We live on planet Earth - just one of eight planets in our Solar System. The Sun is in the centre of our Solar System and it is our light source.

All the planets move around the Sun.

Each morning, the sun rises in the east, makes its slow journey across the sky, and then sets in the west. Then it continues a journey around the other side of the Earth, and rises again the next morning.

The Sun appears to move across the sky but it is the Earth that's turning. The Earth rotates on its axis once every 24 hours, so that the Sun returns to the same position in the sky every day. The Earth rotates counter clockwise, from west to east.

The Earth travels all the way around the Sun once every year. This journey is called the Earth's orbit.

The Moon travels around the Earth and it takes just less than 28 days for the Moon to complete its orbit.

The planets stay in their orbits because the Sun's gravity keeps them there.
The Moon stays in its orbit because the Earth's gravity keeps it there.

Earth and Space Teaching and Learning Resources

Sats Questions on Earth and Space

Information on the Phases of the Moon
Includes facts about the moon

Day time and Night time
Includes a map showing which countries are having night and day time right now.

The Reasons for the Seasons
Why do we have seasons?

Take the Moon Challenge
Drag the Moons to their correct places in lunar cycles.

Moon Calendar
Showing phases of the moon each month

Earth Sun and Moon
BBC Science Clips

The Shape of the Moon BfGL
Thoughts and Questions about why the shape changes

Interactive Moon Challenge
Can you complete the Luna Cycle?

Space Quiz Game
Interactive multiple choice Challenge.
Can you beat the clock?

Virtual Model of the Solar System
Explore the planets, comets and asteroids on an interactive virtual fly-through and then try and create the perfect world.

Comparing the sizes of Planets
An online animation showing the sizes of the nine planets, plus the sun and the earth’s moon.

Animation showing Orbits of Planets and time taken

A Day on Planet Mercury

Astro Adventure - Earth and Beyond
Redshift Enterprises take you on a troublesome test drive of their Galactic Express shuttle.

The Solar System ¦ Test Yourself

The Earth ¦ Test Yourself

The Sun ¦ Test Yourself

The Moon ¦ Test Yourself

Space Sats Questions

CYMRU Interactive Resources

Earth and space
Why we have day time and night time on Earth, seasons and why the moon appears a different shape over the month

All about space
Find facts about the Earth, the moon and the solar system.

Planets, moons and their dark sides
Learn about the Earth, moon, planets and the sun