23.3 - The outer planets

Videos http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esLmVJLuXLM http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnApR8fdKRo&f eature=fvst http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzQy9MsOMcE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwnpXll_A_E http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gA35r0YzdN8&f eature=fvsr

Do Now Put terrestrial planets in order from Mars to outer space.

Do Now Put terrestrial planets in order from Mars to outer space. Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Pluto (dwarf since 2006)

Key Words Alternating Cyclonic Elegant Phenomenon

The Outer Planets Pluto Jupiter The Giant Among Planets Saturn The Elegant Planet Uranus The Sideways Planet Neptune The Windy Planet Pluto The Dwarf Planet

Jupiter

Jupiter The Largest Planet 1/800 as massive of the Sun Jupiter has a mass that is 2 ½ times greater than the mass of all the other planets and moons combined. If Jupiter was 10 times larger, it could of evolved into a star. Most striking feature is the Great Red Spot. A great cyclonic storm on Jupiter.

Jupiter’s Structure Hydrogen-Helium atmosphere which has small amounts of methane, ammonia, water and sulfur. The wind systems generate the light- and dark-colored bands that encircle Jupiter. Winds are not generated by the sun, like on Earth, but instead by Jupiter itself since it gives off nearly twice as much heat as it gets from the sun. At 1000 kilometers below the clouds, the pressure is great enough to compress hydrogen gas into a liquid. Jupiter is thought to be a gigantic ocean of liquid hydrogen.

Jupiter’s Moons Jupiter has a confirmed 66 moons, that resemble a mini solar system. The four largest (shown below) were discovered by Galileo; Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto. Io is volcanically active due to the gravitational pull of Jupiter and the other moons.

Jupiter’s Rings Voyager 1 made an unexpected discovery of Jupiter's rings. The rings are made up fine, dark particles, similar in size to smoke particles. The particles are thought to be fragments blasted by meteorite impacts from the surfaces of Metis and Adrastea, two small moons of Jupiter.

Saturn

Saturn The Elegant Planet The atmosphere, composition, and internal structure is similar to Jupiter. Most prominent feature is the rings. Galileo first discovered the rings in 1610.

Saturn’s Features Saturn’s atmosphere is very active, with winds roaring at up to 1500 kilometers per hour. Large cyclonic “storms” similar to Jupiter's Great Red Spot, although smaller, occur in Saturn's atmosphere. Saturn is best known for it’s very visible rings.

Saturn’s Rings Was thought for a long time that Saturn was the only planet that had rings. Saturn’s rings fall into two categories based on the particle density. The main rings are densely packed, whereas the outer rings are composed of widely dispersed particles. Composed of “moonlets” of ice and rock, that circle the planet while regularly impacting each other.

Saturn’s Moons Saturn currently has a confirmed number of 62 moons orbiting the planet. Titan is the largest moon and is bigger than Mercury. It is the second largest moon in the solar system. Titan is known to have a substantial atmosphere and is very dense.

Uranus

Uranus The Sideways Planet The only planet that rotates on its side, it’s axis is nearly parallel with the plane of its orbit. The spin was altered by a giant impact early on in the formation of the solar system.

Uranus’s Features Has a ring system, with at least nine distinct ring belts. Currently has a confirmed 27 moons and are all named from the characters of Shakespeare and Pope. Miranda, the innermost of the five largest moons, has a greater variety of landforms than any body yet examined in the solar system. Composed of mostly hydrogen and helium and has ices of water, ammonia and methane.

Neptune

Neptune The Windy Planet Has a dynamic atmosphere with winds exceeding 1000 kilometers per hour. The windiest place in the solar system. Has an Earth-size blemish called the Great Dark Spot, a large rotating storm.

Neptune’s Features The most surprising phenomenon seen on Neptune are the white, cirrus-like clouds that occupy a layer about 50 kilometers above the main cloud deck. Neptune has a confirmed 13 moons. The largest is Triton and is nearly the size of Earth's moon, and formed independently of Neptune and was pulled into Neptune’s gravitational pull. Lowest temperature recorded at -200 degrees. But has volcanic activity.

Pluto

Pluto Planet X Was considered a dwarf planet officially in 2006. 40 times farther from the Sun than Earth. It takes Pluto 248 Earth-years to orbit the sun, and since it’s discovery in 1930, it has only completed ¼ its revolution.

Pluto’s Features Pluto’s orbit is highly eccentric, not at all like all the other planets. And at times orbits Neptune. The average temperature on Pluto is -210 degrees, which is cold enough to solidify most gases that might be present. Pluto is described as a dirty iceball of frozen gases with lesser amounts of rocky substances. Since it does not meet any of the characteristics of a Jovian or terrestrial planet, it was deemed a dwarf planet in 2006.

Group Activity For each of the Jovian planets you will need to draw what they look like; as well as describing features and any other distinguishing features. Including Pluto!