Facts For Kids

Category: Astronomy

  • Neptune Facts For Kids | Top 30 Most Amazing Facts

    Neptune Facts For Kids | Top 30 Most Amazing Facts

    Neptune, a vivid blue-colored planet, remained undiscovered for many years since it was not accidentally found just like other planets. Scientists found it mathematically. Neptune is the most distant planet in our solar system but the discovery of Pluto in 1930 made Neptune the second most. The same belief continued until 2006 when International Astronomical Union decided that Pluto isn’t a planet anymore. From now on, Neptune is the most distant planet. Now get ready for the most interesting Neptune facts for kids.

    Neptune Facts For Kids

    Who Discovered Neptune?

    Galileo Galilee was the first one to point out Neptune as a star through a small telescope in 1612 – 1613 but he never marked it as a planet with surety. It was the Johann Gottfried Galle, a German astronomer, who discovered the planet Neptune in 1846. Before this, Neptune was nowhere in our solar system according to our scientists. Nevertheless, the discovery of Pluto as a mere dwarf planet stimulated the significance of Neptune in recent years.

    Neptune has the Longest Year

    For the reason that Neptune is very far from the sun, it takes Neptune too many years to complete one orbit. You can well imagine that a single year in Neptune is equal to 164.79 earth years.

    Neptune Is the Coolest Planet

    Neptune is by far the coolest planet in our solar system as its temperature often drops to minus 353 degree Fahrenheit.

    Neptune is a Windy Planet

    Neptune is the planet where strong winds and storms are not uncommon. They are almost ten times stronger as compared to the hurricanes on earth.

    Fast Facts about the Planet Neptune

    • The mass of the planet Neptune measures around 102.43 x 1024 kg
    • Neptune has the volume of 6.254 x 1010 km3
    • The average density of Neptune is 1.638 grams/cm3
    • The mean diameter is 49,244 km
    • The mean radius is 24,622 km
    • There is no planetary ring system in our home planet whereas Neptune has rings.
    • The black-body temperature of Neptune is 46.6 k.
    • The perihelion measures around 4,444.45 x 106 km
    • Neptune has the escape velocity of 23.5 km/s
    • There are 13 natural satellites of the planet Neptune
    • The average orbital velocity is 5.43 km/s
    • The orbit period in Neptune is 60,183 days
    • It has the maximum visual magnitude of 7.78
    • Neptune has the Axial tilt of 28.32o
    • The surface gravity of Neptune is 11.15 m/s2

    Orbital Parameters | Neptune Facts For Kids

    • The semimajor axis of Neptune is about 4,495.06 x 106 km
    • The sidereal rotation period of this planet is 60,189.9 days
    • The tropical orbit period in Neptune is 59,799.9 days
    • The synodic period in Neptune 367.49 days
    • The length of the day in Neptune is 16.11 hours
    • Neptune has an orbit eccentricity of 0.0113
    • It has the orbit inclination of 1.769o

    Neptune Observational Parameters | Neptune Facts for Kids

    • Neptune has the minimum apparent diameter of 2.2 arc seconds from Earth
    • Neptune has the maximum apparent diameter of 2.4 arc seconds from Earth
    • Scientists discovered Neptune in 23rd September 1846
    • It has a maximum distance of 4,687,300,000 km from the earth
    • The minimum distance of Neptune from the planet Earth is 4,305,900,000 km

    Neptunian Atmosphere | Neptune Facts for Kids

    • It has the surface pressure of about 1000 bars
    • The temperature at 1 bar equals to 72 K (-201 C)
    • The density at 1 bar equals to 55 K (-218 C)
    • The wind speed in Neptune is 0 to 580 m/s
  • Facts About The Sun For Kids | The Brightest Star

    Facts About The Sun For Kids | The Brightest Star

    The first thing you should know about the Sun is that it is not a planet but a star. A spherical-shaped star is actually made up of burning plasma interconnected with magnetic fields. There was a time when astronomers thought it as an undersized star with little or no significance. But not anymore because today scientists believe the Sun is more dazzling than almost 85 percent of all the stars in our galaxy. The sunlight is extremely important to keep the natural life in our planet alive through the process of photosynthesis. Not only this, the energy from the Sun also changes the meteorological conditions of the Earth. Hence the Sun is a bright star with lots of elements. Aren’t they one of the enthralling facts about the Sun for kids? If yes, then just don’t break off here because we’re going to have a thrilling journey to explore some of the wonderful facts about the Sun for kids.

    Some Of The Amazing Facts About The Sun For Kids

    • Sun is present at the focal point of our solar system.
    • The size of the Sun is about 109 times bigger than our planet (Earth).
    • About 99.86 percent of the mass of our solar system is present inside the Sun.
    • Almost three-quarters of the mass of Sun are comprised of Hydrogen whereas the remaining consists of Helium.
    • Sun was created way back 4.6 billion years before.
    • After every second, Sun merges 620 million metric tons of Hydrogen inside the core.
    • Learn more: hydrogen facts
    • Sun is the most luminous star, which is probably nearest to our planet than any other star.
    • The Sun is at the fourth position in terms of its mass among the fifty stellar systems that are closest to the Earth.
    • The orbital movement of Sun around the focal point of the Milky Way is occurred within the expanse of almost 24,000 to 26,000 light years from Galactic Center.
    • The average distance between the Earth and the Sun is nearly 149.6 million kilometers.
    • The light passes from the Sun to our planet within just eight minutes and nineteen seconds.
    • Because of the fact that Sun is made up of plasma instead of solid substance, so the orbital movement of the Sun at the equator (25.6 days) is relatively quicker as compare to the movement at the poles (33.5 days).
    • Unlike the rocky planets of our solar system, Sun has no specific border. Instead at the most exterior sections of the Sun, the thickness of gases falls as the span from the central point increases.
    • The temperature at the core of the Sun is about 15.7 million Kelvin. It is far more than the temperature at the surface which is 5,800 Kelvin.
    • There is no other section of the Sun that yield substantial amount of thermal energy except the core of the Sun.
    • The enormous output force of the Sun is only because of its colossal size and not because of the great power per volume.
    • The obvious Sun’s surface is a layer which is known as photosphere and underneath this layer the Sun’s energy cannot be disseminated to the outer space.
    • The inner region of photosphere is hotter than the outer surface.
    • The coldest temperature at almost five hundred kilometers over the photosphere is 4,100 Kelvin.
    • The exterior of the Sun’s atmosphere is much bigger in size as compare to the size of the Sun itself.
    • The mass of the Sun is not sufficient to blast like a supernova.
    • The temperature at the photosphere is about 6,000 Kelvin.
    • The brightness of the Sun at about 3.8 billion years before was just seventy five percent.
    • If you stare directly at the sunlight for an extended period of time, the effect can be dangerous and also bring about phosphene visual artifacts along with short-term loss of sight.

    A Quick Guide To Interesting Facts About The Sun For Kids

    Distance from the core of Milky Way: 26,000 light years

    Escape Velocity of the Sun: 617.7 km/s

    Age of the Sun: 4.57 billion years

    Mass: Hydrogen and Helium

    Distance between Sun and Earth: 149.6 million kilometers

  • Moon Facts For Kids | The Only Satellite Of The Earth

    Moon Facts For Kids | The Only Satellite Of The Earth

    Since Moon is the only planet in our solar system to which humans have reached so far, so there is a lot to know in Moon facts for kids. The size of the Moon is much smaller than the Sun but it’s quite big as compare to our planet. Unlike the Earth, the crust, mantle and core of Moon are different and unique. Having the radius of about 240 km, the inner core of Moon is compact. Above the core, there is a somewhat melted coating of almost 500 km in radius. The experts believe that the thickness of crust is about 50 km. Even though Moon is the second most condensed satellite, yet the size of the inner core is not big (just 350 km, which is about twenty percent of the Moon’s own size). Now enjoy reading some of the most appealing Moon facts for kids and see if it adds something new to your current understanding.

    Most Remarkable And Stimulating Moon Facts For Kids

    Moon is the 5th biggest satellite of our solar system.

    It is also the biggest as well as the single satellite of Earth.

    The satellite of Jupiter, lo, is the thickest satellite and Moon is the next heaviest of all satellites.

    Moon is the next most dazzling celestial body present in the sky after Sun.

    The distance between the Earth and Moon is getting bigger by 38 mm every year. Isn’t it one of the weird Moon facts for kids?

    It is believed that the Moon was created almost 4.5 billion years before.

    When the Earth collided with another celestial body (almost the size of Mars), the fragments that were developed as a result of this massive collision actually shaped the Moon.

    Apart from the Earth, the Moon is the only second planet in our solar system at which human beings have landed.

    The biggest crater on the Moon is called South Pole – Aitken basin. Not only this, it is also the biggest depression in the entire solar system as well.

    The bottom of this crater is the deepest ground on the Moon.

    ‘Maria’ is the poorly lit lunar plains while ‘highlands’ are relatively clearer and bright.

    At the near side of the Moon, there are almost 300,000 craters.

    The magnetic field of the Moon is lower by 1/100th than our planet.

    The mass of the Moon’s atmosphere (under ten metric tons) is so less that it is almost a vacuum.

    The axial tilt of the Moon (1.54°) is far below than that of the Earth’s (23.44°) due to which the North Pole regions are brightened in the whole lunar day while South Pole remains shadowy.

    The chilliest temperature in the entire solar system ever recorded by the space shuttle was 26K (-247.15°C) in the North Pole of the Moon. This temperature was taken from the Hermite Crater of the Moon and it is even cooler than the one on the Pluto’s surface.

    It takes 27.3 days for the Moon to finish its circle around our planet.

    With respect to the size of the planet, the Moon is the biggest moon in the entire solar system that is bigger than the size of its planet (the Earth).

    The speed of the Moon flying around the Earth is equal to the speed it needs to rotate its own axis. That’s why the surface of Moon facing the Earth is same at all times.

    The face of the Moon looking toward the Earth is known as ‘near side’ whereas the other side is called ‘far side’ (which is always dark).

    When the Moon comes near to the horizon it gives the idea as if it’s a very large object. This is not true because it’s just a mental impact and this phenomenon is known as ‘Moon illusion’.

    The gravitational pull of Moon on the ocean waters of the Earth is almost two times the attraction by the Sun.

    As you know that when the Moon comes in between the Earth and the Sun, Solar Eclipse occurs. But scientists say that after six hundred million years, Moon will not be able to hide the Sun from top to bottom and so Solar Eclipse will not happen then.

    In a Solar Eclipse as the Moon comes in between the Earth and Sun, it seems as if the size of Moon and Sun is alike. However it is not. Sun is very big as compare to the Moon but because there is a huge distance between Sun and Moon, so both seems to be identical. Did you know these Moon facts for kids before?

    Read more: Facts About the Earth

    A Quick Guide To Moon Facts For Kids

    Diameter of South Pole – Aitken basin: 2,240 kilometers

    Depth of South Pole – Aitken basin: 13 kilometers

    Average orbital speed: 1.022 km/s

    Satellite of Planet: Earth

    Escape velocity: 2.38 km/s

  • Earth Facts For Kids | The Blue Planet

    Earth Facts For Kids | The Blue Planet

    Earth is also known as ‘Blue Planet’ because it looks like a blue ball from outer space. This blue color is due to the waters of the oceans which cover more than 70 percent of the planet. Earth is the only planet in our solar system to support natural life and has water on it. Our planet also comes into contact with other celestial bodies of space particularly the Moon and the Sun. So let’s have a look at this wonderful planet in Earth facts for kids.

    Earth Facts For Kids

    Introduction

    Mass: 5.98 × 1024 kg

    Density: 5.5 g/cm3

    Shape: Oblate Spheroid

    Color: Blue

    Distance from the Sun: 150 million km (1 Astronomical Unit)

    Number of Moons:  One

    Basic Earth Facts For Kids

    Physical Structure

    1. According to physical properties, Earth is divided into three layers.
    2. The outermost layer is called the Crust.
    3. A gluey substance under the crust is called the Mantle.
    4. The innermost part of the Earth is solid and is known as the Core.
    5. The two most abundant elements present in the Earth are Iron and Oxygen.
    6. Earth consists of three types of rocks: Igneous rocks, Sedimentary rocks and Metamorphic rocks.
    7. The land area of the Earth is about 30 percent and it is divided into 7 continents. These are Asia, Africa, North America, Antarctica, Europe, South America and Australia.
    8. The line which divides the North Pole of the Earth from the South Pole is called Equator.
    9. Earth is divided into two hemispheres: the Northern hemisphere and the Southern hemisphere.
    10. Northern hemisphere extends from the equator to the North Pole and southern hemisphere extends from the equator to the South Pole.
    11. Mariana Trench is the deepest part of the Earth. It is located under the Pacific Ocean.
    12. 70 percent of the Earth is made up of water. Out of this, 97.5 percent water is salty water which means it is not fit for drinking and only 2.5 percent water is drinkable.

    Want to read more? Just have a look at:

    Layers of The Earth For Kids

    Atmosphere

    The atmosphere is an air that acts like a jacket over the surface of the Earth. It consists of a number of gases that allow us and other species to live on this planet.

    1. The total height of the Earth’s atmosphere is about 60,000 km.
    2. At the sea level, it becomes thicker and its thickness decreases with the increase in altitude.
    3. The two most abundant gases in the Earth’s atmosphere are Nitrogen and Oxygen.
    4. Atmosphere of the Earth consists of 78 percent Nitrogen and 21 percent Oxygen.
    5. Atmosphere consists of three gases that are vital for our survival. These are carbon dioxide, ozone and water vapor.
    6. The atmosphere of the Earth is made up of 4 layers. The names of these layers are the Troposphere, the Stratosphere, the Mesosphere and the Thermosphere.

    Unique Earth Facts For Kids

    1. Earth lies at the third position from the Sun after Mercury and Venus.
    2. It is the 5th biggest planet.
    3. Earth is one of the 4 terrestrial planets of our solar system. Terrestrial planets are made up of rocks.
    4. Earth is the biggest of all rocky planets (terrestrial planets).
    5. It has the maximum density than any other rocky planet.
    6. It has the maximum surface gravity than any other rocky planet.
    7. It has the strongest magnetic field than any other rocky planet.
    8. The speed of rotation of Earth is faster than any other rocky planet.

    Age and Natural Life

    1. The age of the Earth is about 4.54 billion years old.
    2. The natural life on our planet began 1 billion years before.
    3. It is believed that the Earth will hold up the natural life for about 2.3 billion years (byr).
    4. It is believed that after animal life will be destroyed from the Earth, the water from the surface will also evaporate after the next billion years.

    General Facts

    1. The Moon has been orbiting our planet from the last 4.53 billion years (byr).
    2. The contact between the Moon and the Earth is very important for reducing the speed at which our planet revolves around its own axis and also speeds up the ocean currents.
    3. The rotating speed of our planet is slowing up with the passage of time.
    4. The farthest place from the center of the Earth is in Ecuador known as Chimborazo.
    5. The entire solar system is located inside the giant Milky Way (galaxy) and the distance of our planet from the central point of the galaxy is almost 28,000 light years.
    6. At the height of about one hundred kilometers above the Earth’s surface, there is a line dividing our planet’s atmosphere from the outer space. This borderline is known as Kármán line.
    More Earth Facts For Kids
    1. The Latin word of the Earth is ‘Terra’.
    2. Yuri Gagarin was the first man to fly around the Earth on April 12, 1961. He was a Russian pilot.
    3. Earth spins around its own axis from east to west. That is the reason why Sun rises always in the east.
    4. It spins around its own axis within just about 24 hours. That is the reason why Earth’s one day has 24 hours.
    5. Earth revolves around the Sun in just over 365 days. That is the reason why our one year has 365 days.
    6. Earth revolves around the Sun in a circular path.
    7. Almost forty seven percent of the crust of our planet is made up of oxygen.
    8. The star which is nearest to the Earth is the Red Dwarf known as Proxima Centauri. It is just 4.2 light years from our planet. The other stellar systems are located at about 17 light years.
    9. The Earth rotates almost twenty seven times quicker with respect to the Moon.

    Did you really find these Earth facts for kids good enough? Is it what you’re looking for? Please comment and help us improve this article. Thanks for reading it.

  • Mars Facts For Kids | The Red Planet

    Mars Facts For Kids | The Red Planet

    Mars is perhaps one of the only planets in our solar system that resembles a lot with our own planet, the Earth. So how about discovering this great planet and read some useful Mars facts for kids! The red color of this planet is because of the rust caused by the high concentration of iron oxide. Since there is no possibility of liquid water to exist on the surface of Mars, so the dry surface of this planet is equal to the dry surface on the Earth. That’s quite funny because the size of the Earth is two times the size of Mars which means the entire planet is dry as a bone. It possesses the most elevated peak and also the most stretched valley. So let’s know some other fascinating Mars facts for kids and see what secrets this planet holds for so long.

    Mars Facts For Kids

    Mars ranks second amongst the tiniest planets of the solar system.

    As from the Sun, it stands at the 4th position.

    Due to the reddish shade of Mars, it is also known as the ‘Red Planet’.

    The rotational periods of the Earth and the Mars are almost alike. Seasonal cycles are also quite similar to our planet.

    The tallest mountain on the solar system (Olympus Mons) is also found in Mars.

    The Olympus Mons volcano is higher than the Mount Everest by two-and-a-half times and its width is almost equal to the size of Missouri State.

    The size of Mars is almost 50 percent to that of our planet.

    The reddish appearance of Mars is primarily due to the presence of iron oxide.

    The thickness of the crust of Mars is almost 3 times greater than our planet.

    According to the theory, Mars came into contact with other body almost the size of a Pluto, nearly 4 billion years before.

    As the atmospheric pressure on Mars is low, so the presence of water on its surface is impossible.

    When the operator of a Mars Exploration Rover transmit messages to the Rover standing on Mars, the communication takes almost 20 minutes to go to Mars.

    The weight of a 100-lbs person comes down to 38 lbs. while standing on Mars.

    The caves on Mars are known as ‘Seven Sisters’. Due to the fact that light cannot penetrate and reach the land of majority of these caves, so the depth of these caves is still unknown.

    The gravity on the surface of Mars is only 38 percent as that of Earth.

    There is 95 percent of carbon dioxide on the atmosphere of Mars.

    The planet of Mars receives just 43 percent of sun rays.

    The dust storms in Mars are the biggest in the entire solar system.

    The shortest space between our planet and Mars is going to fall a little within the coming 25,000 years.

    Mars came close to our planet within almost 60,000 years.

    Previously when the Mars came nearby to the Earth was on 57 617 BC (September 12) and now it will again reach closer by 2287.

    Phobos and Deimos are the two moons of Mars.

    There is a possibility that Phobos might slam into the Mars within the next fifty million years.

    A Quick Guide To Mars Facts For Kids

    Time period of orbital: 687 days

    Avg. orbital speed: 24 km/s

    Distance from the Sun: 227.9 million kilometers