Proteus (moon)

High school (ages 12+)
Space & Astronomy

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/proteus-moon

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the type of celestial body?Irregularly shaped moon of Neptune (Neptune VIII)
2. What is the dimensions?Longest axis: ~436 km (271 mi), Shortest axis: ~380 km (236 mi)
3. What is Proteus and why does it look like a potato?Proteus is Neptune's second‑largest moon, about 420 kilometers wide. Its shape is very uneven, so it looks like a giant potato tumbling through space.
4. How close is Proteus to Neptune and why does that matter?Proteus orbits only about 117,600 kilometers from Neptune, which is very close. This closeness means strong tidal forces from Neptune help keep Proteus from becoming round.

Hydrostatic Equilibrium: The balance between gravitational forces and internal pressure that allows a celestial body to assume a spherical shape.
Roche Limit: The minimum distance at which a celestial body held together by its own gravity can approach a larger body without being torn apart by tidal forces.
Tidally Locked: When a celestial body's orbital period matches its rotational period, causing one side to perpetually face its parent body.
Accretion: The process by which dust and gas particles in space gradually clump together to form larger bodies.