The Ice Giants - Uranus and Neptune

There are giant planets of ice in the outer reaches of the solar system. Meet the planets our ancestors’ new nothing about – those you can’t spot in the sky without a telescope. Uranus and Neptune redefine violent weather, beauty and mystery.

This Course includes the following great BONUS LESSONS:

• What on Earth is Astronomy?

• Mini-Lesson: Eclipses

• Mini-Lesson: Meteor Showers

• Mini-Lesson: Aurora

The Ice Giants: Uranus and Neptune

1. Objective

2. Warm-up activity

3. The planets Uranus and Neptune

4. Planet compositions of rock and ice

5. The outer Solar System

6. Uranus and Neptune’s discovery

7. Planetary naming conventions

8. The concept of magnitude

9. Mass and its effect on weight

10. Planetary size and scale

11. Planetary rotational periods and orbits

12. Planet sizes

13. Planetary weather phenomena, including cloud patterns, temperatures and wind speeds

14. Uranus and Neptune’s geological activity, such as geysers

15. Distances within the solar system, especially as compared to the Earth and the Sun

16. Planet hunting and discovery methods as related to observational and mathematical calculations

17. Planet definitions

18. Scientist William Herschel

19. Telescopes

20. Naked-eye astronomy

21. Night and day cycles

22. Moons and their geological activity

23. Infrared light and photography in exploring objects at a distance

24. Planetary rings and their composition

25. Planetary phases

26. Test questions

27. Cross-curricular activities

My name is Tony Ceraso and I will be your instructor. I sometimes run the planetarium and have written curriculum for the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC. I have also written curriculum for NASA’s school visitation program and teach on the college level in NJ.

My goal is for you to thoroughly enjoy this lesson. I love astronomy and I want nothing more out of our time together than for you to have a greater appreciation for the universe through the understanding of this material. Besides the lesson I’m going to preview for you now, the course includes warm up activities, test questions, and cross-curricular activities for you to download as a supplement.