Question 1

What is the Solar System?

Accepted Answer

The Solar System is where we live! It's made up of the Sun and everything that orbits around it, like planets, moons, asteroids, and comets.

Question 2

How many planets are in the Solar System?

Accepted Answer

There are eight planets in the Solar System. They are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

Question 3

What is the biggest planet in the Solar System?

Accepted Answer

The biggest planet in the Solar System is Jupiter. It’s so big that over 1,300 Earths could fit inside it!

Question 4

What is a moon?

Accepted Answer

A moon is a natural object that orbits a planet. Earth has one moon, but other planets, like Jupiter, have lots of moons!

Question 5

Why do we have day and night?

Accepted Answer

We have day and night because Earth spins around like a top. When your side of Earth faces the Sun, it’s day. When it turns away, it's night.

Question 6

Why is Pluto not a planet anymore?

Accepted Answer

Pluto is not called a planet because it’s too small and its orbit is different from the eight main planets. It's now called a dwarf planet.

Question 7

What is an asteroid?

Accepted Answer

An asteroid is a big rock that orbits the Sun. Most asteroids are found in the Asteroid Belt between Mars and Jupiter.

Question 8

What is a comet?

Accepted Answer

A comet is a small icy object that orbits the Sun. When a comet gets close to the Sun, it grows a bright tail that can be seen in the sky.

Question 9

What is the Sun?

Accepted Answer

The Sun is a giant ball of hot gas that gives us light and heat. It is a star and is much bigger than all the planets in the Solar System.

Question 10

What is a star?

Accepted Answer

A star is a huge glowing ball of gas in space. Our Sun is a star, but there are billions of other stars far away from us in the sky.

Question 11

What is the Milky Way?

Accepted Answer

The Milky Way is the giant galaxy that contains our Solar System. It has billions of stars all over, making it look like a milky band in the night sky.

Question 12

What is a black hole?

Accepted Answer

A black hole is a place in space where gravity is so strong that even light cannot escape from it. They are formed when very large stars collapse.

Question 13

What is a galaxy?

Accepted Answer

A galaxy is a huge group of stars, dust, and gas all held together by gravity. Our Earth is part of the Milky Way Galaxy.

Question 14

How do spacecraft travel to other planets?

Accepted Answer

Spacecraft travel to other planets by using powerful rockets to break free from Earth’s gravity. They then coast through space until they reach their destination.

Question 15

What is the difference between a planet and a star?

Accepted Answer

A planet is a big round object that orbits a star and doesn’t make its own light. A star, like the Sun, is a huge ball of gas that shines brightly.

Question 16

What is a space probe?

Accepted Answer

A space probe is a spacecraft that travels into space to collect information and send it back to us. Some have visited planets, moons, and even the Sun!

Question 17

Can humans live on any other planets?

Accepted Answer

Right now, humans can't live on other planets because they don’t have the air and water we need. Scientists are studying places like Mars to see if it could be possible in the future.

Question 18

Why do stars twinkle?

Accepted Answer

Stars twinkle because when their light travels through Earth's atmosphere, it gets bent and bounces around. This makes us see the stars as if they’re flickering in the sky.

Question 19

What are shooting stars?

Accepted Answer

Shooting stars aren’t really stars. They are tiny rocks from space, called meteoroids, that burn up very quickly when they enter Earth’s atmosphere, creating a bright streak in the sky.

Question 20

What is gravity?

Accepted Answer

Gravity is an invisible force that pulls objects toward each other. It’s what makes things fall to the ground and keeps the planets orbiting the Sun.

The Solar System and Beyond - 20 FAQs Explained Simply