Solar system Notes

General notes concerning our solar system

1. 11
THE SOLAR THE SOLAR
SYSTEMSYSTEM

2. 22
The Solar System consists of:The Solar System consists of:
PlanetsPlanets
MoonsMoons
AsteroidsAsteroids
CometsComets

3. 33
PLANETSPLANETS
A planet is a large, round
heavenly body that orbits
a star and shines with light
reflected from the star. We
know of eight planets that
orbit the sun in our solar
system. Since 1992,
astronomers have also
discovered many planets
orbiting other stars. World book

4. 44
What are the nine planets?What are the nine planets?
HINT: My Very Educated Mother Just Sent Us Nine (Pizzas)HINT: My Very Educated Mother Just Sent Us Nine (Pizzas)
MercuryMercury
VenusVenus
EarthEarth
MarsMars
JupiterJupiter
SaturnSaturn
UranusUranus
NeptuneNeptune
PlutoPluto
eight

5. 55
MERCURYMERCURY
Mer|cu|ry «MUR kyuhr ee», noun.
The smallest planet in the solar system and the
one nearest to the sun. Its orbit about the sun takes
88 days to complete, at a mean distance of almost
36,000,000 miles. Mercury goes around the sun
about four times while the earth is going around
once.

[< Latin Mercurius]
World Book

6. 66
VENUSVENUS
Venus is the sixth largest
planet in the solar system and
the second in distance from
the sun. Venus is the brightest
planet in the solar system and
the one that comes closest to
the earth. World Book

7. 77
EARTHEARTH
Age:Age: At least 4 1/2 billion years At least 4 1/2 billion years
Mass:Mass: 6,600,000,000,000,000,000,000 (6.6 sextillion) 6,600,000,000,000,000,000,000 (6.6 sextillion)
tons (6.0 sextillion metric tons).tons (6.0 sextillion metric tons).
Surface features:Surface features: Highest landHighest land—Mount Everest, 29,035 —Mount Everest, 29,035
feet (8,850 meters) above sea level. feet (8,850 meters) above sea level. Lowest landLowest land—shore —shore
of Dead Sea, about 1,310 feet (399 meters) below sea).of Dead Sea, about 1,310 feet (399 meters) below sea).
Temperature:Temperature: Highest,Highest, 136 °F (58 °C) at Al Aziziyah, 136 °F (58 °C) at Al Aziziyah,
Libya. Libya. Lowest,Lowest, -128.6 °F (-89.6 °C) at Vostok Station in -128.6 °F (-89.6 °C) at Vostok Station in
Antarctica. Antarctica. Average surface temperature,Average surface temperature, 59 °F (15 °C). 59 °F (15 °C).
Chemical makeup of the earth's crust (in percent of Chemical makeup of the earth's crust (in percent of
the crust's weight):the crust's weight): oxygen 46.6, silicon 27.7, oxygen 46.6, silicon 27.7,
aluminum 8.1, iron 5.0, calcium 3.6, sodium 2.8, aluminum 8.1, iron 5.0, calcium 3.6, sodium 2.8,
potassium 2.6, magnesium 2.0, and other elements potassium 2.6, magnesium 2.0, and other elements
totaling 1.6.totaling 1.6.

8. 88
MARSMARS
The Mars Odyssey probe, The Mars Odyssey probe,
shown in this illustration shown in this illustration
orbiting Mars, found orbiting Mars, found
evidence of water ice evidence of water ice
beneath the surface of beneath the surface of
Mars in 2002. The probe, Mars in 2002. The probe,
launched in 2001, also launched in 2001, also
analyzed the chemical analyzed the chemical
composition of the composition of the
planet's surface. planet's surface. World BookWorld Book

9. 99
What is this planet called?What is this planet called?

10. 1010
Jupiter

11. 1111
JupiterJupiter
JupiterJupiter is the largest planet in the solar system. is the largest planet in the solar system.
Its diameter is 88,846 miles (142,984 Its diameter is 88,846 miles (142,984
kilometers), more than 11 times that of Earth, kilometers), more than 11 times that of Earth,
and about one-tenth that of the sun. It would and about one-tenth that of the sun. It would
take more than 1,000 Earths to fill up the take more than 1,000 Earths to fill up the
volume of the giant planet. When viewed from volume of the giant planet. When viewed from
Earth, Jupiter appears brighter than most stars. Earth, Jupiter appears brighter than most stars.
It is usually the second brightest planet—after It is usually the second brightest planet—after
Venus. Venus.

12. 1212
SATURNSATURN

13. 1313
SATURN
Saturn is the least dense of the planets; its specific gravity (0.7) is less than that
of water
The ring particles seem to be composed primarily of water ice, but they may also
include rocky particles with icy coatings
Saturn has 34 named satellites
Saturn has 7 defined rings

14. 1414
URANUSURANUS
one of the larger planets in the solar system and the seventh in distance from the sun.
Uranus

15. 1515
NEPTUNENEPTUNE
Latin Latin , , related related
to to nebulanebula
cloud, mistcloud, mist
In Neptune's outermost ring, 39,000 miles
(63,000 kilometers) from the planet, material
mysteriously clumps into three bright, dense
arcs.
NASA

16. 1616
PLUTOPLUTO
Is Pluto a planet? NO, Pluto is not a planet. It is now
considered a dwarf planet The body that decides the
classification of objects in the solar system, the
International Astronomical Union (IAU), has changed
Pluto's status as a planet and has decided against
assigning it a minor planet number.
Plutoid

17. 1717
Kuiper Belt ObjectsKuiper Belt Objects

18. 1818
Oort CloudOort Cloud

19. 1919
Pluto’s orbitPluto’s orbit

20. 2020
Where do
we go from
here?