Moons of Our Solar System

• You are a planetary scientist that wants to build a mission (satellite/rover) to explore the other worlds our solar system has to offer

• Pick a moon you will further study and, potentially, build a space craft to explore.

Mars

• Phobos and Deimos

• Resemble asteroids

• How did they come to orbit Mars?

• Will they be there forever…?

Jupiter

• About 67 moons

• Four Largest:

• Io: volcanoes, mountains, most geological active body in S.S.

• Europa: Ice crust, sub surface ocean?, smooth surface

• Ganymede: magnetic field, sub surface ocean?, O atmosphere

• Calisto: 50% rock/50% ice, Subsurface ocean? CO2 atmosphere

Saturn

• About 62 moons, 7 sphere shaped

• Titan: N, CH4 atmosphere, lakes, rivers, rain, mountains

• Enceladus: geysers

Uranus

• 27 moons, 5 sphere shaped

• Moons named after Shakespearian characters

• Icy/rocky

• Not much known, further study

Neptune

• 13 moons

• Triton: Cryovolcanism

Research Moon

• Articles

• Textbook

• Internet

• YouTube (ear buds)

1-Pager/Poster Requirements

• What planet does it orbit?

• Why did you choose this moon?

• Possible life? Where would this life be located (surface, in craters, in water, under ground?)

• Higher level question & answer to question.

• Picture/color

Title and Content LayoutOther possible higher level questions?• Why does the moon have dark/light

spots?• Why haven’t we gone back since the

‘70’s• Why does the moon have so many

craters?• Why do the temperatures vary so

much from day to night?

Higher level question:How did the moon form?