The Outer Planets

20.420.4

Jupiter

Jupiter

It is the 5It is the 5thth planet from the sun, and the largest planet from the sun, and the largest planet in the solar systemplanet in the solar system

Contains more mass than all the other Contains more mass than all the other planets combined.planets combined.

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Jupiter

Diameter: 142, 796 kmDiameter: 142, 796 km Revolution: 11.86 yearsRevolution: 11.86 years Rotation: 9 hours, 55 minutesRotation: 9 hours, 55 minutes 60+ moons60+ moons 1 ring ( faint dust rings)1 ring ( faint dust rings) 5.203 AU from sun5.203 AU from sun

Atmosphere of Jupiter

The atmosphere is hydrogen and helium and The atmosphere is hydrogen and helium and gradually changes into a planet-wide ocean of gradually changes into a planet-wide ocean of liquid hydrogen and helium towards the middle of liquid hydrogen and helium towards the middle of the planet. the planet.

Jupiter may even have a solid rocky core. Jupiter may even have a solid rocky core. However, if it did it would not be like Earth’s However, if it did it would not be like Earth’s because of extreme pressure(30 times Earth’s) and because of extreme pressure(30 times Earth’s) and temperature. temperature.

The atmosphere appears full of colorful clouds- The atmosphere appears full of colorful clouds- swirls of white,red, tan and brown.swirls of white,red, tan and brown.

The Structure of Jupiter

Great Red Spot

In the atmosphere is also a continuous In the atmosphere is also a continuous storm, that appears very red. It is full of storm, that appears very red. It is full of swirling high pressure gases. swirling high pressure gases.

This one storm is about 12000 km from top This one storm is about 12000 km from top to bottom, and lightning has been observed to bottom, and lightning has been observed in it the winds blow hundreds of kilometers in it the winds blow hundreds of kilometers an hour.an hour.

Red Spot

Rings and Moons

Jupiter has a faint Jupiter has a faint dust ring around it.dust ring around it.

Jupiter has 60+ Jupiter has 60+ moons,the four moons,the four largest were largest were discovered by discovered by Galileo in 1610. Galileo in 1610. They are Io, Europa, They are Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto.Ganymede, Callisto.

Io Closest to JupiterClosest to Jupiter Gravity pulls on Io from Europa Gravity pulls on Io from Europa

and Jupiter. This causes Io to be and Jupiter. This causes Io to be very hot. Io is the most very hot. Io is the most volcanically active body in the volcanically active body in the entire solar system.entire solar system.

Io has no atmosphere- so you Io has no atmosphere- so you couldn’t hear or feel the volcanic couldn’t hear or feel the volcanic blasts.blasts.

Europa22ndnd moon out from Jupiter. moon out from Jupiter.

Completely composed of rock with a thin Completely composed of rock with a thin crust of ice 70 miles deep. Under that crust of ice 70 miles deep. Under that ice is an ocean of waterice is an ocean of water

Has a thin oxygen atmosphere.Has a thin oxygen atmosphere.

It is also smooth- no impact craters, no It is also smooth- no impact craters, no valleys, no canyons, no mountains or valleys, no canyons, no mountains or volcanoes, no flood plains.volcanoes, no flood plains.

Has right ingredients for primitive life.Has right ingredients for primitive life.

Ganymede Largest moon in the Largest moon in the

solar system- larger than solar system- larger than Pluto and Mercury but Pluto and Mercury but not near the mass.not near the mass.

Consists mostly of ice- Consists mostly of ice- may have had oceans of may have had oceans of water, but froze- if it water, but froze- if it were warmer, people were warmer, people could possibly live there. could possibly live there. It’s daytime temp now It’s daytime temp now is –180Fis –180F

Callisto 44thth moon out from Jupiter moon out from Jupiter Composed of ice and rockComposed of ice and rock Has impact craters that are 4 Has impact craters that are 4

billion years old, and its billion years old, and its surface has stayed the same surface has stayed the same for almost that long. It is for almost that long. It is considered to be the longest considered to be the longest intact surface in the solar intact surface in the solar system.system.

Saturn

66thth Planet from the Sun Planet from the Sun

The Ringed Planet

Voyager probes saw Saturn in 1980-1981Voyager probes saw Saturn in 1980-1981 22ndnd largest planet in the solar system largest planet in the solar system Lowest density-could float on waterLowest density-could float on water Saturn is considered to be a gaseous planet, same Saturn is considered to be a gaseous planet, same

components as Jupiter- atmosphere hydrogen and components as Jupiter- atmosphere hydrogen and helium and the rest ammonia, methane, and water helium and the rest ammonia, methane, and water vapor.vapor.

The atmosphere gradually turns into liquid The atmosphere gradually turns into liquid Hydrogen and helium forming a ocean like Jupiter Hydrogen and helium forming a ocean like Jupiter as well.as well.

Saturn Facts

Diameter-120,660 KmDiameter-120,660 Km Revolution-29.46 yearsRevolution-29.46 years Rotation-10 hours, 39 minutesRotation-10 hours, 39 minutes Orbital Speed –9.64Km/SOrbital Speed –9.64Km/S Moons- 31 or moreMoons- 31 or more Rings- thousandsRings- thousands 9.529 AU from sun9.529 AU from sun

Rings and Moons

Saturn has several broad rings each composed of Saturn has several broad rings each composed of thousands of ringlets. Each ring is composed of thousands of ringlets. Each ring is composed of ice and rock particles from dust size to tens of ice and rock particles from dust size to tens of meters across.meters across.

Saturn has 31 or more moons, the most well Saturn has 31 or more moons, the most well known-Titan- the largest moon of Saturn which known-Titan- the largest moon of Saturn which has an atmosphere of Nitrogen, Argon, and has an atmosphere of Nitrogen, Argon, and Methane. This makes SMOG so thick we cannot Methane. This makes SMOG so thick we cannot see the surface.see the surface.

77thth Planet from the Sun Planet from the Sun

Uranus

Blue-Green Planet Uranus wasn’t even Uranus wasn’t even

discovered until 1781.discovered until 1781. Large, gaseous planet with Large, gaseous planet with

a system of thin, dark ringsa system of thin, dark rings The magnetic field is tilted The magnetic field is tilted

60 degrees from its 60 degrees from its rotational poles.rotational poles.

Uranus Facts

Diameter: 51,158 kmDiameter: 51,158 km Revolution: 84.04 yearsRevolution: 84.04 years Rotation: 17 hours 14 minutesRotation: 17 hours 14 minutes Orbital Speed: 6.81km/sOrbital Speed: 6.81km/s Moons: 25Moons: 25 Rings: 11Rings: 11 19.191 AU from Sun19.191 AU from Sun

Atmosphere

The atmosphere is composed of hydrogen, The atmosphere is composed of hydrogen, helium , and some methane. The methane helium , and some methane. The methane is what causes it to look blue-green.is what causes it to look blue-green.

There are no cloud bands or storms.There are no cloud bands or storms. Underneath the atmosphere: mantle of Underneath the atmosphere: mantle of

liquid water, methane, and ammonia, then a liquid water, methane, and ammonia, then a solid rocky core.solid rocky core.

Rotation

Uranus rotates on its Uranus rotates on its sideside

88thth planet from the Sun( most of the planet from the Sun( most of the Time)Time)

Neptune

Neptune Facts

Diameter: 49,528 kmDiameter: 49,528 km Revolution: 164.79 yearsRevolution: 164.79 years Rotation:16 hours, 3 minutesRotation:16 hours, 3 minutes Orbital Speed: 5.43 km/sOrbital Speed: 5.43 km/s 13 moons13 moons 4 rings4 rings 30.061 AU from the sun30.061 AU from the sun

Neptune

Neptune’s and Pluto’s orbits cross during part Neptune’s and Pluto’s orbits cross during part of their voyages around the sun.of their voyages around the sun.

This makes it most of the time the 8This makes it most of the time the 8 thth planet planet out, but sometimes the furthest out.out, but sometimes the furthest out.

From 1979-1999 Pluto was closer than From 1979-1999 Pluto was closer than Neptune, now Neptune is closer again.Neptune, now Neptune is closer again.

Atmosphere

Atmosphere is composed of hydrogen, Atmosphere is composed of hydrogen, helium, and methane and its also appears helium, and methane and its also appears blue. It has more methane than Uranus, so blue. It has more methane than Uranus, so it appears a darker blue.it appears a darker blue.

It has areas on the planet that are very dark, It has areas on the planet that are very dark, which contain storms. The Great Dark which contain storms. The Great Dark Spot, act like the Great Red Spot on Jupiter.Spot, act like the Great Red Spot on Jupiter.

Moons of Neptune

There are 13There are 13 The largest is Triton- The largest is Triton-

which has a nitrogen which has a nitrogen atmosphere and atmosphere and methane geysers.methane geysers.

Pluto

It is a solid, rocky planet with ice and a thin It is a solid, rocky planet with ice and a thin atmosphere. It is normally further out in its orbit atmosphere. It is normally further out in its orbit than Neptune. than Neptune.

The origin of Pluto is debated. There are icy The origin of Pluto is debated. There are icy comets near Neptune’s orbit, the question is: Are comets near Neptune’s orbit, the question is: Are Pluto and it’s moon Charon part of the comets?Pluto and it’s moon Charon part of the comets?

Another theory is they escaped the orbits of a Another theory is they escaped the orbits of a large gaseous planet.large gaseous planet.

Or did they just form out there?Or did they just form out there?

Pluto facts

Diameter: 2290 kmDiameter: 2290 km Revolution: 248.53 yearsRevolution: 248.53 years Rotation: 6 days, 9 hoursRotation: 6 days, 9 hours Orbital Speed: 4.74km/sOrbital Speed: 4.74km/s 1 moon1 moon No ringsNo rings 39.529 AU from Sun39.529 AU from Sun

             

Charon

Charon is composed Charon is composed of various ices such as of various ices such as water and ammoniawater and ammonia

728 miles wide728 miles wide