What is the Sky?
When we look up during the day, we see a blue sky. This is because sunlight scatters off air
molecules, and blue light scatters the most, so the sky looks blue.
At night, the sky looks dark, and we can see stars, planets, and the Moon.
The Sun appears to rise in the east and set in the west because Earth rotates from west to east
What is the Solar System?
The Solar System is made up of:
One Sun (a star)
8 Planets
Their moons
Other objects like asteroids, comets, and meteoroids
Characteristics of the Planets (With Rotation & Revolution Details)
1. Mercury
Closest planet to the Sun.
No atmosphere, so hot in the day and freezing at night.
Surface: Rocky with craters.
Rotation (Day Length): 59 Earth days
Revolution (Year Length): 88 Earth days
2. Venus
Similar size to Earth.
Covered with thick poisonous clouds of carbon dioxide.
Very hot due to greenhouse effect.
Rotates in opposite direction (sun rises in the west).
Rotation: 243 Earth days (slowest of all planets)
Revolution: 225 Earth days
3. Earth
Only planet known to support life.
Has oxygen, water, and perfect temperature.
One natural moon.
Rotation: 1 day (24 hours)
Revolution: 365.25 days
4. Mars
Called the Red Planet due to iron-rich soil.
Thin atmosphere, very cold.
Has 2 moons.
Rotation: 24.6 hours (almost like Earth)
Revolution: 687 Earth days
5. Jupiter
Largest planet in the solar system.
A gas giant – made of hydrogen and helium.
Has a Great Red Spot (a huge storm).
79 moons (Ganymede is the largest moon in solar system).
Rotation: ~10 hours (fastest rotation)
Revolution: 12 Earth years
6. Saturn
Known for its beautiful rings made of ice and rock.
Another gas giant.
Over 80 moons, including Titan.
Rotation: 10.7 hours
Revolution: 29.5 Earth years
7. Uranus
Called an Ice Giant – contains water, methane, and ammonia.
Rotates on its side (tilted at 98°).
Bluish color due to methane gas.
Rotation: 17.2 hours
Revolution: 84 Earth years
8. Neptune
Farthest planet from the Sun.
Deep blue in color.
Has the strongest winds in the solar system.
14 moons, largest is Triton.
Rotation: 16.1 hours
Revolution: 165 Earth years
Planets with Rotation and Revolution
Planet Rotation Time (Length of a Day) Revolution Time (Length of a Year)
Mercury 59 Earth days 88 Earth days
Venus 243 Earth days (retrograde) 225 Earth days
Earth 24 hours (1 day) 365.25 days
Mars 24.6 hours 687 days
Jupiter 9.9 hours 12 Earth years
Saturn 10.7 hours 29.5 Earth years
Uranus 17.2 hours 84 Earth years
Neptune 16.1 hours 165 Earth years
The rotation of a planet decides the length of one day.
The revolution of a planet decides its year length.
Jupiter has the fastest day (just 10 hours), and Venus has the longest.
Venus and Uranus rotate in opposite direction compared to other planets.
Planet Position Type Atmosphere / Surface Temperature Moons
Mercury 1st Terrestrial No atmosphere, cratered –180 to 430 °C 0
Venus 2nd Terrestrial Thick CO₂ clouds ~465 °C 0
Earth 3rd Terrestrial Nitrogen/oxygen, water –88 to 58 °C 1
Mars 4th Terrestrial Thin CO₂, ice caps –125 to 20 °C 2
Jupiter 5th Gas giant H₂ & He, Great Red Spot –145 °C (cloud tops) ~79
Saturn 6th Gas giant H₂ & He, rings –178 °C ~83
Uranus 7th Ice giant H₂, He, methane –197 °C ~27
Neptune 8th Ice giant H₂, He, methane –201 °C ~14
What is a Constellation?
A constellation is a group of stars that form a pattern or shape in the night sky.
People long ago connected the stars like dots to form pictures, animals, or objects.
These star patterns helped ancient people find directions and track time.
Why are Constellations Important?
They help us locate stars and planets in the sky easily.
Each constellation is like a map of the stars.
Different cultures have their own stories and names for constellations.
Some Famous Constellations
1. Orion (The Hunter):
o Looks like a hunter with a belt of three bright stars.
o Easy to spot in winter nights.
2. Ursa Major (The Big Bear):
o Contains the famous Big Dipper asterism.
o Helps find the North Star (Polaris).
3. Cassiopeia:
o Looks like a W or M shape.
o Located opposite to Ursa Major around the North Star.
How to Recognize Constellations?
Use bright stars as reference points.
Connect the stars in your mind or on paper to see the pattern.
Use star charts or apps to help identify constellations.
Summary
A constellation is a pattern of stars forming shapes or pictures.
They are useful for navigation and identifying stars.
Famous constellations like Orion and Ursa Major are visible from Earth.
Constellations make it easier to understand the night sky
What is the Pole Star?
The Pole Star is a bright star that is almost directly above the North Pole of the Earth.
It is also called the North Star or Polaris.
It always appears fixed in the northern sky, even as other stars seem to move.
Table of Different Constellations with Bright and Faint Stars
Constellation Name Shape / Looks Like Bright Star(s) Faint Star(s)
Orion A Hunter Betelgeuse, Rigel Bellatrix, Saiph
Ursa Major Big Bear / Big Dipper Dubhe, Merak Megrez, Phecda
Ursa Minor Little Bear / Little Dipper Polaris (North Star) Kochab, Pherkad
Cassiopeia Letter W or M Schedar, Caph Ruchbah, Navi
Leo A Lion Regulus Denebola, Algieba
Scorpius A Scorpion Antares Shaula, Sargas
Elnath, Alcyone (in
Taurus A Bull Aldebaran
Pleiades)
1. Asteroids
Asteroids are small, rocky objects that revolve around the Sun.
They are not round like planets and come in irregular shapes.
Asteroids are much smaller than planets.
Most of them are found in a region called the Asteroid Belt – located between the orbits of Mars
and Jupiter.
They are made of rock, metals, and minerals.
Asteroids do not have tails.
Example:
Ceres (the largest asteroid, also a dwarf planet)
Vesta, Pallas, Eros
2. Comets
Comets are made of ice, dust, and small rocky particles.
They move around the Sun in long, oval-shaped (elliptical) orbits.
When a comet comes near the Sun:
o The heat melts the ice.
o This forms a bright glowing head (coma) and a long tail.
The tail always points away from the Sun because of solar wind.
Comets are sometimes called “dirty snowballs” because they are made of ice and dust.
Example:
Halley’s Comet (seen once every 76 years)
Hale-Bopp, Comet NEOWISE
3. Meteoroids, Meteors, and Meteorites
a) Meteoroids
These are small rocks or particles moving through space.
They are smaller than asteroids.
b) Meteors
When a meteoroid enters the Earth's atmosphere, it begins to burn due to friction.
It creates a streak of light in the sky — this is called a meteor or shooting star.
It does not reach the ground most of the time — it burns up completely.
c) Meteorites
If a meteor does not burn completely and a part of it falls on Earth, it is called a meteorite.
ACTIVITY
As per bridge course