ES: G3 Space

How we did we all get here? The history of the solar system is long but fascinating—and it probably started with a bang! Astronomers believe that more than 4.5 billion years ago, an exploding star created a huge cloud of gas and dust. Gravity drew this stuff together into clumps, eventually forming the sun and the surrounding planets. There are four rocky, inner planets—Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars—and four gas giants farther out—Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. But wait, there's more! Our solar system is also home to asteroids, comets, dwarf planets such as Pluto, and the distant objects of the Kuiper Belt and Oort Cloud. So, get ready to blast off with Tim and Moby as they explore our galactic neighborhood!

Ever wonder where our solar system ends and the rest of space begins? In this BrainPOP movie, Tim and Moby will teach you about the outer reaches of our solar system! You’ll first learn about the planet-like objects recently found in the boonies of the solar system--and whether or not there really is a Planet X. Next, Tim and Moby take you on a tour of the outer limits of our galactic neighborhood. You’ll find out about regions like the Kuiper belt and Oort cloud, as well as where, exactly, the solar system ends! It’s a distant journey but you’ll be glad you took it!

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s — an asteroid! Ever wonder where shooting stars come from? In this BrainPOP movie, Tim and Moby take you to the world of asteroids, which are basically just big space rocks. You’ll see where most asteroids live in our solar system and meet the biggest asteroid known to man! Discover what makes an asteroid different from a comet, and find out the eerie history of how an asteroid may have wiped out the dinosaurs! Watch out!

Here comes the Sun! In this BrainPOP movie, Tim and Moby spew dozens of fun facts about our very own star, the Sun! You’ll find out about its huge size as well as just how hot it is, both on the surface and in the Sun’s middle parts (let’s just say you’d fry if you got anywhere near it)! You’ll also discover what the Sun’s made of, as well as how it got its start way back at the beginning of our solar system’s history. And, you can find out what neat things go on near the Sun’s surface, while getting pointers about how to protect yourself from the Sun’s powerful rays. This movie is solarly cool, man!

Is the moon really made out of cheese? Who is the man in the moon, anyway? In this BrainPOP movie Tim and Moby will set you straight about our one and only natural satellite. Learn why the moon shines so brightly and why it goes through all those crazy phases. Discover what’s on the surface of the moon and why you can see some of those features with just your naked eyes! Since we don’t really know how the moon formed, you will also find out about the four main theories that scientists have on how it all started long, long ago! And finally, you’ll learn about a historic mission to the moon by us humans — and yes, it really happened!

The moon has many faces—get to know them all! In this BrainPOP movie, Tim and Moby introduce you to the phases of the moon. Discover the connection between the moon’s phases and the relative positions of the moon, Earth, and sun. Explore how the moon’s illuminated surface seems to grow and shrink over the course of a month. Learn the difference between crescent and gibbous, and follow the moon’s journey from new moon to full moon and back again. Your knowledge about lunar phases is sure to wax, not wane!