2.3 Solar System Discoveries

Question 1

How was Ceres discovered?

Accepted Answer

predictions of a planet between Mars and Jupiter

Question 2

What are Galileo's key discoveries?

Accepted Answer

spots on the Sun, mountains and craters on the Moon, the moons of Jupiter, the changing size and phases of Venus

Question 3

Who discovered more comets than William Herschel?

Accepted Answer

his sister, Caroline

Question 4

What are Kepler's laws of planetary motion?

Accepted Answer

P2 = r3, the p;anets' orbits are ellipses, the planets sweep out equal areas in equal times

Question 5

What is Copernicus' main contribution to astronomy?

Accepted Answer

he worked out that the planets revolve around the Sun

Question 6

What Law (discovered by Newton) does gravity follow?

Accepted Answer

the inverse square law

Question 7

How did William Herschel discover Uranus?

Accepted Answer

by patiently observing the sky over many weeks

Question 8

What new technology enabled Pluto to be discovered?

Accepted Answer

photography

Question 9

In what order were these discoveries made?

Accepted Answer

Uranus, Ceres, Neptune, Pluto

Question 10

What is Tycho Brahe's main achievement in astronomy?

Accepted Answer

accurate positions of stars and planets over many years

Question 11

How was Neptune discovered?

Accepted Answer

Gravitational perturbation of Uranus

Question 12

What type of telescope did Galileo use?

Accepted Answer

Refracting telescope

Questions 12