Solar System

Explanation: The Sun is the center of the Solar System, around which all the planets, asteroids, comets, and other objects orbit.

Explanation: Mars is called the “Red Planet” because of its reddish appearance, which is due to iron oxide (rust) on its surface.

Explanation: Jupiter is the largest planet in the Solar System, with a diameter of about 142,984 kilometers.

Explanation: Saturn is famous for its extensive and bright ring system, which is made up of ice and rock particles.

Explanation: Jupiter has the most moons of any planet in the Solar System, with at least 79 known moons.

Explanation: Mercury is the smallest planet in the Solar System, with a diameter of about 4,880 kilometers.

Explanation: Venus is often called the “Evening Star” or “Morning Star” because it is very bright and can be seen at dawn and dusk.

Explanation: The Great Red Spot on Jupiter is a massive storm that has been raging for at least 400 years.

Explanation: Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun, orbiting at an average distance of about 58 million kilometers.

Explanation: Olympus Mons on Mars is the highest mountain in the Solar System, standing about 22 kilometers high.

Explanation: The Solar System consists of the Sun and all the objects that are gravitationally bound to it, including planets, moons, asteroids, comets, and other celestial bodies.

Explanation: The four terrestrial planets—Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars—are composed primarily of rock and metal and have solid surfaces.

Explanation: Comets are icy bodies that originate from the outer regions of the Solar System and have highly eccentric orbits, often developing tails when they approach the Sun.

Explanation: The Asteroid Belt is a region located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter where a large number of small rocky bodies, known as asteroids, are found.

Explanation: A dwarf planet is a celestial body that orbits the Sun, is nearly spherical in shape, but has not cleared its neighboring region of other objects.

Explanation: Pluto is the largest known dwarf planet in the Solar System, located in the Kuiper Belt beyond Neptune.

Explanation: The Kuiper Belt is a region of the Solar System beyond the orbit of Neptune, populated with many small icy bodies and dwarf planets, including Pluto.

Explanation: Comets are primarily composed of ice, dust, and rocky material. When they approach the Sun, the ice vaporizes and creates a visible coma and tail.

Explanation: Saturn is known for its extensive and bright ring system, which is made mostly of ice particles, along with some rock and dust.

Explanation: The Oort Cloud is a theoretical cloud of predominantly icy objects that is believed to surround the Solar System at a great distance, serving as a reservoir for long-period comets.

Explanation: The Nebular Hypothesis is the most widely accepted theory for the formation of the Solar System. It suggests that the Solar System formed from a giant cloud of gas and dust.

Explanation: A nearby supernova explosion is believed to have triggered the collapse of the solar nebula, leading to the formation of the Solar System.

Explanation: The solar nebula was primarily composed of hydrogen and helium, with traces of heavier elements.

Explanation: Planetesimals formed through the process of condensation and accretion, where dust and small particles stuck together and gradually grew into larger bodies.

Explanation: Planetesimals are small, solid objects formed from dust and gas in the early solar nebula that eventually coalesced to form planets.

Explanation: During the protostar formation stage, the Sun ignited and began nuclear fusion, turning it into a main-sequence star.

Explanation: Angular momentum caused the solar nebula to flatten into a rotating disk, where the planets and other objects formed.

Explanation: The Giant Impact Hypothesis suggests that the planets formed from a series of giant impacts and mergers between large planetesimals.

Explanation: Accretion refers to the process by which planets gradually grew from smaller bodies through collisions and sticking together of particles and planetesimals.

Explanation: The “frost line” is the distance from the Sun beyond which temperatures were low enough for volatile compounds like water, ammonia, and methane to condense into solid ice grains, influencing the formation of different types of planets.

Explanation: The core is the innermost layer of the Sun, where nuclear fusion occurs, producing the Sun’s energy.

Explanation: Nuclear fusion occurs in the core of the Sun, where hydrogen atoms combine to form helium, releasing a tremendous amount of energy.

Explanation: The Radiative Zone is the layer just outside the core, where energy produced by nuclear fusion in the core is transferred outward by radiation.

Explanation: In the Radiative Zone, energy is primarily transferred through radiation, as photons are absorbed and re-emitted by particles within this layer.

Explanation: The Convective Zone is characterized by convective currents, where hot plasma rises towards the surface and cooler plasma sinks, facilitating energy transfer.

Explanation: The Photosphere is the visible surface of the Sun that emits the light we see from Earth.

Explanation: The Corona is the outermost layer of the Sun’s atmosphere, visible during a solar eclipse as a bright halo around the Sun.

Explanation: The core of the Sun has temperatures ranging from 15,000,000 to 20,000,000 Kelvin, which is necessary for nuclear fusion to occur.

Explanation: Sunspots are temporary phenomena on the Photosphere of the Sun that appear as spots darker than the surrounding areas due to lower temperatures.

Explanation: The Corona is much hotter than the Photosphere, with temperatures reaching up to a few million Kelvin compared to the Photosphere’s approximately 5,500 Kelvin.

Explanation: The core of the Sun contains about 25% of the Sun’s mass, despite being a much smaller volume compared to the entire Sun.

Explanation: It can take thousands to millions of years for energy produced in the core to reach the surface of the Sun due to the dense material it must travel through.

Explanation: The Sun’s core is primarily composed of hydrogen and helium, which are the elements involved in the nuclear fusion process.

Explanation: The Convective Zone is responsible for the transport of energy by the rising and sinking of plasma, which creates convection currents.

Explanation: Granulation is the pattern of small cells seen on the Photosphere caused by convection currents of plasma within the Convective Zone.

Explanation: The high temperatures of the Sun’s Corona are primarily caused by magnetic reconnection and wave heating, which transfer energy from the Sun’s magnetic field into the Corona.

Explanation: The Photosphere, which is the Sun’s visible surface, has an approximate temperature of 5,500 Kelvin.

Explanation: The Corona is the outermost part of the Sun’s atmosphere, extending millions of kilometers into space.

Explanation: Sunspots are dark spots on the Photosphere created by intense magnetic activity, which inhibits convection and results in cooler areas.

Explanation: Energy in the Sun flows by radiation in both the Core and Radiative Zone and then by convection in the Convective Zone before reaching the Photosphere.

Explanation: The solar wind is a stream of charged particles (mainly electrons and protons) released from the upper atmosphere of the Sun, known as the corona.

Explanation: The primary components of the solar wind are protons and electrons, which are ionized particles that stream outward from the Sun.

Explanation: The solar wind compresses and distorts Earth’s magnetosphere, creating a bow shock on the sunward side and a long tail on the opposite side.

Explanation: The Termination Shock is the region where the solar wind slows down dramatically and begins to merge with the interstellar medium.

Explanation: The heliosphere is the vast region around the Sun filled with solar wind particles, extending far beyond the orbit of Pluto.

Explanation: Mariner 2 was the first spacecraft to directly measure the solar wind during its mission to Venus in 1962.

Explanation: Solar wind particles interact with Earth’s magnetic field and atmosphere, exciting oxygen and nitrogen atoms and causing the auroras, or northern and southern lights.

Explanation: The average speed of the solar wind as it leaves the Sun is about 400 kilometers per second.

Explanation: A strong solar wind can damage the electronics of satellites and can cause drag that alters their orbits.

Explanation: The solar wind is accelerated in the corona, where the high temperatures cause particles to gain enough energy to escape the Sun’s gravity.

Explanation: Auroras seen in the Northern Hemisphere are commonly known as the Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis.

Explanation: Auroras are primarily caused by the interaction between the solar wind and Earth’s magnetosphere, which excites atmospheric particles and causes them to emit light.

Explanation: Oxygen and nitrogen in Earth’s atmosphere are responsible for the green and red colors seen in auroras. Oxygen emits green or red light, while nitrogen emits blue or purplish-red light.

Explanation: The magnetosphere is the region around Earth where charged particles are trapped and guided by the planet’s magnetic field.

Explanation: The bow shock is the phenomenon where the solar wind compresses Earth’s magnetosphere on the sunward side, similar to the bow wave formed by a boat moving through water.

Explanation: Auroras are most likely to be observed during solar flares, as these events increase the intensity of the solar wind and the interaction with Earth’s magnetosphere.

Explanation: The magnetotail is the elongated extension of Earth’s magnetosphere on the side opposite the Sun, stretched by the solar wind.

Explanation: A magnetometer is used on spacecraft to measure the impact of the solar wind on Earth’s magnetosphere by detecting changes in the magnetic field.

Explanation: Substorms are temporary disturbances in Earth’s magnetosphere caused by the solar wind, leading to intensified auroras and magnetic field fluctuations.

Explanation: Solar storms, such as coronal mass ejections, enhance and expand the visibility of auroras by increasing the number of charged particles interacting with Earth’s magnetosphere.

Explanation: Mercury’s surface is primarily composed of rocky and metallic materials, including silicate rocks and iron.

Explanation: The Caloris Basin is the largest impact crater on Mercury, with a diameter of about 1,550 kilometers (960 miles).

Explanation: Mercury’s surface temperature varies widely between day and night, ranging from about -180°C (-290°F) at night to 430°C (800°F) during the day.

Explanation: Mercury has an almost nonexistent atmosphere composed mainly of trace elements like oxygen, sodium, hydrogen, helium, and potassium.

Explanation: Mercury exhibits planetary phases, showing different portions of its sunlit side as seen from Earth, similar to the phases of the Moon and Venus.

Explanation: Mariner 10 was the first spacecraft to visit Mercury, making three flybys of the planet between 1974 and 1975.

Explanation: MESSENGER (MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging) orbited Mercury from 2011 to 2015, studying its surface and composition in detail.

Explanation: BepiColombo, launched in 2018 by the ESA and JAXA, is a mission to study Mercury, consisting of two orbiters designed to analyze the planet’s surface and magnetosphere.

Explanation: Mercury has a large iron core relative to its size, which makes up about 85% of the planet’s radius, a unique characteristic among the terrestrial planets.

Explanation: Scarps or cliffs on Mercury suggest that the planet has contracted over time as it cooled, causing the surface to buckle and form these features.

Explanation: The atmosphere of Venus is composed of approximately 96.5% carbon dioxide, which plays a major role in its intense greenhouse effect.

Explanation: Venus’s thick atmosphere, which contains high levels of carbon dioxide, traps heat and leads to an extreme greenhouse effect, raising surface temperatures significantly.

Explanation: The average surface temperature on Venus is about 460°C (860°F), making it the hottest planet in the Solar System due to its intense greenhouse effect.

Explanation: The high-altitude clouds on Venus are primarily composed of sulfuric acid droplets, contributing to the planet’s thick, reflective cloud cover.

Explanation: Aphrodite Terra is one of the vast, elevated regions on Venus, similar to continents on Earth, and is located near the equator.

Explanation: Maat Mons is the largest volcano on Venus, standing about 8 kilometers (5 miles) high.

Explanation: The atmospheric pressure at the surface of Venus is about 92 times higher than that of Earth, similar to the pressure found 900 meters (3,000 feet) underwater on Earth.

Explanation: Venus has a slow retrograde rotation, meaning it rotates in the opposite direction of most planets in the Solar System, with a day longer than its year.

Explanation: One day on Venus (one complete rotation on its axis) is approximately 243 Earth days, which is longer than its year.

Explanation: The Magellan mission, launched by NASA, provided the first detailed radar maps of Venus’s surface, revealing its geological features through the thick cloud cover.

Explanation: The ozone layer is primarily located in the stratosphere, where it absorbs and filters out harmful ultraviolet radiation from the Sun.

Explanation: Nitrogen makes up approximately 78% of Earth’s atmosphere, making it the most abundant gas.

Explanation: While carbon dioxide gets a lot of attention as a greenhouse gas, water vapor is actually the most abundant and potent greenhouse gas in Earth’s atmosphere.

Explanation: The troposphere is the layer of the Earth’s atmosphere closest to the planet’s surface, where weather phenomena occur.

Explanation: The biosphere refers to the zone on Earth where life exists, encompassing the surface and the atmosphere.

Explanation: The lithosphere is the rigid outer layer of the Earth, consisting of the crust and the uppermost part of the mantle.

Explanation: The Earth’s mantle is primarily composed of silicate minerals, containing silicon and oxygen, along with other elements.

Explanation: Convection currents in the mantle are responsible for the movement of tectonic plates, leading to phenomena like earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

Explanation: Igneous rock is formed from the cooling and solidification of magma or lava, either below or above the Earth’s surface.

Explanation: Isolated boundary is not a recognized type of plate boundary. The three main types are divergent, convergent, and transform boundaries.

Explanation: Condensation is the process by which water vapor changes into liquid water, usually occurring when warm air cools down.

Explanation: The taiga, also known as the boreal forest, is characterized by long, cold winters and short, cool summers, with coniferous trees such as spruce, fir, and pine as the dominant vegetation.

Explanation: Photosynthesis is the process by which plants convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen using sunlight, providing energy for the plant and releasing oxygen into the atmosphere.

Explanation: The ozone layer is primarily located in the stratosphere, where it absorbs and filters out harmful ultraviolet radiation from the Sun.

Explanation: Evapotranspiration is the movement of water from the Earth’s surface into the atmosphere through evaporation from bodies of water and transpiration from plants.

Explanation: The hydrosphere refers to all the water on Earth’s surface, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and groundwater, and is not a layer of the Earth’s interior.

Explanation: Erosion is the gradual wearing away of the Earth’s surface by natural processes such as wind, water, and ice, leading to the transport of sediment from one location to another.

Explanation: Igneous rock is formed from the cooling and solidification of magma or lava, while sedimentary and metamorphic rocks are formed through the processes of weathering, erosion, and lithification.

Explanation: The troposphere is the layer of the Earth’s atmosphere closest to the planet’s surface and contains most of the weather phenomena, such as clouds, rain, snow, and storms.

Explanation: Deposition is the process by which sediments, after being eroded and transported by wind, water, or ice, are deposited in a new location, leading to the formation of sedimentary rocks over time.

Explanation: The tundra biome is characterized by long, cold winters, short summers, permafrost, and low-growing vegetation such as mosses, lichens, and shrubs.

Explanation: Topsoil is the uppermost layer of soil, containing organic matter, microorganisms, and plant roots, and is vital for supporting plant growth and agriculture.

Explanation: Weathering is the process by which rocks are broken down into smaller fragments through physical, chemical, or biological means, leading to the formation of sediment.

Explanation: While nitrogen is a major component of the Earth’s atmosphere, it is not considered a greenhouse gas. Greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, and others that trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere.

Explanation: Lithification is the process by which sediments are compacted and cemented together over time to form sedimentary rocks, such as sandstone, shale, and limestone.

Explanation: The core of the Earth is divided into the outer core, composed of liquid iron and nickel, and the inner core, composed of solid iron and nickel under extreme pressure.

Explanation: Metamorphism is the process by which rocks are transformed into new types of rocks, such as marble from limestone or schist from shale, through heat and pressure deep within the Earth’s crust.

Explanation: The atmosphere is the layer of air surrounding the Earth that sustains life by providing oxygen, regulating temperature, and protecting the planet from harmful radiation.

Explanation: Grassland, also known as prairie or savanna, is characterized by tall grasses, few trees, and a distinct rainy and dry season, making it suitable for grazing animals.

Explanation: Evolution is the process by which plants and animals naturally adapt to their environment over time through genetic changes that increase their chances of survival and reproduction.

Explanation: Olympus Mons is the largest volcano in the solar system, located on Mars. It is about 13.6 miles (22 kilometers) high and 370 miles (600 kilometers) in diameter.

Explanation: Valles Marineris is the largest canyon system on Mars, stretching for over 2,500 miles (4,000 kilometers) and reaching depths of up to 7 miles (11 kilometers).

Explanation: Olympus Mons, the tallest mountain on Mars, is often compared to Mount Everest on Earth due to its immense size and height.

Explanation: Mars has two moons, Phobos and Deimos, which are irregularly shaped and likely captured asteroids.

Explanation: Phobos is the closer and larger of the two moons of Mars, while Deimos is farther away and smaller.

Explanation: Recurring slope lineae (RSL) observed on Mars are potential indications of active water flows, suggesting the presence of liquid water on the surface.

Explanation: Curiosity is the name of the robotic rover currently exploring the surface of Mars, operated by NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory mission.

Explanation: Valles Marineris is a system of valleys on Mars that suggests past water erosion, similar to river valleys on Earth.

Explanation: Methane, a simple organic molecule containing carbon, has been detected in the atmosphere of Mars, raising questions about its potential biological origin.

Explanation: The recent discoveries of subsurface water ice on Mars suggest the potential for present-day habitability and may provide resources for future human exploration.

Explanation: The Great Red Spot is the iconic long-lasting storm on Jupiter, which has been observed for centuries and is larger than Earth.

Explanation: Helium is the primary component of Jupiter’s atmosphere, followed by hydrogen, with trace amounts of other gases.

Explanation: Ganymede is the largest moon of Jupiter and the largest moon in the solar system, even larger than the planet Mercury.

Explanation: Io is the volcanic moon of Jupiter known for its intense volcanic activity, with numerous active volcanoes on its surface.

Explanation: Europa is the moon of Jupiter with a subsurface ocean beneath its icy crust, making it a prime target in the search for extraterrestrial life.

Explanation: Ganymede is the largest moon of Jupiter and the largest moon in the solar system, even larger than the planet Mercury.

Explanation: The Galileo spacecraft provided close-up images of Jupiter and its moons during its mission in the 1990s, revealing detailed information about the gas giant and its satellite system.

Explanation: Jupiter’s intense radiation belt is part of its magnetosphere, a region of charged particles trapped by the planet’s magnetic field.

Explanation: The group of four large moons of Jupiter discovered by Galileo Galilei are collectively known as the Galilean Moons: Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto.

Explanation: The Great Red Spot on Jupiter has an approximate diameter of about 10,000 kilometers (6,200 miles), making it larger than Earth’s diameter.

Explanation: Saturn is best known for its spectacular and extensive ring system, which consists of numerous icy particles and dust orbiting the planet.

Explanation: Saturn’s ring system consists of seven major rings, named A, B, C, D, E, F, and G, each with its own unique characteristics.

Explanation: Titan is the largest moon of Saturn and is known for its thick atmosphere composed mainly of nitrogen, along with lakes and rivers of liquid methane and ethane on its surface.

Explanation: Titan is the largest moon of Saturn and the second-largest moon in the solar system, after Ganymede of Jupiter.

Explanation: Enceladus, a small moon of Saturn, is believed to have a subsurface ocean beneath its icy crust, which could potentially harbor conditions suitable for life.

Explanation: The Keeler Gap is a prominent gap in Saturn’s rings, located within the larger A ring, and is caused by the gravitational influence of the moon Mimas.

Explanation: The Cassini spacecraft orbited Saturn from 2004 to 2017, providing detailed observations and data about the planet, its rings, and its moons.

Explanation: The Cassini Division is the largest and most prominent gap in Saturn’s rings, located between the A ring and the brighter B ring.

Explanation: Iapetus, one of the moons of Saturn, has a distinctive two-toned appearance, with one hemisphere significantly darker than the other, likely caused by impact cratering and dark material from space.

Explanation: The E Ring is the faint, outermost ring of Saturn, consisting mainly of icy particles ejected from the geysers on the moon Enceladus, and was discovered by the Voyager spacecraft.

Explanation: Uranus has a highly unusual tilt of approximately 98 degrees, causing its rotation axis to be nearly perpendicular to its orbit around the Sun.

Explanation: Uranus has a system of 13 faint rings, discovered by the Voyager 2 spacecraft in 1986, but they are much smaller and darker than the prominent rings of Saturn.

Explanation: Methane is the primary component of Uranus’s atmosphere, which gives it its distinctive blue-green color.

Explanation: Uranus’s atmosphere contains a distinctive hexagonal storm at its north pole, similar to the one observed on Saturn’s north pole.

Explanation: The moon Miranda was discovered to have a significant impact on Uranus’s ring system, causing it to become tilted and distorted.

Explanation: Titania is the largest moon of Uranus and the eighth largest moon in the solar system.

Explanation: Voyager 2 provided the first close-up images and data of Uranus and its moons during its flyby of the planet in 1986.

Explanation: Uranus has an approximate diameter of about 50,000 kilometers (31,000 miles), making it the third-largest planet in the solar system by diameter, after Jupiter and Saturn.

Explanation: Oberon is one of the moons of Uranus and is known for its heavily cratered surface and bright, icy terrain.

Explanation: The Alpha Ring is the largest and brightest ring of Uranus, located closest to the planet among its ring system.

Explanation: The most prominent feature of Neptune’s atmosphere is the Great Dark Spot, a massive storm system similar to Jupiter’s Great Red Spot.

Explanation: The Great Dark Spot is a giant storm system observed on Neptune’s atmosphere, similar to Jupiter’s Great Red Spot.

Explanation: Triton is the largest moon of Neptune and the seventh-largest moon in the solar system, known for its retrograde orbit and geysers.

Explanation: Triton’s orbit around Neptune is unique because it is retrograde, meaning it orbits in the opposite direction to Neptune’s rotation.

Explanation: Methane is the primary component of Neptune’s atmosphere, which gives it its distinctive blue color.

Explanation: Triton is the largest moon of Neptune, discovered in 1846 by British astronomer William Lassell.

Explanation: Voyager 2 provided the first close-up images and data of Neptune and its moons during its flyby of the planet in 1989.

Explanation: The Great Dark Spot was a prominent storm observed on Neptune’s atmosphere that disappeared after a few years, similar to Jupiter’s Great Red Spot.

Explanation: Proteus is a moon of Neptune known for its irregular shape and heavily cratered surface, likely formed by impacts over billions of years.

Explanation: Nereid is a moon of Neptune with a highly eccentric orbit and retrograde motion, making it one of the most distant irregular moons of the planet.

Explanation: Charon is the largest moon of Pluto, discovered in 1978 by James Christy and named after the mythological ferryman who carried souls across the river Styx.

Explanation: Sputnik Planitia is the name of the region on Pluto characterized by vast plains of nitrogen ice, located within the heart-shaped feature on the planet’s surface known as Tombaugh Regio.

Explanation: The average surface temperature of Pluto is approximately -200°C (-328°F), making it one of the coldest places in the solar system.

Explanation: The New Horizons spacecraft conducted a flyby of Pluto in July 2015, providing the first close-up images and data of the dwarf planet and its moons.

Explanation: Hydra is the second-largest moon of Pluto, discovered in 2005 by the Hubble Space Telescope as part of the Hubble Pluto Companion Search Team.

Explanation: Nitrogen is the primary component of Pluto’s thin atmosphere, along with trace amounts of methane and carbon monoxide.

Explanation: Tombaugh Regio is the name of the largest feature on Pluto’s surface, which is a heart-shaped region containing Sputnik Planitia.

Explanation: Styx is a moon of Pluto discovered in 2005 and named after the ferryman of the underworld in Greek mythology, who transported souls across the river Styx to the realm of the dead.

Explanation: Cthulhu Regio is the name of the region on Pluto characterized by dark, heavily cratered terrain, located on the western side of the dwarf planet.

Explanation: Kerberos is a moon of Pluto discovered in 2011 and named after the three-headed dog that guards the entrance to the underworld in Greek mythology, also known as Cerberus.

Explanation: Eris is known for its highly eccentric orbit that takes it far beyond the orbit of Pluto, making it one of the most distant known objects in the solar system.

Explanation: Water ice is the primary component of Eris’s surface, along with traces of methane and nitrogen ice.

Explanation: Haumea is notable for its elongated shape, often described as “football-shaped” or “elongated ellipsoid,” and its rapid rotation, completing a full rotation in about 4 hours.

Explanation: Hi’iaka is the name of the moon of Haumea that orbits within its elongated shape, discovered in 2005 by a team led by Michael E. Brown.

Explanation: Makemake is known for its reddish surface color, likely due to the presence of organic compounds called tholins, produced by the irradiation of methane.

Explanation: Ceres is the largest known object in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, classified as a dwarf planet and the only dwarf planet located in the inner solar system.

Explanation: The Dawn spacecraft conducted a close-up study of Ceres from 2015 to 2018, revealing bright spots and other intriguing features on its surface.

Explanation: Ice is the primary component of Ceres’s surface, particularly in the form of water ice, which covers a significant portion of the dwarf planet.

Explanation: Eris was the first dwarf planet to be discovered beyond Pluto’s orbit in the Kuiper Belt, officially recognized as a dwarf planet in 2006.

Explanation: The moon of Makemake discovered in 2015 is provisionally designated as S/2015 (136472) 1 until it receives an official name, and it orbits the dwarf planet at a distance of approximately 21,000 kilometers.

Explanation: The Asteroid Belt is located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter in the Solar System.

Explanation: The inner edge of the Asteroid Belt is approximately 2 astronomical units (AU) from the Sun, with 1 AU being the average distance between the Earth and the Sun.

Explanation: Ceres is the largest object in the Asteroid Belt and is classified as a dwarf planet.

Explanation: The Dawn spacecraft visited the asteroid Vesta in 2011, providing valuable data and images of this large asteroid.

Explanation: Vesta is known for its large impact crater named Rheasilvia Basin, which is one of the largest impact basins in the Solar System.

Explanation: Pallas is the third-largest object in the Asteroid Belt, after Ceres and Vesta.

Explanation: The Japanese spacecraft Hayabusa2 visited the asteroid Ryugu, conducting a sample return mission and providing valuable data about this asteroid.

Explanation: The NASA OSIRIS-REx mission is targeting the asteroid Bennu for sample return, aiming to collect samples of its surface and return them to Earth for analysis.

Explanation: Bennu is known for its elongated shape and rapid rotation, resembling a spinning top, which poses challenges for the OSIRIS-REx mission’s sample collection.

Explanation: The Hayabusa2 mission targeted the asteroid Ryugu for sample return, successfully collecting samples and returning them to Earth for analysis.

Explanation: A meteoroid is a small rocky or metallic body in space that enters Earth’s atmosphere and produces a streak of light upon entering.

Explanation: A meteor refers to the bright streak of light produced when a meteoroid burns up in Earth’s atmosphere, often colloquially referred to as a “shooting star.”

Explanation: A meteorite is a meteoroid that survives its passage through Earth’s atmosphere and strikes the ground, retaining its solid state upon impact.

Explanation: A meteoroid is a term for a small rocky or metallic body that originates from a comet or asteroid and travels through space.

Explanation: The Hoba meteorite, found in Namibia, is the largest meteorite ever found on Earth, weighing over 60 tons.

Explanation: The Barringer Crater in Arizona, USA, was created by the impact of the Canyon Diablo meteorite.

Explanation: The Tunguska event in 1908, in Siberia, Russia, was caused by the airburst of a meteoroid, likely a comet fragment, producing the largest observed meteor airburst event in recorded history.

Explanation: The Allende meteorite, which fell in Mexico in 1969, is known for containing abundant organic compounds and is believed to be a remnant of the early Solar System.

Explanation: The Allende meteorite is believed to have brought organic molecules and water to Earth, potentially contributing to the origin of life.

Explanation: The Canyon Diablo meteorite, known for its high iron and nickel content, often exhibits a characteristic Widmanstätten pattern upon etching, caused by the interlocking crystal structure of its minerals.

Explanation: The central solid core of a comet is called the nucleus, primarily composed of ice, dust, and rocky materials.

Explanation: The fuzzy, glowing region surrounding the nucleus of a comet is called the coma, composed of gas and dust released from the nucleus as it sublimates.

Explanation: The bright, elongated stream of gas and dust extending from the coma of a comet is called the tail, which can be composed of a dust tail and an ion tail.

Explanation: The ion tail of a comet is composed of ionized gas, or plasma, which is pushed away from the Sun by the solar wind due to its interaction with the comet’s magnetic field.

Explanation: The coma of a comet is primarily composed of water vapor, carbon dioxide, and other volatile substances released from the nucleus as it sublimates due to solar heating.

Explanation: Halley’s Comet is the most famous and well-known comet, with a regular period of approximately 76 years, making it visible from Earth roughly once in a human lifetime.

Explanation: Comet Hale-Bopp made a close approach to Earth in 1997, becoming one of the brightest comets of the 20th century and a spectacular sight in the night sky.

Explanation: Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 fragmented and collided with Jupiter in 1994, producing a series of impact events observed by astronomers using telescopes around the world.

Explanation: Comet Hyakutake made a close approach to Earth in 1996, becoming widely visible to the naked eye and creating excitement among skywatchers.

Explanation: The last appearance of Halley’s Comet before its most recent return in 1986 was in 1910, with subsequent returns in 1986 and 2061.

Explanation: Comet Hale-Bopp is known for its exceptionally long tail and was visible to the naked eye for several months in 1997, captivating observers around the world.

Explanation: Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 is famous for its spectacular breakup into multiple fragments, which collided with Jupiter in 1994, creating large impact scars on the planet’s surface.

Explanation: Comet Hyakutake is known for its bright appearance and greenish coma due to the presence of cyanogen and diatomic carbon, which contributed to its striking visual appearance.

Explanation: The approximate length of the tail of Comet Hale-Bopp during its peak brightness in 1997 was about 100 million kilometers, making it one of the most impressive comets of the 20th century.

Explanation: Halley’s Comet is often referred to as “the Great Comet of 1910” due to its spectacular appearance and close approach to Earth during that year.

Explanation: The Full Moon is the phase of the Moon when it is fully illuminated as seen from Earth, with the entire face of the Moon visible from our perspective.

Explanation: The Waxing Crescent is the phase of the Moon when only a small portion of its surface is illuminated, appearing as a thin crescent shape in the sky.

Explanation: Maria, or lunar maria, are large, dark plains on the Moon’s surface, formed by ancient volcanic eruptions and composed mainly of basaltic lava flows.

Explanation: Apollo 11 was the first spacecraft to successfully land humans on the Moon on July 20, 1969, with astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin.

Explanation: Mare Tranquillitatis, or the Sea of Tranquility, is a large impact basin on the Moon’s surface where Apollo 11 landed in 1969, marking humanity’s first steps on another celestial body.

Explanation: Apollo 15 was the first Apollo mission to include a lunar rover, allowing astronauts to explore a larger area of the Moon’s surface and conduct more extensive scientific investigations.

Explanation: Mons Huygens is the tallest mountain on the Moon, reaching a height of about 5.5 kilometers (18,000 feet), located near the southwestern edge of the Imbrium Basin.

Explanation: Apollo 17 was the last Apollo mission to land humans on the Moon’s surface, taking place in December 1972, with astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt.

Explanation: Mare, or lunar maria, are dark, circular features on the Moon’s surface, formed by either volcanic eruptions or impacts, and they are characterized by smooth plains of basaltic lava.

Explanation: The Chang’e 4 spacecraft, launched by China’s space agency, conducted the first soft landing on the far side of the Moon in 2019, deploying the Yutu-2 rover to explore the lunar surface.

Explanation: Io is the most volcanically active body in the Solar System, with hundreds of active volcanoes constantly erupting on its surface due to tidal heating from Jupiter’s gravitational forces.

Explanation: Europa is known for its smooth, icy surface, crisscrossed by long cracks and streaks caused by tidal forces generated by Jupiter’s gravity, suggesting the presence of a subsurface ocean.

Explanation: Ganymede is the largest moon in the Solar System, even larger than the planet Mercury, and it has its own magnetic field, making it unique among the moons of Jupiter.

Explanation: Callisto is the most heavily cratered body in the Solar System, indicating its ancient surface and the absence of significant geological activity compared to the other Galilean moons.

Explanation: Europa is thought to have a subsurface ocean beneath its icy crust, kept liquid by tidal heating from Jupiter’s gravitational forces, making it one of the most promising places to search for life beyond Earth.

Explanation: Ganymede is known for its bright, highly reflective surface and its distinctive grooved terrain, caused by tectonic forces that have reshaped its icy crust over time.

Explanation: Ganymede was discovered by Galileo Galilei in 1610, making it one of the first objects observed in orbit around another planet and one of the Galilean moons of Jupiter.

Explanation: Io has the highest density among the Galilean moons of Jupiter, indicating a significant amount of rocky material in its composition, which contributes to its intense volcanic activity.

Explanation: Io has a thin atmosphere composed mostly of sulfur dioxide (SO2), with trace amounts of other gases such as sulfur monoxide (SO), and its surface pressures are less than one-thousandth of Earth’s.

Explanation: Ganymede is thought to have a subsurface ocean beneath its icy crust, similar to Europa, but with a greater depth and complexity, potentially making it another candidate for harboring life in the Solar System.

Explanation: Titan is the largest moon of Saturn and is notable for its thick atmosphere, which primarily consists of nitrogen, and its surface features, including lakes of liquid hydrocarbons such as methane and ethane.

Explanation: Enceladus is known for its active geysers erupting from its south pole, which are fueled by subsurface oceans beneath its icy crust, making it a prime target for astrobiology studies.

Explanation: Miranda is the smallest and most irregularly shaped moon of Uranus, with a surface marked by numerous grooves and cliffs, indicating a complex geological history.

Explanation: Triton is the largest moon of Neptune and is notable for its retrograde orbit, indicating a likely captured object, and its active geysers spewing nitrogen gas and icy particles from its surface.

Explanation: Titan, the largest moon of Saturn, is the only moon in the Solar System known to have a dense atmosphere, primarily composed of nitrogen, with trace amounts of methane and other gases.

Explanation: Enceladus, a moon of Saturn, is thought to have subsurface oceans beneath its icy crust, similar to Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto around Jupiter, making it a potential habitat for life.

Explanation: Miranda, a moon of Uranus, is known for its chaotic, fractured surface, possibly resulting from past impacts or internal heating, which has created a diverse range of geological features.

Explanation: Triton, the largest moon of Neptune, is thought to be a captured Kuiper Belt object, based on its retrograde orbit, unique composition, and geological activity, such as cryovolcanism.

Explanation: Enceladus, a moon of Saturn, is known for its complex geological features, including cryovolcanoes, and the famous “tiger stripes” at its south pole, which are regions of active geysers erupting from its subsurface ocean.

Explanation: Miranda, a moon of Uranus, is known for its unusual, roughly spherical shape, with a diameter about one-third that of our Moon, and its fractured, chaotic surface, indicating a complex geological history.

Explanation: The Kuiper Belt is a region of the outer Solar System beyond Neptune, extending from about 30 to 55 astronomical units (AU) from the Sun, containing numerous small icy bodies and dwarf planets.

Explanation: Pluto is considered the largest object in the Kuiper Belt and was classified as the ninth planet in the Solar System until its reclassification as a dwarf planet in 2006.

Explanation: Objects found in the Kuiper Belt are primarily composed of ice and rock, including frozen volatiles such as water, methane, and ammonia, along with rocky materials.

Explanation: Haumea is a dwarf planet located in the Kuiper Belt, known for its elongated shape and rapid rotation, completing a full rotation in about four hours.

Explanation: The New Horizons spacecraft conducted a flyby of Pluto in 2015, providing the first close-up images of the dwarf planet, and later explored the Kuiper Belt object Arrokoth in 2019, providing valuable insights into the distant region of the Solar System.

Explanation: The Oort Cloud is a spherical cloud of icy bodies surrounding the Solar System, extending to the outer reaches of the Sun’s gravitational influence, believed to be the source of long-period comets.

Explanation: The Oort Cloud is located beyond the orbit of Pluto, extending to the outermost reaches of the Sun’s gravitational influence, with its outer boundary estimated to be about 100,000 astronomical units (AU) from the Sun.

Explanation: Objects found in the Oort Cloud are primarily composed of ice and rock, similar to those found in the Kuiper Belt, with frozen volatiles such as water, methane, and ammonia, along with rocky materials.

Explanation: Long-period comets, those with orbital periods greater than 200 years, are believed to originate from the Oort Cloud, where they are gravitationally influenced by passing stars or galactic tides, sending them on trajectories toward the inner Solar System.

Explanation: The Oort Cloud is estimated to contain billions of icy bodies, ranging in size from small cometary nuclei to larger dwarf planets, though its exact population remains uncertain due to its vast distances from Earth and the Sun.

Explanation: According to Kepler’s first law of planetary motion, planetary orbits trace elliptical paths around the Sun, with the Sun located at one of the two foci of the ellipse.

Explanation: Kepler’s second law of planetary motion, also known as the Law of Equal Areas, states that a line segment joining a planet and the Sun sweeps out equal areas during equal intervals of time as the planet orbits around the Sun.

Explanation: The rotational period of Earth, also known as a day, is approximately 24 hours, determining the cycle of day and night on the planet’s surface.

Explanation: Jupiter has the shortest rotational period in the Solar System, with a day lasting only about 9.9 hours, due to its rapid rotation on its axis.

Explanation: Axial tilt, also known as obliquity, in planetary astronomy refers to the angle between a planet’s axis of rotation and the perpendicular to its orbital plane, affecting its seasonal variations and climate patterns.

Explanation: Gravitational interaction refers to the mutual attraction between celestial bodies due to gravity, which influences their motion and orbits.

Explanation: Tidal forces are caused by the differential gravitational pull from the Moon and Sun on different parts of Earth, leading to the deformation of Earth’s oceans and crust.

Explanation: Tidal forces cause the elongation and deformation of celestial bodies, such as Earth’s oceans and crust, as well as the tidal locking of moons to their parent planets.

Explanation: Tidal locking is the synchronization of rotation and orbit of a moon, causing one side of the moon to always face its parent planet, as is the case with Earth’s Moon.

Explanation: Tidal friction, caused by tidal forces, results in the slowing of a celestial body’s rotation over time, leading to tidal locking or changes in rotational period.

Explanation: Tidal heating results in the heating and melting of a celestial body’s interior due to the friction generated by tidal forces, leading to geological activity such as volcanic eruptions.

Explanation: Io, a moon of Jupiter, exhibits significant tidal heating due to gravitational interactions with Jupiter and its neighboring moons, resulting in geologically active features such as cryovolcanoes.

Explanation: Tidal friction, caused by tidal forces, is responsible for the gradual recession of the Moon from Earth and the lengthening of Earth’s day over geological timescales.

Explanation: Tidal stretching is the phenomenon where tidal forces cause a celestial body to become elongated along the axis pointing toward the attracting body, leading to deformation.

Explanation: Enceladus, a moon of Saturn, exhibits significant tidal forces from both Jupiter and Saturn, resulting in its elongated shape and active cryovolcanism, with geysers erupting from its surface.

Explanation: Voyager 1 became the first human-made object to reach interstellar space in 2012, crossing the boundary of the heliosphere and venturing into the vastness of interstellar space.

Explanation: Voyager 2 provided the first close-up images of Jupiter and Saturn during its flybys of these planets in 1979 and 1981, respectively, as part of its grand tour mission of the outer Solar System.

Explanation: Pioneer 10 was the first space probe to visit the asteroid belt and to make direct observations of Jupiter during its flyby in 1973, providing valuable data on the gas giant’s environment.

Explanation: Voyager 2 conducted the first flyby of Saturn in 1981, providing detailed images of its rings and moons, including discoveries such as the spokes in Saturn’s rings and the active geysers on Enceladus.

Explanation: Voyager 1 was the first space probe to fly by Jupiter and Saturn in 1979 and 1980, respectively, providing close-up images of their moons, including Io’s volcanic activity, and contributing significantly to our understanding of the outer Solar System.

Explanation: Voyager 2 was the first space probe to fly by Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, providing detailed data on these gas giants and their moons during its grand tour mission of the outer Solar System.

Explanation: Voyager 1 carried a golden record containing sounds and images of Earth, intended as a message to potential extraterrestrial civilizations, as part of the Voyager Interstellar Mission.

Explanation: Pioneer 10 was the first space probe to visit Jupiter in 1973 and later became the first human-made object to leave the Solar System, crossing the heliopause in 1983.

Explanation: Dawn provided the first close-up images of the asteroid Vesta and the dwarf planet Ceres in the asteroid belt, conducting orbiters around both bodies and revealing their diverse surface features.

Explanation: Voyager 2 conducted flybys of Jupiter and Saturn before embarking on a trajectory to leave the Solar System in a different direction from Voyager 1, providing valuable data on the outer Solar System planets and their moons.

Explanation: New Horizons conducted a flyby of Pluto in 2015, providing the first close-up images of the dwarf planet and its moons, revolutionizing our understanding of Pluto and its complex geology.

Explanation: Juno is currently studying Jupiter’s atmosphere, magnetic field, and composition, orbiting the gas giant since 2016 and providing valuable data on its structure and dynamics.

Explanation: Curiosity, launched in 2011 as part of NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory mission, has been exploring Gale Crater on Mars since its landing in 2012, conducting geological and atmospheric studies.

Explanation: Opportunity, part of NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover mission, recently completed its mission after operating on the Martian surface for over 15 years, far surpassing its original mission duration.

Explanation: Dawn successfully explored the dwarf planet Ceres in the asteroid belt, conducting orbiters around it and providing valuable data on its surface composition, features, and geological activity.

Explanation: Curiosity, part of NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory mission, is equipped with a drill to collect samples of Martian rocks and soil for analysis using its onboard instruments.

Explanation: New Horizons was launched to study Pluto and the Kuiper Belt objects beyond it, conducting a historic flyby of Pluto in 2015 and continuing its mission to explore the outer reaches of the Solar System.

Explanation: Perseverance, NASA’s latest Mars rover, is currently studying the polar regions and atmosphere of Mars, searching for signs of past or present life, and collecting samples for future return to Earth.

Explanation: Rosetta recently completed its mission by crashing into the surface of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, providing valuable data on the comet’s composition and structure.

Explanation: InSight is currently studying the internal structure and seismic activity of Mars, aiming to understand its geological history and processes such as tectonic activity and meteorite impacts.

Explanation: The Keck Observatory, located in Hawaii, consists of two telescopes and is one of the world’s premier observatories for optical and infrared astronomy.

Explanation: The Hubble Space Telescope is famous for its stunning images of distant galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters, revolutionizing our understanding of the universe.

Explanation: The Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC) is the world’s largest single-aperture optical telescope and is located in the Canary Islands, Spain.

Explanation: The James Webb Space Telescope is set to succeed the Hubble Space Telescope and is designed to observe the universe in the infrared spectrum, allowing it to peer through dust clouds and observe the earliest galaxies.

Explanation: The Very Large Telescope (VLT), operated by the European Southern Observatory (ESO), consists of four individual telescopes located in Chile and is one of the most advanced optical telescopes in the world.

Explanation: The Chandra X-ray Observatory observes the universe in X-ray wavelengths, allowing scientists to study high-energy phenomena such as black holes, supernova remnants, and active galactic nuclei.

Explanation: SPECULOOS is a ground-based telescope located in Chile and is designed to search for exoplanets using the transit method, focusing on nearby ultracool dwarf stars.

Explanation: The Planck Space Observatory, operated by NASA and ESA, has made significant contributions to our understanding of dark matter and dark energy by mapping the cosmic microwave background radiation.

Explanation: WFIRST (Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope) is designed to search for Earth-like planets orbiting other stars and is scheduled for launch in the 2020s, aiming to advance our understanding of exoplanetary systems.

Explanation: ALMA (Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array) is located in Chile’s Atacama Desert and is known for its array of radio telescopes used for millimeter-wave astronomy, providing insights into the early universe, star formation, and the interstellar medium.

Explanation: Jupiter’s Great Red Spot is the name of the persistent high-pressure region in Jupiter’s atmosphere, characterized by its swirling anticyclonic storm, which has been observed for centuries.

Explanation: Mars is known for its massive dust storms that can engulf the entire planet for months, impacting surface missions and affecting the planet’s atmosphere.

Explanation: Saturn’s Hexagon is the name of the hexagonal cloud pattern observed at Saturn’s north pole, which is a unique and striking atmospheric feature.

Explanation: Venus has a thick atmosphere composed mainly of carbon dioxide, with surface pressures about 92 times that of Earth, creating a hostile environment with extreme temperatures and atmospheric pressure.

Explanation: Jupiter experiences the strongest winds in the Solar System, with wind speeds reaching up to 1,800 kilometers per hour (about 1,118 miles per hour) in its atmosphere.

Explanation: Saturn’s South Polar Vortex is the name of the massive, swirling storm system observed at Saturn’s south pole, similar to Jupiter’s Great Red Spot but located at the pole.

Explanation: Jupiter exhibits alternating bands of clouds in its atmosphere, known as belts and zones, caused by powerful atmospheric jet streams, resulting in its distinctive banded appearance.

Explanation: Venus’ Vortex is the name of the large, high-altitude vortex observed at Venus’ south pole, which is similar to but much smaller than the polar vortices observed on gas giants like Saturn and Jupiter.

Explanation: Neptune has the fastest winds in the Solar System, with wind speeds reaching up to 2,100 kilometers per hour (about 1,305 miles per hour) in its atmosphere, creating powerful storms and atmospheric dynamics.

Explanation: The Great Dark Spot is the name of the dark, vortical storm system observed at Neptune’s equator, similar to Jupiter’s Great Red Spot but located at the equator.

Explanation: Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons, is known for its highly active surface geology, with extensive cryovolcanism and icy geysers, suggesting the presence of a subsurface ocean.

Explanation: Olympus Mons on Mars is believed to be the largest volcano in the Solar System by volume, stretching over 600 kilometers in diameter and rising nearly 22 kilometers above the Martian surface.

Explanation: Fold mountains on Earth are the result of the collision between tectonic plates, leading to the compression and uplift of rock layers, forming mountain ranges such as the Himalayas and the Rockies.

Explanation: Copernicus is the name of the largest impact crater on the Moon, located on the lunar near side and visible from Earth, with a diameter of about 93 kilometers.

Explanation: Enceladus, a moon of Saturn, exhibits extensive cryovolcanism, with geysers erupting from its south polar region, indicating the presence of a subsurface ocean beneath its icy crust.

Explanation: Rift valleys on Earth are formed by the stretching and thinning of the crust, leading to the sinking of blocks of land between parallel faults, such as the East African Rift and the Great Rift Valley.

Explanation: Hellas Planitia is the name of the largest impact basin on Mars, covering a vast region of the planet’s southern hemisphere, with a diameter of about 2,300 kilometers.

Explanation: Callisto, one of Jupiter’s moons, exhibits a heavily cratered surface, indicating its ancient geological history and lack of significant geological activity compared to other moons like Europa and Io.

Explanation: Fold mountains on Earth are formed by the bending or buckling of rock layers under compressional stress, leading to the uplift of mountain ranges such as the Himalayas and the Andes.

Explanation: Mars exhibits extensive canyon systems, including Valles Marineris, which is considered the largest canyon in the Solar System, stretching over 4,000 kilometers in length and up to 7 kilometers

Explanation: Saturn’s Hexagon is the name of the hexagonal cloud pattern observed at Saturn’s north pole, which is a unique and striking atmospheric feature.

Explanation: Iapetus, a moon of Saturn, exhibits a prominent equatorial ridge that encircles its entire circumference, giving it a distinct walnut-like shape, which is believed to be the result of past geological activity.

Explanation: Saturn’s South Polar Vortex is the name of the storm system observed at Saturn’s south pole, similar to Jupiter’s Great Red Spot but located at the pole.

Explanation: Miranda, a moon of Uranus, is unique for its extreme axial tilt, causing it to essentially orbit the planet on its side, leading to complex geological features and varied terrains.

Explanation: Venus’ Vortex is the name of the large, high-altitude vortex observed at Venus’ south pole, which is similar to but much smaller than the polar vortices observed on gas giants like Saturn and Jupiter.

Explanation: Triton, a moon of Neptune, is known for its retrograde orbit, meaning it orbits the planet in the opposite direction of Neptune’s rotation, suggesting that it may be a captured Kuiper Belt object.

Explanation: Pluto’s Tombaugh Regio is the name of the vast, heart-shaped region observed on Pluto’s surface, informally named after the famous Disney character Pluto, and officially named after Clyde Tombaugh, the discoverer of Pluto.

Explanation: Callisto, one of Jupiter’s moons, exhibits a heavily cratered surface, indicating its ancient geological history and lack of significant geological activity compared to other moons like Europa and Io.

Explanation: Neptune’s Equatorial Vortex is the name of the massive, swirling storm system observed at Neptune’s equator, which exhibits unusual dynamics and atmospheric features.

Explanation: Titan, a moon of Saturn, is known for its dense atmosphere, which is primarily composed of nitrogen and methane, and its hydrocarbon lakes and seas on its surface, making it one of the most Earth-like bodies in the Solar System.

Explanation: The Kuiper Belt is the region beyond the orbit of Neptune where a vast collection of icy bodies, including Pluto, reside, providing insights into the outer reaches of the Solar System’s formation and evolution.

Explanation: The Oort Cloud is the region in the Solar System where long-period comets originate, extending to the outermost reaches of the Sun’s gravitational influence, and is believed to contain billions of icy bodies.

Explanation: Voyager 1 became the first human-made object to reach interstellar space in 2012, having traveled beyond the influence of the Sun’s magnetic field and into the space between stars.

Explanation: A transit is the phenomenon where a planet or moon passes directly between a star and the observer, causing a temporary decrease in the star’s brightness as seen from Earth.

Explanation: New Horizons, launched by NASA in 2006, conducted a historic flyby of Pluto in 2015, providing the first detailed images of the dwarf planet and its moons, revolutionizing our understanding of the distant world.

Explanation: Cassini-Huygens, a joint mission between NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA), successfully landed the Huygens probe on Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, in 2005, providing valuable data on Titan’s surface and atmosphere.

Explanation: The Cassini spacecraft discovered geysers erupting from beneath the icy surface of Saturn’s moon, Enceladus, indicating the presence of a subsurface ocean and potential habitability.

Explanation: The Hubble Space Telescope, launched by NASA in 1990, has provided breathtaking images and groundbreaking discoveries in astronomy, revolutionizing our understanding of the universe.

Explanation: Sojourner was the first successful Mars rover mission, launched by NASA in 1996 as part of the Mars Pathfinder mission, providing valuable data on the Martian surface and atmosphere.

Explanation: Ganymede is the largest moon in the Solar System, which orbits the gas giant Jupiter and is larger than the planet Mercury, exhibiting a complex surface with various geological features.