272 Exploring Science-8
a medium-sized star and of average brightness.
Fig.9 The Sun
e Planets
Our solar system consists of eight planets that
revolve around the Sun. ey move around the
Sun in closed elliptical paths called orbits. Each
planet has its xed orbit. e planets of the solar
system, in order of their distances from the Sun,
are:
1. Mercury (closest to the Sun)
2. Venus
3. Earth
4. Mars
5. Jupiter (biggest planet)
6. Saturn
7. Uranus
8. Neptune (farthest from the Sun)
Planets do not emit light. We can see planets in
the night sky because they re ect the light of the
Sun. We can distinguish the stars from the
planets in the night sky by the simple fact that the
stars appear to twinkle in the night sky, while the
planets do not.
 Fig.10 The solar system
A planet has a de nite path along which it
revolves around the Sun. is path is called the
orbit of the planet. e time taken by a planet to
complete one revolution around the Sun is
called its period of revolution. For example, the
period of revolution for Earth is 365 ¼ days and
the period of revolution for Mercury is only 88
days. Neptune, being the farthest from the Sun,
takes 165 years to complete one revolution
around the Sun.
Apart from revolving around the Sun, each
planet also rotates on its axis. is causes the day
and night phenomenon on the planets. We know
that the Earth takes 24 hours to complete one
rotation. e time taken by a planet to
complete one rotation on its axis is called its
period of rotation. e period of rotation for
Jupiter is only 9 hours 55 minutes. Jupiter is the
fastest-rotating planet in the solar system. On
the other hand, Venus takes about 243 days to
complete one rotation.
e rst four planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth
and Mars) are called the inner planets. ese
four planets are made of rocks and have metallic
cores. ey are much closer to the Sun and have
very few natural satellites or moons.
e last four planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus
and Neptune) are called the outer planets. ey
are very far from the Sun and have many natural
satellites (moons). e outer planets are giant
planets and have rings around them. ey are
mainly made of hydrogen and helium gases, and
not of rock and metal.
e outer and the inner planets are separated by
a belt of asteroids.

Table: Some facts and figures about the planets

Name of Diameter of Distance from the Time taken for Time taken to Mass of planet No. of
planet planet Sun one revolution turn once on its compared to satellites
around the Sun axis Earth taken as 1 (moons)
1. Mercury 4880 km 58 × 10⁶ km 88 days 58 days 0.055 None

2. Venus 12100 km 108 × 10⁶ km 225 days 243 days 0.8 None

3. Earth 12760 km 150 × 10⁶ km 365 ¼ days 24 hours 37 min 1 1

4. Mars 6780 km 228 × 10⁶ km 687 days 9 hours 50 min 0.1 2

Stars and the Solar System 273

 Name of Diameter of Distance from Time taken for Time taken to Mass of planet No. of
planet planet the Sun one revolution turn once on its compared to satellites
around the Sun axis Earth taken as 1 (moons)
5. Jupiter 142800 km 778 × 10⁶ km 11 ¾ years 9 hours 55 min 318 67

6. Saturn 120000 km 1427 × 10⁶ km 29 ⁄ years 10 hours 14min 95 62

7. Uranus 50800 km 2870 × 10⁶ km 84 years 10 hours 49 min 15 27

8. Neptune 48600 km 4504 × 10⁶ km 165 years 16 hours 3 min 17 14

Knowledge Booster
Till 2006, there were nine planets in the solar system. Pluto was the farthest planet from the Sun.
In 2006, the Interna onal Astronomical Union (IAU) adopted a new defini on of a planet. Pluto does not fit this
defini on and hence, It is no longer a planet of the solar system.

Mercury (Budh) Venus (Shukra)

Mercury is the planet that is nearest to the Sun. It
is also the smallest planet in the solar system.
Mercury is just slightly larger than the Earth’s
Moon. It has no satellite of its own. From the
surface of Mercury, the Sun would appear more
than three times as large as it does when viewed
from the Earth, and the sunlight would be as
much as seven times brighter. Despite its
proximity to the Sun, Mercury is not the hottest
planet in our solar system—that title belongs to
the nearby planet, Venus. But Mercury is the
fastest planet, zipping around the Sun every 88
Earth days. It takes 55 Earth days for Mercury to
complete one rotation on its axis.
Since Mercury is very close to the Sun, it is very
difficult to observe it, as most of the time it is
hidden in the glare of the Sun. However, it can be
observed just before sunrise or just aer sunset,
near the horizon.
Venus is the brightest planet in the night sky. It is
named aer the Roman goddess of love and
beauty. It is the Earth’s nearest planetary
neighbour. Venus is like the Earth in size and
mass. Hence, it is also called the ‘Earth’s twin’. It
is the hottest planet (about 480oC), even hotter
than Mercury, even though it is farther away
from the Sun. e high amount of carbon
dioxide in Venus’ atmosphere causes heating
due to the greenhouse effect.
Venus is also called the ‘veiled planet’ because of
its cloudy atmosphere, which re ects almost
75% of the sunlight falling on it, and makes
Venus the brightest planet in the night sky.
Sometimes Venus appears in the eastern sky
before sunrise. Sometimes it appears in the
western sky just aer sunset. erefore, it is oen
called the ‘morning or evening star’, although it
is not a star.

Fig.11 Mercury Fig.12 Venus Fig.13 Earth Fig.14 Mars

274
Earth (Prithvi)
Our Earth is the h largest planet and the third
in distance from the Sun. It is called the ‘blue
planet’ because two-thirds of its surface is
covered with water. Earth is the only planet in the
solar system on which life, as we know, exists.
Some special environmental conditions are
responsible for the existence and continuation
of life on the Earth. ese include:
u e right distance from the Sun.
u e presence of an atmosphere which
contains gases like nitrogen, oxygen, and
carbon dioxide, which are essential for life.
u Presence of water.
u Presence of a protective blanket of the Ozone
layer high up in the atmosphere. It protects
all life forms from the harmful ultraviolet
rays coming from the Sun.
From space, the Earth appears blue-green due to
the re ection of light from water and landmass
on its surface.
e Earth rotates about its imaginary axis. e
axis of rotation of the Earth is not perpendicular
to the plane of the orbit. It is slightly tilted at an
angle of 23.5o to the perpendicular plane. e
rotation of the Earth is responsible for causing
day and night.
N
Tilt
23.5 Axis
North pole
Equator
Earth
South pole
S
Fig.15 e Earth rotates west to east on its tilted axis
e Earth completes one revolution around the
Sun in 365¼ days. e revolution around the Sun
and the tilt of the Earth’s axis are responsible for
Stars and the Solar System
the change of seasons on the Earth. When the
northern hemisphere is tilted towards the Sun, it
is summer in the northern hemisphere and
winter in the southern hemisphere. When the
southern hemisphere is tilted towards the Sun, it
is summer in the southern hemisphere and
winter in the northern hemisphere.
e Moon is the only natural satellite of the Earth.
Equinox N.P.
S.P.
Solstice
Sun
Solstice
Orbit
Equinox
Fig.16 Earth revolving around the Sun
Mars (Mangal)
Mars is the fourth planet in the solar system. It is
named aer the Roman god of war.
e iron-rich soil and the pink sky make it
appear red. Mars is, therefore, also known as the
‘red planet’. It has a very thin atmosphere which
contains mainly carbon dioxide with small
amounts of nitrogen, oxygen and some noble
gases. e terrain on the surface varies
drastically from deserts to high mountains to
deep craters.
Mars is smaller than Earth and has a small mass.
Since Mars is farther from the Sun, it is a cold
planet. e temperatures over there range from -
120oC to 25oC. Mars has two natural satellites
(moons).
Jupiter (Brihaspati)
Jupiter is the h planet from the Sun. It is also the
largest planet in the solar system. Its size is about
1300 times that of the Earth, but its weight is only
about 318 times that of the Earth. It is the rst
gaseous planet from the Sun. Jupiter rotates very
rapidly on its axis. It has faint rings around it.
275
 Being far away from the Sun, Jupiter receives
much less heat and light, which makes it a cold
planet.
We can easily recognise Jupiter as it appears very
bright in the sky because its thick atmosphere
re ects most of the sunlight falling on it. When
we look at Jupiter with a telescope, we can see a
red spot on its surface. is spot is actually a large
storm that has been raging for hundreds of years.
It is called the ‘Great Red Spot’. e Great Red
Spot itself is several times bigger than Earth.
Jupiter has 67 natural satellites (moons). Four of
the large moons of Jupiter can be seen from the
Earth with the help of a telescope.
Saturn (Shani)
Saturn is the second-largest planet in the solar
system. It appears yellowish in colour. Saturn is
mainly made up of hydrogen and helium. It has a
very low density. It is less dense than water. is
means that if Saturn were kept in a pool of water,
it would oat over it.
What makes Saturn unique in the solar system is
its beautiful rings. Saturn is surrounded by three
colourful wide rings around it. ese rings are
not visible to the naked eye. You can observe
them with a small telescope. e rings are made
of ice and dust particles which revolve around
the planet.
Saturn is an extremely cold planet. It has 62
natural satellites (moons).
Fig.18 Jupiter Fig.19 Saturn
276
Uranus (Arun)
Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun. it is
very far from the Sun, and therefore, very cold.
Aer Jupiter and Saturn, Uranus is the third-
largest planet in the solar system. Like Jupiter
and Saturn, Uranus is also a gaseous planet. It is
made up of hydrogen and helium gas. It is so far
from the Earth, that it looks like a small disc
when viewed through a telescope.
Uranus has a highly tilted axis of rotation.
Because of this, Uranus appears to roll on its side
while orbiting the Sun.
Uranus
Sun
Axis of
rotation
Fig.17 Uranus orbiting around the Sun
Uranus has 27 natural satellites (moons). Uranus
and Venus are the only two planets that rotate
from east to west. e rest of the planets rotate
from west to east.
Neptune (Varun)
Neptune is the eighth planet from the Sun. It is
the farthest planet in the solar system from the
Sun. Neptune is made up of liquid and frozen
hydrogen and helium gases. It has 14 known
natural satellites (moons).
Fig.20 Uranus Fig.21 Netpune
Satellites
An object that revolves around a planet is
called a satellite . For example, the Moon
revolves around the Earth, therefore it is a
satellite of the Earth.
Planet Satellite
Fig.22 A satellite revolves around a planet
A satellite revolves around the planet because of
the gravitational force exerted by the planet on
the satellite. Not all planets have a satellite.
Mercury and Venus have no natural satellites.
Earth has only one natural satellite (the Moon).
e rest of the planets have more than one
natural satellite.
MOON
e Moon is our closest celestial neighbour. It is
about 3,84,400 kilometres from Earth. It is a
natural satellite of the Earth. It appears much
bigger than the stars because it is much nearer to
the Earth.
Fig.23 e Moon
e Moon orbits around the Earth. e Earth
along with the Moon, revolves around the Sun. It
is held in an orbit around the Earth because of
Earth’s gravity. e Moon also rotates on its axis.
e Moon is about one-fourth the size of the
Earth. When astronauts landed on the Moon,
they found that the Moon’s surface is dusty and
barren, and covered with many craters and
mountains. Some of the mountains on the Moon
are as high as the highest mountains on Earth.
e Moon has no water or atmosphere that can
support any kind of life.
Stars and the Solar System
Fig.24 Surface of the Moon
e Moon does not emit light. It shines because
it re ects the light of the Sun.
Moon Sunlight
Sun
Night Day
Earth
Fig.25 Moon is visible because it re ects sunlight
towards the Earth
Phases of Moon
e Moon completes one rotation on its axis in
27.3 days. It takes the same amount of time for
the Moon to complete one revolution around the
Earth. e revolution and rotation of the Moon
are such that only one side of the Moon always
faces the Earth. From the Earth, we can never see
the backside (dark side) of the Moon.
Even the side of the Moon which faces us is not
completely visible to us all the time. Sometimes,
when we look up in the night sky, we see the full
face of the Moon (Purnima), while at other
times, we either see a part of the bright side of the
Moon (waxing/waning), or we can’t see the
Moon at all (Amavasya). e various shapes of
the bright part of the Moon as seen during a
month are called the phases of the moon.
277
 First Quarter S
ra un’s
Half 2 ys
Waning Waning Moon 1
Gibbous Crescent 3 Crescent New
Moon Moon
New Gibbous
Full
Moon MOON Moon Crescent
8
(Purnima) PHASES (Amavasya) Moon
4 Earth

Waxing Waxing Half

bit
Gibbous Crescent Moon

or
n’s
Full 7

oo
Moon Gibbous

M
Last Quarter
5
Fig.26 Phases of the Moon 6

e different phases of the Moon are as follows: Fig.27 Positions of Moon in

New Moon (Amavasya): When the Moon is in
between the Earth and the Sun, we do not see the
Moon at all. It is called the New Moon
(Amavasya). e side of the Moon on which
sunlight falls (bright side), faces away from the
Earth. It is dark on the New Moon night.
Crescent Moon: Two or three days later, we see
only a part of the Moon. is is called the
Crescent Moon.
First Quarter: Every night, the size of the bright,
visible part of the Moon gradually appears to
become bigger and bigger. Within a week, we can
see half of the Moon in the night sky. is is
called the First Quarter.
Gibbous Moon: As the days pass, we can see
more than half of the Moon. is is called the
Gibbous Moon.
Full Moon (Purnima): On the eenth day aer
the New Moon (Amavasya), we can see the full
face of the Moon. is is called the Full Moon
(Purnima). e night sky is the brightest on this
day. On this day, the Earth is positioned between
the Sun and the Moon.
Aer the day of the Full Moon, part of the Moon
gradually starts vanishing from the night sky.
e bright portion of the Moon, facing the Earth,
starts reducing. In about 15 days aer the Full
Moon, we again have the New Moon.
278 Exploring Science-8
its orbit and its phases
e increase in the size of the visible Moon in
the night sky is called the waxing phase of the
Moon. e decrease in the size of the visible
Moon in the night sky is called the waning
phase of the Moon.
Phases of the Moon play an important role in our
social life. Almost all festivals in India are
celebrated according to the phases of the Moon.
For example, Diwali is celebrated on the New
Moon day; Buddha Purnima and Guru Nanak’s
birthday are celebrated on Full Moon day; Maha
Shivratri is celebrated on the thirteenth night of
the waning Moon; Eid-ul-Fitr is observed on the
day following the sighting of a crescent Moon.
e time period between one Full Moon to the
next Full Moon is slightly longer than 29 days. In
many calendars (Moon-based calendars—lunar
calendars), this period is called a month.
OTHER MEMBERS OF THE SOLAR
SYSTEM
Apart from the Sun, planets and satellites, the
solar system also consists of millions of asteroids,
comets and meteoroids. ese are celestial
bodies that are much smaller than planets. All of
their movements are also governed by the
gravitational force of the Sun. Let us study about
them in detail.
Asteroids
A large number of small objects made of rocks
revolve around the Sun, in the gap present
between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. is gap
is called the Asteroid belt, and the rocks oating
around in this gap are called asteroids. e
asteroids can be seen with the help of a large
telescope.
Asteroids are also called ‘minor planets’. ey
are smaller than planets. Large asteroids can be
hundreds of kilometres in diameter, whereas the
smallest asteroids are only hundreds of metres in
diameter. Ceres (diameter 1003 km) is the
largest asteroid seen by astronauts to date.
As
tero
id b
elt
Fig.28 e Asteroid belt
Comets
Comets are celestial objects that revolve around
the Sun in highly elliptical orbits. eir period of
revolution around the Sun is usually very long. A
comet appears generally as a ball of re with a
long bright ‘tail’. e length of the tail grows in
size as it approaches the Sun. e tail of a comet is
always directed away from the Sun.
Many comets are known to appear periodically.
e famous ‘Halley’s Comet’ appears aer every
76 years in the night sky. It last appeared in 1986.
Some people think that comets are the
messengers of disasters, such as wars, epidemics
and oods, but these are all myths and
superstitions. e appearance of a comet is a
Stars and the Solar System
natural phenomenon. We have no reason to be
afraid of it.
Tail of
Sun a comet
Halley’s comet
Head of
a comet
Fig.29 A comet in the sky
Meteors & Meteorites
Some celestial objects regularly enter the
Earth’s atmosphere; they are called meteoroids.
ey are mainly made up of stones. Meteoroids
are much smaller than asteroids and comets.
ey can, however, range in size from tiny sand
grains to big boulders.
At night, when the sky is clear and the Moon is
not there, you may sometimes see a bright streak
of light in the sky. ese are commonly known as
shooting stars, although they are not stars. ey
are actually meteors.
Wh e n a m e t e oroi d e nt e r s t h e E ar t h ’ s
atmosphere at high speed, it heads up due to the
friction of the atmosphere. As it falls, it glows and
evaporates quickly. is forms a bright streak in
the night sky. is bright streak lasts for a very
short time. at is why, it is also called a shooting
star. When a meteoroid falls into the Earth’s
atmosphere and creates a bright streak of light
in the night sky, it is called a meteor. A meteor
is generally an extra-terrestrial, tiny piece of
rock, that enters the Earth’s atmosphere and
vaporises completely in a few seconds.
Some meteors are large, they can reach the Earth
before they evaporate completely. A meteor that
does not burn completely and reaches the
Earth’s surface is called a meteorite.
279
 Meteors and meteorites are believed to be pieces
of asteroids or comets which somehow strayed
away from their orbits around the Sun and fell
into the Earth’s atmosphere.
e Barringer Crater in Arizona, USA was
formed when a large meteorite struck the Earth.
Meteor Showers
When the Earth crosses the tail of a comet,
Fig.30 e Barringer Crater in Arizona (USA)
swarms of meteors are seen. ese are known
Arti cial
as meteor showers. Some meteor showers occur satellite
at regular intervals each year.
ARTIFICIAL SATELLITES Fig.31 An
arti cial satellite
Apart from natural satellites, humans also Earth orbiting around
launch satellites that revolve around the planet. the Earth
ey are called arti cial satellites. e arti cial
satellites revolve around the Earth much closer
than Earth’s natural satellite, the Moon.
Arti cial satellites can carry a large variety of
instruments inside them. Most of the arti cial
satellites have solar panels attached to them.
ey use solar energy to generate electricity for
the equipment they carry.
Arti cial satellites have many practical
applications. ey are used for forecasting
weather and transmitting television and radio
signals.
ey are also used for telecommunication and Fig.32 Mangalyaan—An Indian satellite
remote sensing.
e rst arti cial satellite was launched by Knowledge Booster
the USSR on 4th October 1957. It was called On July 21, 1969 (Indian me) the American astronaut,
Neil Armstrong, landed on the Moon. He became the
Sputnik-I. first person ever to land on the Moon. He was followed
India has built and launched several arti cial by Edwin Aldrin.
satellites. Aryabhata was the rst Indian satellite.
Fig.33
Some other Indian satellites are INSAT, Edwin Aldrin
IRS, Kalpana-1, EDUSAT, etc. e agency on the Moon
responsible for the development of space science in 1969,
photographed
programmes in our country is the Indian Space by Neil
Research Organisation (ISRO). Armstrong

280 Exploring Science-8

 Knowledge Booster
In ancient mes, it was believed that the Earth was at the centre of the Universe and that the Moon, the planets, the Sun
and stars were orbi ng around it. About 500 years ago, a Polish priest and astronomer, named Nicolaus Copernicus
(1473 – 1543), stated that the Sun was at the centre of the solar system and the planets revolved around it. It was a
revolu onary idea. Even Copernicus hesitated to publish his work. His work was published in the year of his death in 1543.
In 1609, Galileo designed his own telescope. Through this telescope, Galileo observed the moons of Jupiter, the
phases of Venus and the rings of Saturn. He argued that all the planets must orbit the Sun and not the Earth.
Thus, you can see that ideas and concepts grow and change. How about your own ideas? Do you keep your mind open
to accept new ideas when there is a good evidence to support it?

Checkpoint-2
Fill in the blanks
1. e Sun is at the _____________ of the solar system.
2. Members of the Solar family revolve around the Sun in xed elliptical paths called ________.
3. e rst four planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars) are called the __________ planets.
4. e gap present between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter is called the _____________.
5. A comet appears generally as a ball of re with a long bright _____________.

Keywords
Celestial Bodies : Objects that exist in the sky.
Astronomy : Branch of science dealing with the study of the universe.
Astronomers : People who study the universe.
Light-year : Distance travelled by light in one year.
Constellation : Pattern formed by a group of stars.
Orbit : e xed elliptical path along which a planet moves.
Satellite : An object which revolves around a planet.
Extra-terrestrial : From outside the Earth or its atmosphere.

Points to Remember
u e objects that exist in the sky (or outer space), like the Sun, Moon, star, planets and other
objects are known as celestial objects or heavenly bodies.
u e science dealing with the study of the Universe is called astronomy. e scientists who study
the Universe are called astronomers.
u e Universe comprises everything we can touch, feel, sense, measure or detect. It includes
living things, planets, stars, galaxies, light, and even time.
u Stars are huge, spinning, celestial objects that are extremely hot and can emit their light.
u A light-year is the distance travelled by light in one year.
u A group of stars which appear to form some recognisable shape or pattern is known as a
constellation.
u e Sun and the celestial bodies which revolve around it form the solar system.

Stars and the Solar System 281

 u Planets are celestial objects that revolve around the Sun and rotate on their axis. ey have their
xed orbits, and they do not emit light.
u e time taken by a planet to complete one revolution around the Sun is called its period of
revolution.
u e time taken by a planet to complete one rotation on its axis is called its period of rotation.
u A celestial object that revolves around a planet is called a satellite.
u e Moon is our closest celestial neighbour. It is a natural satellite of the Earth.
u e Moon appears to change its shape every day. e various shapes of the bright part of the
Moon, as seen during a month, are called phases of the Moon.
u Apart from the Sun, planets and satellites, the solar system also consists of millions of asteroids,
comets and meteoroids.
u Apart from natural satellites, humans also launch satellites that revolve around the planet. ey
are called arti cial satellites.
u Arti cial satellites have many practical applications, like forecasting weather, transmitting
television and radio signals, telecommunication and remote sensing.

Exercise
A. Tick (3) the Correct Option
1. Which of the following is not a member of the solar system?
(a) An asteroid (b) A constellation
(c) A natural satellite (d) A comet
2. Which of the following is not a planet of the Sun?
(a) Sirius (b) Saturn
(c) Neptune (d) Earth
3. Which is the brightest planet in the night sky?
(a) Venus (b) Mercury
(c) Jupiter (d) Uranus
4. e hottest planet in the solar system is:
(a) Mercury (b) Venus
(c) Earth (d) Sun
5. Phases of the Moon occur because:
(a) we can see only that part of the Moon which re ects light towards us.
(b) our distance from the Moon keeps changing
(c) the shadow of the Earth covers only a part of the Moon’s surface.
(d) the thickness of the Moon’s atmosphere is not constant.
282 Exploring Science-8
 6. e large number of rocks that lie between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter are called:
(a) Comets (b) Constellations
(c) Meteors (d) Asteroids
B. Fill in the Blanks with Suitable Words
1. Stars can emit their own ______________.
2. ______________ reaction takes place inside the stars all the time.
3. ______________ star appears to be stationary in the sky.
4. ______________ is the star around which all planets in the solar system revolve.
5. e planet which is farthest from the Sun is ______________.
6. e planet which appears reddish in colour is ______________.
7. ______________ and ______________ are the only two planets that rotate east to west.
8. A group of stars that appear to form a pattern in the sky is known as a ______________.
9. A celestial body that revolves around a planet is known as ______________.
10. Asteroids are found between the orbits of ______________ and ______________.
C. Very Short-Answer-Type Questions
1. What are celestial objects?
2. What is a light-year?
3. Name the star which remains xed at the same place in the sky, as seen from the Earth.
4. What are constellations?
5. Name three constellations that can be easily recognised in the night sky.
6. Name the celestial objects that form the solar system.
7. Name the planets of the solar system.
8. With respect to a planet, de ne a ‘period of revolution’.
9. With respect to a planet, de ne a ‘period of rotation’.
10. Why is Earth called the blue planet?
11. Which planet has less density than that of water?
12. What are satellites?
13. Name a comet that appears periodically.
14. Name the rst Indian satellite.
D. Short-Answer-Type Questions
1. What are stars made up of? How do they produce heat and light?
2. Why does the Sun appear bigger than other stars in the sky?
3. Why does the Pole Star appear to be stationary in the sky?

Stars and the Solar System 283

 4. How can we see planets in the night sky if they do not emit light? How can we distinguish
between planets and stars in the night sky?
5. How do the inner planets differ from the outer planets?
6. What makes Earth suitable for the existence of life?
7. Why is Mars called the red planet?
8. Why is Venus called the morning or evening star?
9. What kind of surface does the Moon have?
10. Write a short note on asteroids and where they are found.
11. Differentiate between meteors and meteorites.
12. When does a meteor shower occur?
E. Long-Answer-Type Questions
1. Write brief notes on two constellations that can be easily spotted in the sky.
2. With the help of a diagram, explain how the revolution of Earth around the Sun and the tilt
of the axis of the Earth is responsible for the change in seasons.
3. Write a brief note on the largest planet in the solar system.
4. Explain the phases of the Moon with the help of a well-labelled diagram.
5. What are arti cial satellites? How do they work in space? What are their uses?

HOTS
1. If the radius of Jupiter is 11 times the radius of the Earth, calculate the ratio of the volumes of
Jupiter and the Earth. How many Earths can Jupiter accommodate?
2. Why can’t we see stars during the day?
3. On the Earth, the Sun rises in the east and sets in the west. In which direction would the Sun
rise in Venus and Uranus?
4. Why do planets not collide while revolving around the Sun?

Activity Zone
A. Position of the rising Sun—Uttarayan and Dakshinayan:
is activity may last for several weeks. Choose a place from where the eastern horizon is clearly
visible. Also, choose a marker, such as a tree or an electric pole, to mark the position of the rising
Sun. It will be sufficient if you take the observation once every week. On any day, note down the
direction of the rising Sun. Repeat this observation every week. What do you nd? You would have
noted that the point of sunrise changes continuously. From the summer solstice (around 21 June),
the point of sunrise gradually shis towards the south. e Sun is then said to be in Dakshinayan
(moving south). It keeps doing so till the winter solstice (around 22 December). ereaer, the

284 Exploring Science-8

 point of sunrise changes direction and starts moving towards the north. e Sun is now said to be
in Uttarayan (moving north). From the equator, only on two days, on the days of the equinoxes
(around 21 March and 23 September), the Sun rises in the east. On all other days, it rises either
north of east or south of east. So, the direction of the rising Sun is not a good guide to determine
directions. e Pole Star, which de nes North, is a much better indicator of directions.

Project Work
B. Kalpana Chawla became the rst Indian woman to travel to space. She was born in Karnal,
Haryana. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering from
Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh. In 1982, she moved to the USA and obtained a
Master of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Texas and a Ph.D.
in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Colorado. In 1988, she started working at
NASA and was selected for her rst ight in 1996. She was the rst Indian-born woman and
the second Indian person to y in space.
Unfortunately, she was one of the seven astronauts who lost their lives in the Space Shuttle
Columbia disaster on 1 February, 2003. She is a role model for many young women around the
world. Find out about her life, education, space travel and achievements. Make a presentation
on your ndings and share it before the class.
C. e practice of astronomy in ancient India is mentioned in Rig-Veda, which was composed
about 4000 years ago. One of the well-known astronomers of ancient India is Aryabhata. He
wrote the Aryabhatiya in 499 CE when he was just 23 years old. In the Aryabhatiya, he
discarded many popular myths, correctly stated many hypotheses, and made several
calculations to determine the distance between the Earth and the Moon.
Find out more about Aryabhata and his work. Make a detailed report on your ndings.

Science Excursion
D. Along with your classmates and physics teacher, plan a visit to a planetarium. In a
planetarium, you can see the motion of the stars, constellations and planets on a large dome.

e-Resources
Please visit the link given below or scan the QR code for more resources
on this Chapter:

https://www.megamindpublication.com/s-5-science/b-4-exploring-science-8/c-61/
stars-and-the-solar-system.html

Stars and the Solar System 285