4.1 Dissecting the Universe
Introduction
The Universe and the Solar System
The universe is a very big place! It's made up of matter, energy, and a whole lot of empty space. This section is an introduction to the universe and everything in it. We will look at some scientific theories about how the universe, and our solar system, came to be. We will examine the parts of the universe that we know about: the galaxies, stars, planets, moons, comets, and asteroids.
We know quite a bit about space, but there's even more we don't know. It is important to think of our knowledge as a growing and changing body of information. In order to do this, it is often helpful to look at the history of our knowledge. Why did people want to investigate the skies in the first place? What were some scientific theories about space in the past? Through this investigation, we will see where our knowledge has come from, and think about where it might lead us in the future.