What factors determine whether a planet has atmosphere?
8. What factors determine whether a planet has a thick, thin, or no atmosphere? (Please provide all references and complete Urls)
The discovery of Uranus and Neptune.
The first planets discovered since ancient times were Uranus and Neptune. Compare how they were discovered.
What knowledge do comets, meteors, and meteorites solar system?
10. What knowledge do comets, meteors, and meteorites provide to studies of the origin of the solar system? (Please provide all references and complete Urls)
What is your weight on the moon relative to here if your weight on Earth is 145 lbs? Is the Moon's escape velocity greater or less then Earth's? Is the daytime lunar ground temperature higher or lower then Earth's? Would astronomers have predicted an atmosphere on the moon?
Working with the angular diameter of the moon.
Devise a means of measuring the angular diameter of the moon. What is it when the moon is high in the sky? What is it when near the horizon? Estimate the angle separating the moon and sun on a given date and note the moons phase.
How many degrees does the sun travel in one hour? Roughly how long does it take for the whole disk of the sun to set, from the beginning of sunset to the end (ignoring atmospheric and seasonal effects)? Is the setting time, from beginning to end faster or slower in the summer than in the winter? Why?
Existence of Extraterrestrial life
What are the arguments for the Existence of Extraterrestial life? What points do proponents make as proof? What do the the opponents say to counter? Minimum 500 words cite all sources / urls used.
Understanding what electromagnetic waves are and comparing the different types of wavelengths.
Light is one form of electromagnetic radiation. What are electromagnetic waves and what other types are there besides light? Compare their wavelengths.
How can the temperature, composition and motion of an object be determined from its light spectrum. cite references & urls
Understanding where the Sun's energy comes from.
Why do astronomers infer that the Sun's energy comes from nuclear fusion reactions? How do we know it does not come from chemical burning?
