2) distances near and beyond the solar system a) we discussed in class that the closest star besides the sun is alpha centauri, which is 4.4 light years away. if it takes 8 light minutes for the light to come from the sun to earth, and 4.4 years from alpha centauri, how much further is alpha centauri compared to the sun? b) how long would it take to get to alpha centauri if you were flying with a (science fiction) spaceship that goes at 1/1000th the speed of light? (discussed in class! ) c) how long would it take to get to alpha centauri with the fast current space craft, called juno, that goes at 266,000 km/h (or 165,000 mph)?

Directions you probably already know that people have different ways to organize their ideas. some people make lists or outlines, some draw pictures, while others may combine these two methods. experiment with different note-taking techniques to find the one which works best for you. one common note-taking technique is webbing. webbing uses the sizes of circles to indicate the importance of items. lines are used to indicate the relationships between items. the example below is based on the information presented in a previous lesson. notice that the circle for "geography is" appears at the center of the web. it has larger than the circles that surround it. the "geography " circle is surrounded by smaller circles of earth's atmosphere, earth's climate, earth's surface. notice the lines that connect these items to the concept of geography. notice that the circles surrounding atmosphere are smaller. also observe that the lines that connect the items and indicate the relationships between the items. webbing will you capture the most important points in your lessons. beginning with lesson two, geographic tools: globes and maps, use webbing to take notes on the important information in this unit. hint: it will be easier to complete this project if you take your notes after completing each lesson.