Day and Night Sky

Kindergarten · Science · Study Guide

Learn what you can see in the sky during the day and at night.

Look up at the sky! It looks different during the day and at night.

During the day, the sky is usually blue. The most important thing in the daytime sky is the Sun. The Sun is a star — a giant ball of hot gas that gives us light and warmth. The Sun helps plants grow and keeps us warm. We should never look directly at the Sun because it can hurt our eyes.

Sometimes during the day we can see clouds. Clouds are made of tiny water droplets. Different clouds bring different weather. Big fluffy clouds are called cumulus clouds. Flat, gray clouds can bring rain.

At night, the sky gets dark because the Earth turns away from the Sun. We can see the Moon in the night sky. The Moon does not make its own light — it reflects light from the Sun. The Moon changes shape throughout the month. These shapes are called phases.

We can also see stars at night. Stars look like tiny points of light, but they are actually huge and very far away. The stars we see form patterns called constellations.

Sometimes we can see planets in the night sky too! They look like very bright stars that do not twinkle.

Key terms

sun

The star at the center of our solar system that gives Earth light and warmth

moon

Earth's natural satellite that reflects sunlight and orbits Earth

star

A giant ball of hot gas that gives off light; the Sun is our nearest star

constellation

A group of stars that form a pattern or shape in the night sky

phase

The shape the Moon appears to be as it orbits Earth each month

Flashcards

Sun

A giant star that gives Earth light and warmth during the day

Moon

Orbits Earth and reflects sunlight; visible mostly at night

Star

A giant ball of hot gas that produces light; looks tiny because it is far away

Constellation

A group of stars that form a shape or pattern

Phase

The changing shape of the Moon as seen from Earth

Cloud

Made of tiny water droplets; found in the daytime sky

Daytime sky

Blue sky with the Sun; sometimes clouds are visible

Night sky

Dark sky where you can see the Moon, stars, and sometimes planets

Questions

1. What do we see in the sky during the day that gives us light and warmth?

   1. Moon
   2. Star
   3. Sun
   4. Planet
   Show answer

   Answer: Sun

   The Sun is in our daytime sky and provides Earth with light and heat.

2. The Moon makes its own light.

   Show answer

   Answer: False

   The Moon does not produce its own light. It reflects light from the Sun.

3. Why does it get dark at night?

   1. The Sun turns off
   2. The Moon covers the Sun
   3. Earth turns away from the Sun
   4. Clouds block everything
   Show answer

   Answer: Earth turns away from the Sun

   Earth rotates, and at night our side of Earth faces away from the Sun, making it dark.

4. Groups of stars that form patterns in the sky are called ______.

   Show answer

   Answer: constellations

   Constellations are patterns formed by groups of stars, like the Big Dipper.

5. You can see stars in the night sky.

   Show answer

   Answer: True

   Stars are visible in the night sky when it is dark enough to see them.

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