Astronomy Shakedown

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Shakedown!
Instructions
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Brought to you by the International Dark-Sky
Association
Picture Credits NASA/JPL-Caltech
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How to Play
Main Menu

• General Rules
• You must have Microsoft PowerPoint and run it in
  slide show mode in order for this game to work
  properly
• Break class into groups. Suggested group size is
  5-6 students per group.
• Group one will choose a difficulty level and
  point value. Click on that square to read the
  question. Group one will have approximately 30
  seconds to discuss the question and attempt to
  answer it correctly.
• If group one does not know the answer to the
  question, they can choose to pass it to group
  two. If group two answers the question correctly,
  they get the points added to their score. It then
  becomes group twos normal turn to choose a
  question. If group two answers the question
  incorrectly, they receive no points and it
  becomes group threes normal turn.
• If group one chooses to answer the question, then
  click on the question to reveal the answer. If
  they answered the question correctly, they
  receive the points for the question and it is
  group twos turn. If they answer the question
  incorrectly, they receive no points and it is
  group twos turn.
• If group two answers the question incorrectly,
  they get no points, and the turn moves to group
  three.
• Continue in this pattern until all of the
  questions have been answered.

Score board Students can keep score on paper or
on the board. As each group receives points, add
them together. At the end, the group with the
most points wins. There are three double-plays on
the board. When these come up, students receive
double points for getting the correct
answer. PowerPoint does not keep track of which
squares students have already picked. It is
recommended to print slide three from PowerPoint
before playing the game and cross off the squares
as students choose them. See notes for printer
instructions.
Photo International Dark-Sky Association
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Shakedown!
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Main Menu
Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech
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What planet is about the same size as Earth?
Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech
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VENUS
Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech
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Which planet is the biggest?
Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech
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JUPITER
Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech
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Which planet is the hottest in the solar system?
Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech
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What is light pollution?
Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech
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Bad outdoor lighting that causes a glow above a
city, interferes with viewing the night sky and
disrupts the environment
Photo International Dark-Sky Association
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Which two planets are closest to Earth?
Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech
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Venus and Mars
Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech
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What is the coldest planet in the solar system?
Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech
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PLUTO
Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech
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What is the closest star to Earth?
Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech
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The Sun
Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech
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Which planets are made of gas?
Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech
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SATURN
JUPITER
NEPTUNE
URANUS
Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech
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• Which of the following
• Is not affected by light pollution?
• Birds
• Insects
• Amphibians
• Reptiles
• Humans
• None of the above

Double Points!
Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech
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Photo U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Photo U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service/Charles H.
Smith
F) None of the above. All are affected.
Photo International Dark-Sky Association
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What planet has the biggest storm? How many of
Earths diameters can fit inside?
Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech
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Jupiter 2 times Earths diameter

Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech
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Which planet has a longer day than its year and
how is this possible?
Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech
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Venus it takes longer for it to rotate around
than it does for it to orbit all the way around
the sun
Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech
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How many moons does Mars have?
Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech
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2
Deimos
Phobos
Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech
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What is the first planet to be discovered by
mathematics tather than observation?
Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech
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NEPTUNE
Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech
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Which planet rotates on its side?
Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech
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URANUS
Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech
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• Which one causes light pollution?
• Fully-shielded lighting
• Excessive outdoor night lighting
• Motion sensors on security lights
• Turning off lights when not in use

Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech
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B) Excessive outdoor night lighting
Photo International Dark-Sky Association
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What is Valles Marinaris and how big is it?
Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech
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Valles Marineris is
the largest canyon in the solar system
and is about 3,000 miles long
Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech
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• Light pollution negatively
• Affects astronomy. How?
• It keeps everyone from seeing the stars at night.
• Its hard to study the universe in telescopes
• It makes it more expensive to study deep space
• All of the above

Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech
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D) All of the above
Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech
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How many times have humans been to the moon?
Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech
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6
Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech
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What does no atmosphere on Mercury mean?
Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech
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No Wind

No Rain


No Erosion
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Name two things that
are unique to Pluto's orbit.
Double Points!
Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech
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1) Pluto's orbit is very oval shaped
2) Pluto orbits with Kuiper belt objects
3) Pluto's orbit sometimes brings it closer to
the sun than Neptune
4) Pluto's orbit is not in the same disk as the
rest of the planets
Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech
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How do plate tectonics affect the surface of
Venus and Earth?
Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech
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Mountains
Volcanoes
Tidal Waves
Earthquakes
Sea Trenches
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Double Points!
What is
a shooting star?
Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech
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A meteor
falling to Earth
Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech
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What is the Kuiper Belt?
Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech
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An expanse of thousands
of small objects orbiting
the sun outside of the orbit
of Pluto
Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech
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Name two things you can do to protect the
world from light pollution.
Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech
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• Use motion sensors
• Use timers
• Turn lights out when not in use
• Use fully-shielded lights
• Use energy efficient lights
• Make sure lights arent too bright

Photo International Dark-Sky Association
51
Name all of the components of the solar system in
order. include the sun, asteroid belt, Oort Cloud
and planets.
Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech
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• Sun
• Mercury
• Venus
• Earth
• Mars
• Asteroid Belt
• Jupiter
• Saturn
• Uranus
• Neptune
• Kuiper Belt
• Pluto
• Oort Cloud

Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech
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Shakedown!
Thank you for playing.
Credits Created by The International
Dark-Sky association