The Sun is a star · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

The Sun is a star

Science · Space Exploration · ages 7-9
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. The Sun is a totally different kind of object from all the stars we see at night.

    Circle one:   True   False

  2. What kind of object is the Sun?

    • A star
    • A planet
    • A moon

  3. What sits at the centre of our solar system?

    • Earth
    • The Sun
    • The Moon

  4. Which best describes how the eight planets move?

    • They orbit around the Sun
    • They orbit around Earth
    • They stay still in space

  5. Why does the Sun look so much bigger and brighter than the stars we see at night?

    • It is the only star that makes light
    • It is bigger than every other star in the universe
    • It is much closer to Earth

  6. The Sun looks much bigger than every other star. Does that mean it really is the biggest star in space?

    • Yes, if it looks biggest, it is biggest
    • No, it just looks that way because it's close by
    • Yes, but only during the day

  7. Look at the order below. Earth is the third planet from the Sun. How many planets are closer to the Sun than Earth is?

    SunMercuryVenusEarthMarsJupiterSaturnUranusNeptune

    Answer: ______________

  8. Zara says: 'The Sun is not a star, it's a special ball of light that only our solar system has.' What is wrong with what Zara said?

    • The Sun is a planet, not a star
    • Nothing, Zara is correct
    • The Sun is a star, just a very close one
LightMySky · lightmysky.comW1-mt_u3Y3Tb-G_n-s1

Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

The Sun is a star W1-mt_u3Y3Tb-G_n-s1

  1. False · The Sun is a star too. It is just so close that it looks very different from the tiny points of light at night.
  2. A star · The Sun is a star, just like the twinkling ones you see at night.
  3. The Sun · The Sun sits in the middle, and all eight planets orbit around it.
  4. They orbit around the Sun · All eight planets, including Earth, travel in a path around the Sun.
  5. It is much closer to Earth · Distance makes the difference. The Sun is very close, so it looks huge and bright.
  6. No, it just looks that way because it's close by · Looking bigger is about distance, not real size. The Sun only looks huge because it is so close.
  7. 2 · Mercury and Venus orbit closer to the Sun than Earth does, so two planets come before it.
  8. The Sun is a star, just a very close one · The Sun is not special in kind. It is a star like countless others, only much nearer to us.
Worksheet · LightMySky