Contents

Introduction A Start in Space Big Questions Question 1 Question 2 Question 3 3 4 5

Introduction
Space is a mind-boggling topic. There are a lot of aspects of space and this book is here to show you the most amazing bits of space. I can guarantee that almost everything in this book is true. From the stars in the sky to The Coal Sack, well venture into space together in the dinghy spaceship I rented from the corner shop. We might even meet some aliens!

This booklet will be your tour-guide so make sure youve hidden yourself in a cosy spot, brought your popcorn and your barf bag with you because its going to be a bumpy ride! Lets start exploring the out-of-this-world topic: Space.

A Start in Space
Space is the name given to the home of everything. There are many different aspects of space but lets start with the basics. PROFILE: EARTH SIZE: 12,700 Km across SATELLITES: One moon: Luna LENGTH OF DAY: 24 Earth hours LENGTH OF YEAR: 365.25 Earth days PROPERTIES/ATMOSPHERE: 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen. Other gasses such as carbon dioxide (0.038% and increasing) make up the last 1%. The core of Earth is burning hot, (fact), while at the two ends of the Earth, or the poles, the temperature is usually far below freezing point (0*C.) SIMPLE FACTS: Earth is the planet that all humans live on. Earth is the third hottest planet and has the fifth-fastest spin. It has the fourth strongest gravitational pull and is the fifth heaviest planet. Being in the middle of almost every list there is, Earth is the only planet able to support life. The Earths light comes from the sun, as does the light of all other planets in our solar system. Earth also spins around the sun on an axis, giving us night and day. As seen from space, Earth is mainly blue due to 71% of the Earths surface being liquid water. There are patches of green. This green is the plants which grow on Earth. In space, Earth is said to glow. Believe it or not, Earth spins at approximately 108,000km in the course of an hour. Not so simple now, is it?

FACT FILE: THE MOON

ALSO KNOWN AS: Luna. DISTANCE FROM EARTH: ORBIT: To go around the Earth once, it takes 27 days, 7 hours and 43 minutes. The moon itself is also spinning and to make one complete spin, it takes 27 days, 7 hours and 43 minutes. Therefore, on Earth, we can only ever see one side of the moon. LENGTH OF YEAR: As the moon is orbiting WITH Earth, a day on the moon would be the same length as a day on Earth. PROPERTIES: Solid ground. Weak gravity. About a sixth of Earths. The Moon has a large temperature range from -173*C to 127*C. There is no wind on the Moon as there is no atmosphere however, beware of radiation from space. INTERESTING FACTS: As seen from the moon, the Earth would be spinning. So if you were looking at Australia, 12 hours later, youd be looking at Europe. Earth would also go through a course of changes like the moon- Earth could look like a crescent from the moon. One day and night on the moon would be like 30 days on Earth. Between one midnight and the next would be a 700 hour difference. Funny that. You could have all sorts of times like 300 o clock. There is no atmosphere, and consequently no wind, if you were to go to the moon, you could see the footprints left from the first moon voyage in 1969.

Theres a full Earth tonight. Its so beautiful.

Big Questions
Space is an amazing place and is a wonder and beauty. I have three very big and important questions here that I think readers might be interested in. Then I can continue with the booklet. [Cartoon: About time] QUESTION 1: How did the Earth come into existence? QUESTION 2: Are there really other living life forms in space? QUESTION 3: What does it take to survive space? Well seek the answers to these questions as we travel further into space. First, get on board my old ship and well travel the cosmos.

[Cartoon]

QUESTION 2:
Are there really other living life forms in space?
Extra-terrestrial life is life which doesnt originate on Earth. When I say aliens, you might think of slimy green figures with huge black eyes and elongated heads. No. Aliens can be microscopic bacteria living outside of the Earth. But that doesnt mean this trip wont be fun! Although aliens have never been proved to exist, people still believe in them like people believe in religions. Many fictions have been written about aliens. Movies, books and this chapter. People say that life emerged from many different places in space, in a parallel dimension for instance. There have been many claims of aliens existing. Mars is one of the most known planets for its myths about being alien-inhabited.

Whats really funny is that even well known (and not so well known) scientists have started alien scares! ALIEN SCARES MADE BY SUPERSTITIOUS SCIENTISTS In the 1830s, Franz von Paula Gruithuisen said that Venus appears brighter every 47 years because the aliens lit lamps to honour their new king or emperor. This case is sad because Gruithuisen was the one who DISCOVERED that Venus was bright every 47 years. Sadly, Franz didnt get his facts right. Venus appears brighter because the Sun shines its rays onto Venuss poison atmosphere. When the Earth moves into a certain spot in space, Venus appears brighter. This is called a transit. In 1835, astronomer Sir John Herschel stated that he had spotted giant beavers with no tails on the Moon. He said that there was a jungle of trees where they lived. Somethings fishy about that. I investigated and found out that the whole thing was a hoax created by reporter Richard Adams Locke. Sir John Herschel was in South Africa. When he heard of the scare, he almost laughed his head off. 1950s: Iosif Shmeulovich Shklovskii. Incredible Iosif said that the moons of Mars were made my aliens even smarter than him. Well, the aliens were really that smart then as in 1971, space-shots proved Phobos was just a large rock floating in space. Iosif didnt look so smart then and said that he was joking. Svante Arrhenius said that Venus was covered in swamps. This was true however, this next bit is absolutely false. Some scientists also said that these swamps were inhabited by gigantic dinosaurs. This is false because: 1. Theres no water to support life on Venus. 2. Venuss air pressure and temperatures would fry the dinosaurs. 3. Its just absurd.

I think thats enough to make u reconsider being a scientist. Isnt it?

Youve forgotten the Mars monsters! So I have. But Ive been saving the best until last. One of the most famous scientists in history, though not as famous as Einstein, was Percival Lowell. Percy knew there was a planet beyond Neptune, Pluto, but he couldnt prove his theory. Well, astronomers have agreed that Pluto is no longer a planet so Lowell was also wrong. But he was right until 2009 when they changed the requirements of a planet. Yep. Confusing. Back to aliens on Mars. Percival also said that the canals on Mars were built by aliens. Why is it always the scientists?