Chapter 1

• Celestial Bodies: the sun, the moon plus all those objects
shining in the night sky are called celestial bodies.
• Stars: They have their own heat. They radiate a large amount
of light ex. the Sun.
• Constellations: Basically, these are patterns formed imaginary
outlines by the group of stars ex. Ursa Major, Saptarshi.
• Pole Star: There is one star which always remains in the same
position with respect to the earth. Our ancestors used this
star to navigate the route. They knew that this star indicates
north direction. Hence it is called North Star or Pole Star.
• Planets: Planets are celestial bodies. They do not have their
own heat or light. They are lit by the star ex. the earth.
• Rings: Belt of small debris. You can see them with the help of
a powerful telescope.
• The Solar System = The Sun (head of the family) + Eight
Planets + Satellites + Other Celestial Bodies in the vicinity.
• The Sun: Ultimate source of energy for our family i.e. the
solar system. He is made up of gases and these gases are hot.
The sun is the centre of the solar system.
• Orbits: Planets move around the sun in a fixed path. These
paths are elongated and called orbits.
• Geoid: Earth-like shape (flattened at poles and bulged at the
equator)
• Moon: The moon is an only natural satellite of the earth. The
moon moves around the earth in about 27 days
• Asteroids: small rocky bodies orbiting the sun. Large numbers
of these, ranging enormously in size, are found between the
orbits of Mars and Jupiter.
 • Meteoroids: a small body moving in the solar system that
would become a meteor if it entered the earth’s atmosphere.
• Meteorite: Large piece of rock or metal from space that has
landed on Earth
• Galaxy: A galaxy is a huge system of billions of stars, and
clouds of dust and gases. There are millions of such galaxies
that make the Universe.
• Full Moon: Poornima.
• New Moon: Amavasya

Some Fun Facts That You Should Know

• Word PLANET comes from the word Plantetai which means
the wanderer.
• Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune have rings around them.
• Pluto is a dwarf planet, though, till August 2006, Pluto was
considered a planet
• Only earth supports life because it has water and air, the
temperature is neither too hot nor too cold and optimum to
sustain life.
• Only one side of the moon is visible to us on the earth. Why?
Watch Video explained over there
• Neil Armstrong was the first man to step on the surface of
the moon on 21 July 1969.
• Light travels at the speed 300000 km per second and it
takes 8 minutes for the light to reach to the earth from the
sun.
• The universe is too big it is beyond our imagination.

Why Earth is Called Blue Planet?

Earth surface is 71% ocean, oceans are water and water is blue.
From the outer space, the earth appears blue that is why it is
called the blue planet.

Why the moon changes its shape and size?

Moon doesn’t change its shape but the very bright light of the sun
does not allow us to see everything that is out there. That is the
same reason why we see the other stars and planets in the night
sky and not in daylight.

How Does Planet Differ From Star?

• Planets do not have their own heat or light. They are lit by
the star ex. the earth.
• On the other hand, stars are a source of energy. Stars have a
large amount of heat and they radiate light.

What Is Meant By Solar System?

• The solar system is family and the sun is the head of that
family.
• The solar system consists of the sun, eight planets, satellites
and Other Celestial Bodies in the vicinity.

Why is the earth called a unique planet?

Only earth supports life because it has water and air, the
temperature is neither too hot nor too cold and optimum to
sustain life.
Why Do We See Only One Side of the Moon Always?

Technically it is because of a situation known as synchronous

rotation, or tidal locking.

As of now just remember that Moon takes exactly 27 days to

complete one spin around the earth as wee as for one rotation
around itself.