Name______________________

Date_______________________

Cybervoyage to the Sun

First Destination: http://library.thinkquest.org/15215/

1. The sun is a spinning ball of gas and is the largest and brightest object in our solar system. The sun is so large that more than ____________ Earths would fit inside it.
2. Sunspots appear as dark regions on the surface of the sun. Are they warmer or cooler than the surrounding area? __________________________
3. What are sun dogs? ___________________________________

Second Destination: http://planets4kids.com/intro.htm

4. The sun is an important symbol in many myths around the world. The Greeks called the sun Helios. The Romans called it ______________________________.
5. In our solar system, nine planets circle the sun. What are the four inner planets closest to the sun? _________________________________________________
6. In the core of the sun, atoms come together and break apart in a process called nuclear fusion reaction. How hot is the center of the sun? (Hint: It is really, really hot!) ______________________________________________________

Third Destination: www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astronomy/sun

7. A solar flare is a ___________________________________ on the surface of the sun that releases an eruption of the sun’s gases.
8. When a solar eclipse occurs, the sun appears to be dark, with a rim of light around its edge. This happens when the ___________________________ passes in between the sun and the Earth and temporarily casts its shadow.
9. Our sun is a medium-sized star. What are the largest stars called?