Part 1 - Emit & Reflect

Part 1 - Objects in Space that Emit and Reflect Light 

1. Recognize that the Sun and stars emit the light by which they are seen and that most other bodies in space, including Earth's Moon, planets and their moons, comets, and asteroids, are seen by reflected light. 

Objects emit light (which means the produce their own light). 

Other objects can only be seen because they reflect the light that comes from objects that emit light.

What EMITS light  

 In our region of space, known as the Solar System, the Sun (which is a star) emits most of the light, but that's because the Sun is a star and that's what stars do - they emit light! 

What Reflect Lights

Most objects in space, other than stars, reflect light. 

• For example, planets like Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn all reflect light. 

• You can look up into the night sky and easily see these four planets for yourself, from your backyard, using just your eyes - no telescope required! 

• The light that you see when you look at these planets is actually sunlight, which has reflected off the surface of the planet. 

• The same is true when you look at the Moon. The Moon is very bright, but all of that light is just reflected light from the Sun

• Asteroids also reflect light from the Sun . 

​Did you know that a meteoroid is actually just a small asteroid? This episode explores where to find meteor craters here on earth and the difference between an asteroid, meteoroid, a meteor and a meteorite.

Did you know that the tail of a comet is actually comprised of two distinct tails? This episode explores the orbits of comets and the impact a comet had on Jupiter.