Chapter 27.4 The Outer Planets Std. 1a- Students know how the differences and similarities among the sun, the terrestrial planets, and the gas planets may have been established during the formation of the solar system Objective 1: Identify the differences between the outer planets and the terrestrial planets Objective 2: Compare the characteristics of the outer planets Objective 3: Explain why Pluto is different from the other 8 planets

The Outer Planets The 5 Planets farthest from the sun are: 6) Saturn 5) Jupiter 6) Saturn 7) Uranus 8) Neptune 9) Pluto Asteroid belt - A ring of debris that separates the inner and outer planets

Gas Giants Gas giants are much larger than terrestrial planets (much less dense) Thick atmosphere = mostly hydrogen and helium Cores = rock and metal All four gas giants have ring systems made of dust and ice debris

Jupiter 5th planet from the sun Largest planet 300x larger than Earth Orbits the sun every 12 years Rotates every 9hrs 50 min. (fastest) At least 60 moons Several thin rings

Jupiter’s Atmosphere Hydrogen and helium makes up 92% of the atmosphere Rapid rotation causes gases to swirl around the planet and form bands Great Red Spot – giant storm Average temperature -160 ° C

Jupiter’s interior Jupiter’s interior has higher temperature and pressure than Earth’s interior Interior is a liquid (metallic hydrogen) surrounding a solid, rocky, iron core

Objective 1: Identify the differences between the outer planets and the terrestrial planets What is the ring of debris that separates the inner and outer planets? Asteroid Belt Gas giants atmosphere’s are made of mostly… Hydrogen and Helium What is the name of the storm on Jupiter? Great Red Spot What do gas giants have that terrestrial planets don’t? Rings

Saturn 6th planet from the sun Orbital period is 29.5 years Cloud temperature -176 ° C At least 30 moons, Titan (largest moon) is half the size of Earth Made of hydrogen & helium (rocky iron core)

Saturn’s rings Most complex system of rings of all the gas giants made of billions of ice and dust particles Rotates every 10h 30 min Fast rotating & low density causes Saturn to bulge at the equator

Uranus 7th planet from the sun 3 billion km away (difficult to study ) 24 moons 11 thin rings Orbits every 84 yrs

Uranus rotation Axis is parallel to the plane of it’s orbit Most planets rotate perpendicular Rotates every 17 hrs. Atmosphere - hydrogen & helium Blue/green color indicates presence of methane -214 °C core of rock and melted elements

Neptune 8th planet Same size and mass as Uranus Orbital period is nearly 164 years Rotates every 16 hrs. Has at least 8 moons & possibly 4 rings

Neptune’s Atmosphere Consists of hydrogen, helium & methane Solar systems strongest wind > 1,000 km/h The Great Dark Spot is a storm as big as Earth Cloud temperature = -225°C

Objective 2: Compare the characteristics of the outer planets What are Saturn’s rings made of? Billions of dust and particles What is the name of the storm on Neptune? The Great Dark Spot What’s unique about Uranus’s rotation? It rotates almost parallel to the plane of it’s orbit What gives Uranus’s it’s blue/green color? Methane

Pluto Dwarf planet Elongated orbit (sometimes in Neptune’s orbit) Made of frozen methane, rock & ice Very different than the gas giants (may not be an actual planet)

Objects Beyond Pluto Kuiper Belt - A region of the solar system beyond Neptune’s orbit which contains small bodies made of ice Pluto may be the largest body of the Kuiper Belt

Exoplanets Exoplanets - planets that orbit other stars They DO NOT orbit the sun in our solar system

Objective 3: Explain why Pluto is different from the other 8 planets What makes up Pluto? Frozen methane, rock and ice Why is Pluto not considered an actual planet? Very different than the gas giants Pluto may be the largest body of the… The Kuiper Belt What are planets that orbit other stars? Exoplanets