Notes

Hogwarts Astronomy-

Astronomy is one of humanity's oldest sciences, Constellations are groups of stars in the sky that form a symbol or person or animal, etc.

Zodiac signs:
Aquarius ~ January 20th to February 18th
Pisces ~ February 19th to March 20th
Aries ~ March 21st to April 19th
Taurus ~ April 20th to May 20th
Gemini ~ May 21st to June 20th
Cancer ~ June 21st to July 22nd
Leo ~ July 23rd to August 22nd
Virgo ~ August 23rd to September 22nd
Libra ~ September 23rd to October 22nd
Scorpio ~ October 23nd to November 21st
Sagittarius ~ November 22nd to December 21st
Capricorn ~ December 22nd to January 19th

Mercury:
-Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun.
-Mercury does not have any moons or rings.
-Your weight on Mercury would be 38% of your weight on Earth.
-A day on the surface of Mercury lasts 176 Earth days.
-A year on Mercury takes 88 Earth days.
-Mercury has a diameter of 4,879 km, making it the smallest planet.
-It’s not known who discovered Mercury.
-Mercury is the smallest planet in the Solar System.
-Mercury has a molten core.
-Mercury is the smallest planet in the Solar System.
-Mercury is the second densest planet.
-Mercury is only the second hottest planet.
-Mercury is the most cratered planet in the Solar System.
-Only two spacecraft have ever visited Mercury.
-Mercury is named for the Roman messenger to the gods.
-Mercury has an atmosphere (sort of).

Venus:
-Venus is the second planet from the Sun and is the second brightest object in the night sky after the Moon.
-Named after the Roman goddess of love and beauty.
-Venus does not have any moons or rings.
-Venus is nearly as big as the Earth with a diameter of 12,104 km.
-Venus is thought to be made up of a central iron core, rocky mantle and silicate crust.
-A day on the surface of Venus would appear to take 117 Earth days.
-A year on Venus takes 225 Earth days.
-The surface temperature on Venus can reach 471 °C.
-A day on Venus lasts longer than a year.
-Venus rotates in the opposite direction to most other planets.
-Venus is the second brightest object in the night sky.
-Atmospheric pressure on Venus is 92 times greater than the Earth’s.
-Venus is often called the Earth’s sister planet.
-Venus is also known as the Morning Star and the Evening Star.
-Venus is the hottest planet in our solar system.
-The Russians sent the first mission to Venus.
-At one point it was thought Venus might be a tropical paradise.

Earth:
-Earth is the third planet from the Sun and is the largest of the terrestrial planets.
-The Earth is the only planet in our solar system not to be named after a Greek or Roman god.
-The Earth was formed approximately 4.54 billion years ago and is the only known planet to support life.
-The Earth’s rotation is gradually slowing.
-The Earth was once believed to be the centre of the universe.
-Earth has a powerful magnetic field.
-There is only one natural satellite of the planet Earth.
-The Earth is the densest planet in the Solar System.
-70% of the Earth’s surface is covered in water.
-The Earth is not actually round in shape, in fact it is geoid.
-Only 3% water of the earth is fresh, rest 97% salted. Of that 3%, over 2% is frozen in ice sheets and glaciers. Means less than 1% fresh water is found in lakes, rivers and underground.
-Each winter there are about 1 septillion (1, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000 or a trillion trillion) snow crystals that drop from the sky.

Mars:
-Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and is the second smallest planet in the solar system.
-Named after the Roman god of war.
-Often known as the "Red planet"
-Mars and Earth have approximately the same landmass.
-Mars is home to the tallest mountain in the solar system.
-Only 18 missions to Mars have been successful.
-Mars has the largest dust storms in the solar system.
-On Mars the Sun appears about half the size as it does on Earth.
-Pieces of Mars have fallen to Earth.
-There are signs of liquid water on Mars.
-One day Mars will have a ring.

Jupiter:
-The planet Jupiter is the fifth planet out from the Sun.
-It is made primarily of gases and is therefore known as a “gas giant”.
-Jupiter is the fourth brightest object in the solar system.
-The ancient Babylonians were the first to record their sightings of Jupiter.
-Jupiter has the shortest day of all the planets.
-Jupiter orbits the Sun once every 11.8 Earth years.
-Jupiter has unique cloud features.
-The Great Red Spot is a huge storm on Jupiter.
-Jupiter’s interior is made of rock, metal, and hydrogen compounds.
-Jupiter’s moon Ganymede is the largest moon in the solar system.
-Jupiter has a thin ring system.
-Eight spacecraft have visited Jupiter.

Saturn:
-Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun.
-most distant that can be seen with the naked eye.
-Saturn is the second largest planet and is best known for its fabulous ring system.
-Saturn was known to the ancients, including the Babylonians and Far Eastern observers.
-Saturn is the flattest planet.
-Saturn orbits the Sun once every 29.4 Earth years.
-Saturn’s upper atmosphere is divided into bands of clouds.
-Saturn has oval-shaped storms similar to Jupiter’s.
-Saturn is made mostly of hydrogen.
-Saturn has the most extensive rings in the solar system.
-Saturn has 150 moons and smaller moonlets.
-Titan is a moon with complex and dense nitrogen-rich atmosphere.
-Four spacecraft have visited Saturn.

Uranus:
-Uranus was officially discovered by Sir William Herschel in 1781.
-Uranus turns on its axis once every 17 hours, 14 minutes.
-Uranus makes one trip around the Sun every 84 Earth years.
-Uranus is often referred to as an “ice giant” planet.
-Uranus hits the coldest temperatures of any planet.
-Uranus has two sets of very thin dark coloured rings.
-Uranus’ moons are named after characters created by William Shakespeare and Alexander Pope.
-Only one spacecraft has flown by Uranus.

Neptune:
-Neptune is the eighth planet from the sun, it's the most distant in the solar system.
-Neptune was not known to the ancients.
-Neptune spins on its axis very rapidly.
-Neptune is the smallest of the ice giants.
-The atmosphere of Neptune is made of hydrogen and helium, with some methane.
-Neptune is named after a Roman god!
-Neptune has a very active climate.
-Neptune has a very thin collection of rings.
-Neptune has 14 moons.
-Only one spacecraft has flown by Neptune.