Moons of the Solar System

Many of the moons in our solar system are more interesting than some of the planets. We have found moons with oceans, volcanoes, geysers and earthquakes. There are moons that look like rocks, sponges and cheese. How many moons are there in the solar system? What is the difference between a moon and a planet? Take a trip around the solar system and see what the moons have to offer your curiosity.

This Course includes the following great BONUS LESSONS:

• What on Earth is Astronomy?

• Mini-Lesson: Eclipses

• Mini-Lesson: Meteor Showers

• Mini-Lesson: Aurora

• Project Artemis: America Returns to the Moon

Moons of the Solar System

Objective

Warm-up activity

Moons and their effects on planets

Moons in our Solar System

Definition and characteristics of a moon

Moon name origins

Dwarf planet moons

Pluto’s moons

Focus on Charon

The moons of Neptune

Triton: geological activity, geysers and retrograde motion

Synchronic orbits

Finding and naming Neptune’s moons

The moons of Uranus

Canyons on Miranda

Moons and a planet’s rings

Shepherd moons

Saturn and its moons

Enceladus, and its geyser plumes and underground oceans

A discussion of false color images

Titan and its thick atmosphere

The Cassini orbiter and Huygens lander

Mimas and the Herschel crater

Rhea and cratering

Hyperion, the sponge moon

Jupiter and its moons

The Galilean moons Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto

Io and volcanic activity

Europa and its underground oceans

Europa’s stripes and what they might mean

Ganymede: the largest moon in the Solar System

Callisto

Mars and its asteroid moons

Very small moons and gravity

Earth and its moon

The moons size and influence on the Earth

Geology, water and gravity

Manned missions to our moon

Asteroids and their moons

Test Questions

Cross Curricular Activities