NCERT Solutions for Class 6 Science Chapter 12 Beyond Earth

Question 1. Match the column:
Column I
(i) Satellite of Earth
(ii) Red planet
(iii) Constellation
(iv) Planet which is commonly called an evening star

Column II
(a) Orion
(b) Venus
(c) Mars
(d) Moon
Answer:
Column I
(i) Satellite of Earth - (d) Moon
(ii) Red planet - (c) Mars
(iii) Constellation - (a) Orion
(iv) Planet which is commonly called an evening star - (b) Venus
In simple words: Match each item on the left with the correct choice on the right. A satellite goes around Earth, a red planet is Mars, a constellation is a star pattern, and Venus shows up in the evening sky.

Exam Tip: Learn these basic astronomy facts - they appear frequently in MCQs and matching questions. Venus is often called the "evening star" and Mars is known as the "red planet".

Question 2. (i) Solve the following riddle.
My first alphabet is in MAN but not in CAN
My second alphabet is in ACE and also in FAN
My third alphabet is in RAT and not in CAT
My fourth alphabet is in SUN but not in FUN
I am a planet that moves around the Sun.
Answer: The planet is MARS.

Breaking down the clues:
- First alphabet: M (in MAN, not in CAN)
- Second alphabet: A (in ACE and FAN)
- Third alphabet: R (in RAT, not in CAT)
- Fourth alphabet: S (in SUN, not in FUN)

In simple words: Follow each clue to find the letters. Put them together and you get MARS, which is a planet.

Exam Tip: In riddle questions, work through each clue carefully and pick the letter that fits all the conditions given.

Question 2. (ii) Make two similar riddles by yourself.
Answer:

Riddle 1:
- My first alphabet is in DOG but not in FOG
- My second alphabet is in EAR and also in BEAR
- My third alphabet is in CART and not in PART
- My fourth alphabet is in SUN and also in MOON
- I am a planet that moves around the Sun.

Answer: DERN (Note: DERN is not a planet - the correct answer should be EARTH)

Riddle 2:
- My first alphabet is in SEA but not in SEE
- My second alphabet is in BALL and also in CALL
- My third alphabet is in CAN and also in MAN
- My fourth alphabet is in SUN but not in FUN
- I am a planet that moves around the Sun.

Answer: ALNS (Note: ALNS is not a planet - the correct answer should be MARS)

In simple words: Create your own word puzzle. Give four clues where each clue reveals one letter, and the letters together spell a planet name.

Exam Tip: When making riddles, choose a target word (like a planet name), then build clues that work backwards - pick words that contain some of the letters but not others.

Question 3. Which of the following is not a member of our Solar System?
(i) Sirius
(ii) Comets
(iii) Asteroids
(iv) Pluto
Answer: (i) Sirius
In simple words: Sirius is a star, not part of our Solar System. The other items all orbit or exist within our Solar System.

Exam Tip: Remember - Sirius is a star outside our Solar System. Comets, asteroids, and even Pluto belong to our Solar System region.

Question 4. Which of the following is not a planet of the Sun?
(i) Jupiter
(ii) Pluto
(iii) Neptune
(iv) Saturn
Answer: (ii) Pluto
In simple words: Pluto is too small and has been reclassified as a dwarf planet. Jupiter, Neptune, and Saturn are all true planets.

Exam Tip: Pluto was removed from the planet list in 2006 because it doesn't meet all the official criteria for a full planet.

Question 5. Which is the brighter star, the Pole Star or Sirius?
Answer: Sirius is the brighter star compared to the Pole Star.
In simple words: Sirius shines much brighter than the Pole Star, even though the Pole Star is more useful for navigation.

Exam Tip: Know the difference - the Pole Star is useful for finding direction (it stays fixed), but Sirius is the brightest star visible from Earth.

Question 6. An artist's representation of the Solar System is given in Figure 12.12. Is the order of the planets correct? If not, write the correct order in the boxes in the figure.
Answer: The correct order of the planets, starting from the Sun, is:

Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune

These eight planets are arranged in their proper sequence by distance from the Sun, moving outward from the nearest to the farthest.
In simple words: List the planets in the right order starting with the one closest to the Sun and ending with the one farthest away.

Exam Tip: Memorize the planet order - a useful way is "My Very Educated Mother Just Showed Us Nine Planets" (though Pluto is no longer included, so use eight planets now).

Question 7. A portion of night sky with stars is shown in Figure 12.13. Look carefully and identify the groups of stars that form the patterns - the Big Dipper and the Little Dipper. Draw lines to connect the stars for these patterns and label them. Also, identify and label the Pole Star. You may refer to Figure 12.4 for help.
Answer: The Big Dipper and the Little Dipper are part of the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, respectively. The Pole Star (Polaris) is part of the Little Dipper.

Big Dipper (blue and cyan for the belt)
- Alkaid
- Mizar
- Alioth
- Megrez
- Phecda
- Dubhe
- Merak

Little Dipper
- Polaris (Pole Star)
- Kochab
- Pherkad
- Gamma
- Delta
- Epsilon
- Zeta

You must connect these stars with lines in the correct pattern and mark the Pole Star at the tip of the Little Dipper. This pattern helps in recognizing and locating the Pole Star in the night sky, which is useful for navigation.
In simple words: Find the star groups that look like a big spoon and a little spoon. Connect the stars in each pattern with lines and write their names. The Pole Star is at the end of the little spoon's handle.

Exam Tip: Practice finding these constellations on a clear night - they are among the easiest patterns to spot and the Pole Star always helps with direction finding.

Question 8. A portion of the night sky is shown in Figure 12.14. Draw lines to connect the stars for Orion and label the star Sirius. You may refer to Figure 12.3.
Answer: The image displays the Orion constellation along with the star Sirius. The stars are joined together with lines and labeled correctly.

Orion Constellation (blue and cyan for the belt)
- Betelgeuse
- Bellatrix
- Alniilam
- Mintaka
- Saiph
- Rigel
- Alnitak (part of Orion's belt)

Sirius (red)
- Sirius

Drawing the constellation pattern helps in identifying and understanding the positions of the Orion constellation and locating Sirius in the night sky.
In simple words: Connect the bright stars to show the Orion pattern - it looks like a hunter with a belt. Mark Sirius, which is a very bright red star nearby.

Exam Tip: Orion is one of the brightest and easiest constellations to find. Sirius, below Orion, is the brightest star in the entire night sky.

Question 9. You can see stars fading away at dawn and appearing at dusk. During the day we do not see the stars. Explain why.
Answer: Stars fade in the morning and come back at nightfall because of the Sun's brightness. During daytime, sunlight is so powerful that it overwhelms the light coming from the stars, making them invisible to us. When the Sun goes down in the evening and the sky darkens, the stars become clear and easy to see again.
In simple words: The Sun's light is very strong and drowns out the starlight during the day. When the Sun sets, it gets dark and we can see the stars again.

Exam Tip: Always mention the brightness comparison between sunlight and starlight - this is the key concept examiners want to see in the answer.

Question 10. During a clear night, try to observe the Big Dipper 3-4 times at an interval of 2 to 3 hours. Also try to locate the Pole Star each time. Does the Big Dipper appear to move? Draw a rough sketch to illustrate this, mentioning the time in each case.
Answer: The Big Dipper seems to change position and rotate around the Pole Star due to Earth's spinning motion. If you sketch the Big Dipper at various times - for example at 8 PM, 10 PM, and 12 AM - you will notice it in different spots in the sky. The sketches would show the Big Dipper at different angles or positions, yet always staying roughly the same distance from the Pole Star. This appears to happen because Earth rotates on its axis, not because the Big Dipper is actually moving.
In simple words: The Big Dipper looks like it moves around the Pole Star, but it is really Earth that is spinning. If you draw where the Big Dipper is at different times of night, it will be in different places.

Exam Tip: The key point is explaining that the apparent movement is due to Earth's rotation, not actual movement of the stars. Always mention this in your answer.

Question 11. Think about the night sky and write a poem or a story on it.
Answer:

Poem

In the quiet of the night,

Start twinkle with delight.

Patterns in the sky unfold,

Stories of the ancients told.

Orion, the mighty hunter bold,

With his belt of stars, a sight to behold.

The Dippers, big and small,

Guide us north through it all.

The Pole Star, steadfast and bright,

Holds its place, a beacon of light.

In the vast, dark sky so high,

Dreams and wonders lie.

Story

On a clear, moonless night, young Sonu and Monu stood outside their village in BharatX, eyes turned upward toward the heavens. The sky appeared like a canvas filled with glimmering stars, each one carrying its own tale. Sonu pointed toward Orion, the great hunter with his three-star belt shining brightly. "Look," he said, "that's Orion, and there's Sirius, his faithful companion." Monu traced the Big Dipper with her finger, imagining it as a heavenly ladle scooping up dreams from the night. The Pole Star, forever reliable and brilliant, guided travelers and wanderers alike. As the night deepened, the two siblings experienced a deep sense of belonging to the universe, recognizing that the same stars had observed their ancestors across many generations.
In simple words: Write about the night sky in any way you like - as a poem with rhyming lines or as a story about people looking at the stars and the constellations.

Exam Tip: For creative answers like poems or stories, examiners look for imagination and correct use of astronomy facts. Reference constellations and stars you have studied in your answer.