Our Solar System
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Transcript of Our Solar System
Our Solar SystemAn introduction to our planets
The Sun At the Center (and we do go around
it …..)
99.85% mass of Solar System
92% H / 8% He
Source of solar wind and space weather
Image:http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA03149
Inner Planets “Terrestrial Planets” Rocky Dense Metal cores (iron)
Images: Lunar and Planetary Laboratory: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/multimedia/display.cfm?IM_ID=178
Asteroids
Image: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/multimedia/display.cfm?IM_ID=2093
“Minor planets” or “planetoids” less than 1000 km across
Asteroid Belt between Mars and Jupiter
Occasionally run into Earth and other planets (oops)
Ida
Outer Planets
Large! Gases and liquids No solid surface May have a small solid core Tumultuous atmospheres - rapid winds, large
storms Rotate relatively quickly
Image: Lunar and Planetary Laboratory: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/multimedia/display.cfm?IM_ID=178
Kuiper Belt
Disk of debris at the edge of our Solar System
Pluto is a KB Object (sorry!)
Source of short-period comets
MERCURY Closest planet to the Sun,
but not the hottest due to lack of an atmosphere
Smallest planet in the Solar System
Surface covered in craters, just like Earth's Moon; solid iron core(3/4) surrounded by liquid iron and silicate mantle
Temperature (up to 350°c on its sunlit side and -170°c on its dark side)
One year lasts for only 88 Earth days
One day takes 59 Earth days
VENUS For years, Venus was
called Earth's Sister Planet or Twin
Named after the ancient Roman god of love
Very heavy atmosphere (97% CO2, sulfuric acid clouds)
896OF….that’s HOT!
EARTH
Three layers: core, mantle, crust Atmosphere has five layers, which together serve to
block harmful rays and insulate/regulate temperature Only planet that we know of that is capable of
sustaining life
MARS
About half the size of Earth, but is most Earth-like
Thin atmosphere is being blown away by Sun’s wind
Is reddish in color due to the iron oxide - commonly known as rust - that is in the soil.
Could possibly be made habitable by man
Asteroid Belt Asteroids are left over materials from the formation of
the Solar System. These materials were never incorporated into a planet because of their proximity to Jupiter's strong gravity.
JUPITER
✶ Largest planet (1320 Earths)✶ Great Red Spot (immense storm)✶ Most moons of all planets (63)✶ Named after Roman god of lightning (king of the
gods)
∗ Gas giant (huge atmosphere)
∗ Liquid rock core, liquid mantle, liquid nitrogen, hydrogen and helium gases
SATURN
Gas planet (least dense planet) Structure is very similar to Jupiter Atmosphere is also mostly hydrogen and helium Great white spot(?) Magnificent rings likely caused by a collision between
two of its satellites
URANUS
Gas giant Liquid rock core surrounded by an “ocean” of
hydrogen, helium, and water, with small amounts of ammonia and methane
Bland, almost featureless atmosphere made of hydrogen, helium, methane and ammonia
Only planet that rotates on its side! Named after Greek god of the heavens
Neptune
“Twin” of Uranus, except that its atmosphere has much more detail
Unique Great Dark Spot (not much known) Named after the ancient Roman god of the sea
Relationship between distance and speedMercur
yVenus
Earth Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Mean distance from the sun(106km)
57.9 108 150 228 778 1,430 2,870 4,500
Period of revolution (years) 0.241 0.615 1.00 1.88 11.9 29.5 84.0 165
Orbital speed (km/s) 47.9 35.0 29.8 24.1 13.1 9.64 6.81 5.43
Relationship between distance and speedMercur
yVenus
Earth Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Mean distance from the sun(106km)
57.9 108 150 228 778 1,430 2,870 4,500
Period of revolution (years) 0.241 0.615 1.00 1.88 11.9 29.5 84.0 165
Orbital speed (km/sec)
47.9 35.0 29.8 24.1 13.1 9.64 6.81 5.43
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Solar System Overview
Image: Lunar and Planetary Laboratory: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/multimedia/display.cfm?IM_ID=178
FYI … Distance Not To Scale …