Order of the Planets from the Order of the Planets from the SunSun

• Acronym- Acronym- MMy y VVery ery EEducated ducated MMother other JJust ust SServed erved UUs s NNachos.achos.

• Planets- Planets- MMercury, ercury, VVenus, enus, EEarth, arth, MMars, ars, JJupiter, upiter, SSaturn, aturn, UUranus, ranus, NNeptuneeptune

Requirements to be Called Requirements to be Called a Planet!a Planet!

1.1. RoundRound

2.2. Revolve around the sunRevolve around the sun

3.3. Orbit the sun in the same Orbit the sun in the same plane/position as the other plane/position as the other planets.planets.

MercuryMercury

• The closest planet to the sunThe closest planet to the sun

• Has the shortest revolution- 88 Has the shortest revolution- 88 daysdays

• The smallest planetThe smallest planet• No moonNo moon

VenusVenus

• The hottest planet because it is so The hottest planet because it is so close to the sun and has a thick close to the sun and has a thick atmosphere to hold in energy- atmosphere to hold in energy- greenhouse effectgreenhouse effect

• Visited by the Russian probe Visited by the Russian probe VeneraVenera

• Covered in VolcanoesCovered in Volcanoes

EarthEarth

• The living planet; the only planet The living planet; the only planet we know that has lifewe know that has life

MarsMars

• Most similar to earth (in diameter, Most similar to earth (in diameter, mass, rotation and revolution, mass, rotation and revolution, temperature)temperature)

• Has 2 moonsHas 2 moons• Has some water in the frozen ice Has some water in the frozen ice

caps at its north and south polescaps at its north and south poles

What separates Inner planets What separates Inner planets

(Terrestrial) from the outer (Terrestrial) from the outer planets (Jovian)planets (Jovian)

• Asteroid belt just beyond Mars, Asteroid belt just beyond Mars, separates inner planets from outer separates inner planets from outer planets.planets.

JupiterJupiter

• The largest planetThe largest planet• Has at least 17 moons and 4 ringsHas at least 17 moons and 4 rings• Has the Great Red Spot: A calm Has the Great Red Spot: A calm

area surrounded by a stormy area surrounded by a stormy atmosphereatmosphere

• Europa may have ocean beneath Europa may have ocean beneath ice surface.ice surface.

SaturnSaturn

• The least dense planet- could float The least dense planet- could float on water because it is less dense on water because it is less dense than waterthan water

• 24 moons24 moons• Rings made of chunks of iceRings made of chunks of ice• Has a huge system of rings around Has a huge system of rings around

it made of billions of chunks of ice it made of billions of chunks of ice & rock& rock

UranusUranus

• Obits the sun on its side Obits the sun on its side • 20 moons20 moons

• Appears turquoise due to methane Appears turquoise due to methane gasgas

NeptuneNeptune

• The farthest planet from the sunThe farthest planet from the sun

• The coldest planetThe coldest planet• Has 8 moons and 4 ringsHas 8 moons and 4 rings• Has the longest revolutionHas the longest revolution• Has Great Dark Spot (a massive Has Great Dark Spot (a massive

storm)- has vanished.storm)- has vanished.

Planet Mini-Quiz!Planet Mini-Quiz!

1.1. Which planet is the most similar Which planet is the most similar to earth?to earth?

2.2. Which planet is made mostly of Which planet is made mostly of methane gas?methane gas?

3.3. Which planet can float on water?Which planet can float on water?

4.4. Which planet is the hottest and Which planet is the hottest and why?why?

Solar System DebrisSolar System Debris

Comets & TNOsComets & TNOs• CometsComets- Dust particles in a mixture - Dust particles in a mixture

of Hof H22O, COO, CO2, 2, Methane, & Ammonia. Methane, & Ammonia. “dirty snowballs”“dirty snowballs”

• Comets found in Edgeworth-Kuiper Comets found in Edgeworth-Kuiper Belt beyond Neptune as solid body Belt beyond Neptune as solid body called nucleus.called nucleus.

• When a comet travels in orbit close When a comet travels in orbit close to sun (near Jupiter), it heats & solar to sun (near Jupiter), it heats & solar wind forms a wind forms a ComaComa (tail-gas & (tail-gas & dust).dust).

CometsComets

• Halley’s Comet Halley’s Comet has a orbital has a orbital period of 76 period of 76 years.years.

• Last visible from Last visible from Earth in 1986Earth in 1986

Continued..Continued..

• TNOsTNOs- Trans Neptunian Objects.- Trans Neptunian Objects.• Large bodies up to several Large bodies up to several

hundred kilometers.hundred kilometers.• Located in the Edgeworth-Kuiper Located in the Edgeworth-Kuiper

Belt.Belt.

AsteroidsAsteroids

• Solid, rock-like masses.Solid, rock-like masses.• Irregular shape.Irregular shape.• Believed to be leftover material Believed to be leftover material

from solar system formation.from solar system formation.• Revolve around sun, most in Revolve around sun, most in

circular orbit in asteroid belt.circular orbit in asteroid belt.• Some have long elliptical orbits.Some have long elliptical orbits.

Continued…Continued…

• PerihelionPerihelion- closest to sun- closest to sun

• Theory: an asteroid or comet collided with Theory: an asteroid or comet collided with Earth, causing dinosaur extinction 65 mya.Earth, causing dinosaur extinction 65 mya.

• Scientists are currently researching ways to Scientists are currently researching ways to prevent collisions with Earth by diverting prevent collisions with Earth by diverting objects before they reach Earth.objects before they reach Earth.

Asteroid picsAsteroid pics

Meteors & MeteoroidsMeteors & Meteoroids

• Meteoroid-Meteoroid- rock or icy fragment rock or icy fragment traveling in space. Range of sizes.traveling in space. Range of sizes.

• Meteor-Meteor- light made by a light made by a meteoroid passing through Earth’s meteoroid passing through Earth’s atmosphere. (shooting star) atmosphere. (shooting star)

• Meteor Shower-Meteor Shower- when Earth when Earth passes through a comet’s tail & passes through a comet’s tail & many particles from tail burn up in many particles from tail burn up in Earth’s atmosphere as meteors.Earth’s atmosphere as meteors.

Meteor showerMeteor shower

MeteoriteMeteoritess

• The part of a The part of a meteoroid that meteoroid that survives to strike survives to strike Earth’s surface. Earth’s surface.

• 3 Types:3 Types:• Stony (94%)Stony (94%)• iron (5%)iron (5%)• stony-iron (1%)stony-iron (1%)

Impact CratersImpact Craters• Bowl-shaped Bowl-shaped

depressions made depressions made by meteor/object by meteor/object that strikes a that strikes a surface.surface.

• About 150 known About 150 known impact craters on impact craters on EarthEarth

• Arizona’s Barringer Arizona’s Barringer Meteor Crater.Meteor Crater.

Assignment: Assignment: Write down & answer the Write down & answer the following questions on a separate sheet of following questions on a separate sheet of

paper.paper.

1.1. What happens to comets as they What happens to comets as they approach the sun?approach the sun?

2.2. Where are most asteroids found?Where are most asteroids found?

3.3. Explain the difference between Explain the difference between meteoroid, meteor, & meteorite.meteoroid, meteor, & meteorite.

4.4. Most meteorites formed between Most meteorites formed between 4.55 & 4.65 b.y.a., making them a 4.55 & 4.65 b.y.a., making them a little older than the oldest moon little older than the oldest moon rocks. Infer why moon rocks are rocks. Infer why moon rocks are younger than most meteorites.younger than most meteorites.