q('~What is the name for the group of heavenly bodies containing our sun and the 9 planets? ~solar system~Many of these together form a galaxy. Our galaxy is the Milky Way.~Solar is another word for sun. Solar energy is energy we get from the sun.~');
q('~What is the name for everything that exists, all the stars and galaxies and solar systems etc.? ~universe~Many scientists think it started with a big bang~The universe is getting bigger!~');
q('~Which planet is furthest from the sun? ~Pluto~This is the second smallest planet after Mercury.~Pluto was not discovered until 1930.~');
q('~Which planet is between Mars and Saturn? ~Jupiter~It is the biggest planet.~Jupiter has 13 satellites.~');
q('~What do we call the galaxy in which our solar system is located? ~Milky Way~It sounds like something we drink.~The Milky Way is so called because its stars look like spilt milk.~');
q('~What word is given to the amount of material in an object? ~mass~This is measured in kilograms.~The mass of an object never changes; so it is the same on earth as on the moon.~');
q('~What is the name for the many small pieces of planet that orbit the sun between Mars and Jupiter? ~asteroids~These are fragments left over from the formation of the solar system.~Ceres, the largest asteroid, is about 1,000km in diameter.~');
q('~What is the name of the shape of a planet? ~sphere~Balls and oranges have the same shape.~Half of a sphere is called a hemisphere.~');
q('~This is the word for a small heavenly body (not a planet) that moves in a orbit around the sun. ~comet~The most famous of these is named after its discoverer, Halley.~A comet often has long bright tail.~');
q('~What do we call the small piece of dust or rock that enters the earth\'s atmosphere and causes a flash of light in the sky? ~meteor~These are sometimes called shooting stars.~The light is caused when the dust burns up because of friction.~');
q('~What is the name of earth\'s satellite? ~moon~You can see it in the sky at night!~The moon takes about a month to orbit the earth.~');
q('~What is the name for the force that pulls things to the center of the earth? ~gravity~Without this we would fly away into space.~Gravity on the moon is less strong than on the earth.~');
q('~What is the name of the science theory that says the universe was created in a huge explosion? ~Big Bang~The answer sounds like a very loud noise.~And some scientists think they know exactly when it happened.~');
q('~What do we call a man who goes into space in a rocket? ~astronaut~They need to wear a special spacesuit to protect them.~The first astronaut was the Russian Juri Gagarin.~');
q('~What is the scientific name for the shape that planets make as they orbit the sun? ~ellipse~It is the shape of an egg.~Most planets orbit the sun in a horizontal ellipse.~');
q('~What do we call it when the moon passes between the earth and the sun, so that the sun\'s light is blocked out? ~eclipse~It\'s almost the same word as the shape a planet makes when orbiting the sun.~There are both lunar and solar eclipses.~');
q('~What is the name for the layer of gases that surround some planets, including earth? ~atmosphere~The stratosphere and troposphere are parts of this on earth.~Venus too has an atmosphere, which is why it is the hottest planet.~');
q('~What do we call the path a planet takes around the sun? ~orbit~The shape of this path is an ellipse.~Most planets orbit the sun in a horizontal ellipse.~');
q('~What do we call the large indentations on the surface of the moon that were caused by meteorites hitting the moon\'s surface? ~craters~These are some of these on earth too.~The craters of the moon are also called <em>seas</em>.~');
q('~This is the word for the horizontal or vertical alignment of the orbit a planet takes around the sun. ~axis~This is also the name for the horizontal and vertical lines on a graph.~Most planets orbit the sun on a horizontal axis.~');
q('~What is the name of the branch of science that studies space and the planets?  ~astronomy~The word starts with the letters <em>astr</em>.~And an astronomer is a person who does this.~');