Venus – Approach with Caution

Venus is the closest planet to the Earth but could hardly be more different. Spacecrafts melt and are pelted with sulfuric acid rain as they streak to the surface of Venus in pitch black skies. 900 mile an hour winds blow as we try to explore this greenhouse of a planet. When studying Venus it is best to approach it with caution.

This Course includes the following great BONUS LESSONS:

• What on Earth is Astronomy?

• Mini-Lesson: Eclipses

• Mini-Lesson: Meteor Showers

• Mini-Lesson: Aurora

Venus – Approach with Caution

1. Objective

2. Warm-up activity

3. Venus through Earth’s history

4. Venus and its position in the Solar System

5. Phases of Venus

6. Superior and inferior conjunctions of planets

7. Planetary aphelion and perihelion

8. Eccentricity of orbits

9. The Venusian day

10. Retrograde motion

11. Terrestrial planets

12. Visible light

13. The Magellan spacecraft to Venus

14. The Solar System’s temperate zone

15. Venusian atmospheric and surface conditions

16. The Venera and Pioneer missions to Venus

17. Magnetic fields

18. Venusian geology and surface features

19. The Venus Express mission by the European Space Agency

20. Venusian transits and measuring distances within the Solar System

21. Parallax

22. Test questions

23. 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.