Outer Planets - Astronomy
What are the 3 theories that explain how Saturn's rings formed?
1) Gravitational disruption of satellites 2) Fragmentation of moons 3) Accretionary remnant
What is the Red Spot of Jupiter?
A high pressure storm system in the atmosphere, long-lived (observed since the 1600s), made of a reddish colored material (but we don't know what causes the reddish color), and is variable in size
When two objects in orbit have periods of revolution that are simple ratios of each other (such as 1 to 2 or 1 to 3) we say that we have what?
A resonance
What is happening at Saturn's southern pole?
A storm that resembles a hurricane
Which of the following is NOT a way that the moon Titan probably resembles the Earth?
At its surface the temperature and pressure are just right for water to exist in all three phases (gas, liquid and ice)
Why does Europa have few craters?
Because it has erased craters nearly as fast as they formed
Which of the following in Saturn's rings is/are produced by the gravitational interaction of Mimas with the particles in the rings and appears as a large gap in the rings?
Cassini's division
What are Saturn's rings?
Composed of ice particles, in the plane of the planet's equator, and within the planet's Roche limit
What is the satellite whose surface is characterized by a smooth icy crust with a complex network of cracks?
Europa
Which of the Galilean satellites are geologically active?
Europa and Io
The four large moons of Jupiter were first discovered by who?
Galileo with his early telescope
When astronomers say that Ganymede is a differentiated body, they mean that it has what?
Has a heavier core, surrounded by a lighter, icy mantle and crust
What element can act like a metal when it is under tremendous pressure and is probably responsible for Jupiter's magnetism?
Hydrogen
What is the most abundant element in the giant (jovian) planets?
Hydrogen
What features are abundant on Callisto and Ganymede and almost absent on Europa and Io?
Impact craters
What world in the solar system is most active volcanically?
Io
Which of the following statements about Jupiter's magnetosphere is true?
It extends over the inner satellites of Jupiter and is one of the largest structures in the solar system
What is exciting about Saturn's moon Enceladus?
It has the potential to have alien life on it and is one of the brightest objects in our solar system
What is Cassini's (Saturn's latest mission) mission objective?
It is designed to explore Saturn's system, including its rings and moons, with a special focus on Titan
Why is the study of Titan important?
It's the only moon in our solar system that has a remarkable atmosphere, and it resembles Earth in many ways
Which of the following statements about the seasons on Jupiter is correct?
Jupiter's axis is hardly tilted, so it has no real seasonal variations
The bluish color that makes the atmosphere of Neptune so beautiful to the human eye is caused by the interaction of sunlight with what gas?
Methane
The upper clouds in the atmosphere of Neptune are composed of what?
Methane
What is fragmentation of moons?
Moons of Saturn collide with each other and other bodies, therefore breaking up and having the fragments become part of the ring system
In the far future, a daring interplanetary tourist want to go "hang-gliding" on the Jovian planet with the highest equatorial wind speeds. Which planet would have the fastest wind at its equator?
Neptune
What Jovian planet has the longest year (period of revolution)?
Neptune
Why are Saturn's rings so flat and well organized?
Over time, the inclined particles of the rings lose their inclination or become destroyed, leaving a flat and well organized ring system
What has Cassini discovered?
Propeller-like formations, the possible birth of a new moon, and what may be one of the most active and chaotic rings in our solar system (F ring)
What is accretionary remnant?
Rings are formed from primordial debris that was not accreted to form Saturn initially
What is gravitation disruption of satellites?
Saturn's gravitational pull tears anything apart that gets too close, and the fragments become part of the ring system
Large, gaseous planets like Jupiter can still generate significant amounts of heat today by?
Shrinking slightly under their own gravity
What is the cause of many volcanic/geyser like eruptions on the moon Io?
The gravitational stress of being so close to Jupiter and its other large moons heats Io's inside
One reason that we have such a complex system of belts/zones/storms in Jupiter's atmosphere is because...?
The magnetic field is not centered inside
What is the weird phenomenon at Saturn's northern pole?
There's a hexagon shape around it
What do both Jupiter and Saturn have in common?
They both emit more energy than they absorb from the sun, have belt and zone circulation, have rings, and have liquid metallic hydrogen in their interiors
Which of the following statements about the geysers on the moon Triton is true?
They involve plumes of nitrogen on the sunlit side of Triton
What satellite has the thickest atmosphere (quite a surprise for a satellite)?
Titan
Which of the following objects may have organic particles on its surface as a result of the interaction of sunlight with methane in its upper atmosphere?
Titan
What planet orbits "on its side" (i.e., has its rotation axis perpendicular to the plane of its orbit)?
Uranus
What are Saturn's ring particles mainly composed of?
Water ice
