The Spacelink Learning Foundation is a not-for-profit, private-sector UK registered charity, dedicated to improving science education in schools and thereby helping to increase the supply of scientists and engineers and the public understanding of science and space.
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Earth is the third planet from the Sun and is unlike all the other planets in the Solar System this is because it is the only known planet in the Solar System that has life. It is also the only planet with water in its liquid form and the only planet that contains 21% oxygen. The Earth takes approximately 24 hours to rotate fully on its axis, which makes up one Earth day. It takes 365.26 days for the Earth to orbit the Sun, which makes up one Earth year. The Moon is the Earth’s only natural satellite.
In June and July 2003 NASA/JPL sent the Mars Exploration Rovers to Mars which both arrived in January 2004 they were named Spirit and Opportunity. More recently on August 5th 2012 a Mars Rover named Curiosity landed on Mars. This Mars Rover is a car sized robotic rover exploring a crater on Mars. The rover has a number of cameras to view the landing area; it takes photos and sends this information back to earth enabling scientists to direct science investigations from these photos. Curiosity contains 10 science instruments including a laser-firing instrument that can check the essential compositions of rocks from a distance. Curiosity uses a drill and scoop at the end of a robotic arm to gather soil and rock samples which is then moved to its lab instruments.
The rover weighs as much as a MINI cooper
“Welcome to the Helen Sharman Programme. As Britain’s first Astronaut, I’d like to introduce you to the exiciting world of space…”
Helen Sharman, Helen Sharman Programme
Earth’s sun is
4.6
billion
years old
The Sun is our nearest star and can be found at the centre of our Solar System. It is by far the largest object in the Solar System; over one million times bigger than the Earth. The Sun is over 4.6 billion years old. It started as a cloud of dust and gas then slowly formed a massive centre and increased in temperature. The centre of the Sun is its core, and is an amazing 15.6 million degrees Celsius. The Sun’s surface is 5,500 degrees Celsius. It is made up of 92.1% Hydrogen and 7.9% Helium gases. It makes up 98% of the matter in the Solar System and because of its size it has a strong gravitational pull, keeping the Earth, moons and other planets in line. Without this gravitational pull the Solar System wouldn’t be there as the planets as well as everything else would not be orbiting it.
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