Our Place in

Space
Have you ever looked up
at the night sky? Have you
wondered what was out
there? For all of time,
people have looked up to
the heavens. They have
hoped to find clues about
our place in the universe.

People used to think that

Earth was the center of the
solar system. They thought
that the sun went around
Earth. They thought the moon,
stars, and other planets did, too.
Then they learned that Earth is not
the center. It is one of at least eight
planets. All of the planets travel around
the sun.
the Sun
Our Sun
The sun is a star. It is at the center of the solar system. It isn’t the biggest star in
the galaxy. It isn’t the brightest. It is the star closest to Earth. It is the largest thing in
our solar system. It has 99.8 percent of all of the mass in our solar system.

Most energy on Earth comes from the sun. It gives us light and heat which are
used by plants to grow. It makes winds blow. It makes ocean currents flow. It makes
the water cycle go.
With no sun, Earth would be very cold. It would be so cold that no living thing
could survive.

The sun is made up of hot gases. Its center is about 15 million degrees Celsius (27
million degrees Fahrenheit). The sun also has a lot of gravity. Its gravity holds the
planets close. It keeps Earth and other planets in place as they go around the sun.

The Four Seasons

Earth is tilted. That tilt causes the seasons. For part of the year, the northern half
of Earth leans toward the sun. Then it gets lots of sunlight straight from the sun. It
is summer there. At the same time, the southern half leans away. It gets less sunlight
spread out over more land. It is winter there.
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© Shell Education #50160—Leveled Texts for Science: Earth & Space Science
 Summer: The tilt does not change.
The northern The change comes from the
hemisphere gets Earth’s orbit. Earth goes
concentrated around the sun. As it goes,
sunlight. different parts get more light
from the sun. That makes the
seasons.

We also now know that

our solar system is old. It is
5 billion years old. It is at the
edge of our galaxy called the
Milky Way. It is one of at
least 100 billion galaxies in the
heavens. Each one has tons
of stars! The Milky Way has
about 200 billion stars of its
Winter: own.
The southern hemisphere The Milky Way is a spiral
gets sunlight spread out. galaxy. It has many arms.
Each arm is made of stars.
You can see the next arm over. You can only see it on a very dark night. It looks like
a bright stripe in the sky. The Milky Way is very wide. It takes light 100,000 years to
get from one side to the other.

Comprehension Question
How is the Earth not the center of everything?

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#50160—Leveled Texts for Science: Earth & Space Science © Shell Education
 Our Place in
Space
Have you ever looked up
at the night sky? Have you
wondered what was out
there? For all of time,
people have looked up to
the heavens. They have
hoped to find clues about
our place in the universe.

People used to think that

Earth was the center of the
solar system. They thought
that the sun went around the
Earth. They thought the moon,
stars, and other planets did, too.
Then they learned that Earth is not
the center. It is one of at least eight
planets. All of the planets travel around
the sun.
the Sun
Our Sun
The sun is a star. It is at the center of the solar system. It isn’t the biggest or
brightest star in our galaxy. The sun is the star closest to Earth. It is the largest body
in our solar system. In fact, it has 99.8 percent of all of the mass in our solar system.

The sun is the major source of energy on Earth. It gives us light and heat. That
energy is used for the growth of plants, winds, ocean currents, and the water cycle.
With no sun, Earth would be very cold. It would be so cold that no living thing
could survive.

The sun is made up of hot hydrogen and helium gases. In its center it is about 15
million degrees Celsius (27 million degrees Fahrenheit). The sun also creates gravity.
The force of gravity holds the sun and planets close. It keeps Earth and other planets
in place as they orbit around the sun.

The Four Seasons

The way Earth is tilted causes the seasons. For part of the year, the northern half
of Earth leans toward the sun. Then it gets direct sunlight. It is summer there. At the
same time, the southern half leans away from the sun. It gets less sunlight. It is winter
there.
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© Shell Education #50160—Leveled Texts for Science: Earth & Space Science
 Summer: The tilt doesn’t change. It
The northern is the position of the planet
hemisphere gets around the sun that changes.
concentrated As Earth goes around the
sunlight. sun, different parts get more
sunlight. That makes the
seasons.

We also now know that

our solar system is old. It is
almost 5 billion years old. It
is at the edge of our galaxy
called the Milky Way. It is one
of at least 100 billion galaxies
in the universe. Each one of
them has tons of stars!

The Milky Way has about

Winter: 200 billion stars on its own.
The southern hemisphere The Milky Way is a spiral
gets sunlight spread out. galaxy. It has many arms.
The arms are made of stars.
The next arm over can be seen on a very dark night. It looks like a bright band in the
sky. The Milky Way is so wide that light would take 100,000 years to travel from one
side to the other.

Comprehension Question
List three reasons why Earth is not the
center of the universe.

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#50160—Leveled Texts for Science: Earth & Space Science © Shell Education
 Our Place in
Space
Have you ever looked into
the night sky and wondered
what was out there?
Throughout time, people
have gazed to the heavens.
They are hoping to find
clues about our place in the
universe.

Long ago, people

thought that Earth was the
center of the solar system.
They thought that the sun,
moon, stars, and other planets
revolved around it. Scientists
finally learned that Earth is one
of at least eight planets in our solar
system. They found that all of the planets
travel around the sun.
the Sun
Our Sun
The sun is a star at the center of the solar system. It isn’t the biggest or brightest
star in our galaxy, but it is the star closest to Earth. It is the largest body in our solar
system. In fact, it contains 99.8 percent of all of the mass in our solar system.

The sun is the major source of energy on Earth. It gives us light and heat. It’s
responsible for the growth of plants, winds, ocean currents, and the water cycle.
Without the sun, Earth would be very cold. It would be so cold that no living thing
could survive.

Like other stars, the sun is made up of hot hydrogen and helium gases. The
temperature in its center is about 15 million degrees Celsius (27 million degrees
Fahrenheit). The sun also creates gravity. The force of gravity between the sun and
planets keeps Earth and other planets of the solar system in place and orbiting around
the sun.

Four Seasons
The way Earth is tilted causes the seasons. For part of the year, the northern half
of Earth leans toward the sun and gets direct sunlight. So, it’s summer there. At the
same time, the southern half leans away from the sun and gets less sunlight. So, it’s
winter there. 113

© Shell Education #50160—Leveled Texts for Science: Earth & Space Science
 Summer: The tilt doesn’t change. It
The northern is the position of the planet
hemisphere gets around the sun that changes.
concentrated As Earth goes around the
sunlight. sun, different parts get more
sunlight. That makes the
seasons.

Astronomers also now

know that our solar system is
almost 5 billion years old. It
is located at the edge of the
Milky Way galaxy. It is one
of at least 100 billion galaxies
in the universe. Each one of
them has billions of stars! Our
galaxy alone has about 200
Winter: billion stars.
The southern hemisphere The Milky Way is a spiral
gets sunlight spread out. galaxy. It can be seen on a
very dark night as a bright
band in the sky. It is so wide
that light would take 100,000
years to travel across it.

Comprehension Question
People used to think that Earth was the center
of everything. How were they wrong?

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#50160—Leveled Texts for Science: Earth & Space Science © Shell Education
 Our Place in
Space
Have you ever looked
up into the night sky and
wondered what was out
there? Throughout time,
astronomers have gazed to
the heavens, hoping to find
clues about our place in the
universe.

Long ago, people

assumed that Earth was the
center of the universe. They
believed that the sun, moon,
stars, and other planets orbited
around it. Astronomers finally
learned that Earth is one of at least
eight other planets that travel around
the sun.
the Sun
Our Sun
The sun is a star at the center of the solar system. It isn’t the biggest or brightest
star in our galaxy, but it is the star closest to Earth. It is the largest body in our solar
system: in fact, it contains 99.8 percent of the solar system’s mass.

Like other stars, the sun is made up of hot hydrogen and helium gases. The
temperature in its center is about 15 million degrees Celsius (27 million degrees
Fahrenheit). The sun’s mass gives it a powerful gravitational pull. That gravity keeps
Earth and other planets of the solar system in place and orbiting around the sun.
The sun, through its light and heat, is the primary source of energy on Earth.
It’s responsible for the growth of plants, winds, ocean currents, and the water cycle.
Without the sun’s energy, Earth would be very cold. It would be so cold that no living
thing could survive.

The Four Seasons

Earth is tilted to one side as it orbits around the sun, and it is that tilt that causes
the seasons. For part of the year, the northern hemisphere of Earth leans toward the
sun and gets direct sunlight. So, it’s summer there. At the same time, the southern
hemisphere leans away from the sun and gets less sunlight. So, it’s winter there.

115

© Shell Education #50160—Leveled Texts for Science: Earth & Space Science
 Summer: The tilt doesn’t change. It
The northern is the position of the planet
hemisphere gets around the sun that changes.
concentrated As Earth goes around the
sunlight. sun, different parts get more
sunlight. So at one part of
the year, it is winter in the
northern hemisphere of the
planet. At the opposite time
of the year, the Earth is tilted
differently and it is summer in
the northern hemisphere.

Astronomers also now

know that our solar system is
almost 5 billion years old. It
is located at the edge of the
Winter: Milky Way galaxy. It is one
The southern hemisphere of at least 100 billion galaxies
gets sunlight spread out. in the universe. Each one of
them has billions of stars!
Our galaxy alone has about
200 billion stars.

The Milky Way is a spiral galaxy with many arms. On very dark nights, you can
see the neighboring arm as a bright band in the sky. The galaxy is so wide that light
would take 100,000 years to travel across it.

Comprehension Question
Describe Earth’s position relative to the
rest of the universe.

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#50160—Leveled Texts for Science: Earth & Space Science © Shell Education