Describe the makeup of Venus. What is its surface like? What is its atmosphere?
Do other planets have days and seasons? Explain why or why not.
Imagine a system of two stars, one much more massive than the other. How would they orbit each other?
Describe the risks to human beings in space due to solar radiation and cosmic rays. How is the risk different than what we face on the surface of the Earth?
How was the International Space Station assembled, and how is it resupplied? What purposes do different modules serve?
What is Kepler’s second law? Describe what it means for objects in orbit around other objects. Provide an example of this effect.
Describe the difference between a planetarium and a telescope. What are the advantages of each for teaching astronomy?
When a very massive star dies, what types of objects can it leave behind? What are the properties of these objects?
The extrasolar planets we have discovered are mostly what type of planets. Why?
Why do you think human beings have made so many myths and stories about the stars? Do these stories matter? Justify your argument.
Why should we do research in space? Provide an argument for why research in space is important.
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