What are constellations?
Patterns in the stars in the night sky.
Name two constellations.
Big Dipper, Little Dipper, Ursa Major (Great Bear), Southern Cross, Orion, etc.
How have constellations helped people in the past to survive?
They used them to find their way out of woods, and to navigate the seas.
What is the star closest to Earth after the Sun called?
Proxima Centauri.
What are light years?
Unit of measurement: the distance light travels in one year.
What is a galaxy?
A huge, distant collection of stars.
What are the 3 basic shapes of galaxies?
Spiral, elliptical, and irregular.
What happens when two stars form near each other?
They become "binary stars", which orbit around each other.
What is a star cluster?
Many stars grouped closely together.
How long does it take for light from the Sun to reach Earth?
About 8 minutes. (8.3 minutes)
