The Solar System Solar Nebular Theory Inner Planets Outer Planets X

Solar Nebular Theory Leading theory on the origin of our solar system – not to be confused with the Big Bang Theory (origin of the universe) Leading theory on the origin of our solar system – not to be confused with the Big Bang Theory (origin of the universe) Solar system began with the development of the Sun – the only star in our solar system Solar system began with the development of the Sun – the only star in our solar system Outcome is a disk shaped system of the Sun surrounded by 8 planets, their moons, meteors, asteroids and comets Outcome is a disk shaped system of the Sun surrounded by 8 planets, their moons, meteors, asteroids and comets All planets and their moons are situated in the disk on basically the same plane All planets and their moons are situated in the disk on basically the same plane

Solar System Birth – What it Might Look Like Gas and dust in a nebula collapsing due to gravity and creating a star… Swirling debris left over after the collapse…will become planets as time passes

Solar Nebular Theory Click below for video clip

Solar Nebular Theory Solar System Birth - Large cloud of dust and gas collapse to form dense core – begins to spin and flatten into a disk Proto-Sun Forms - Nebula’s densest part attracts more gas and dust – getting larger and hotter Small Bodies Form - Particles stick together into fragments called planetesimals (building blocks of planets)

Solar Nebular Theory Proto-Planets Form - Planetesimals clump together to form larger bodies called proto-planets Planets Emerge - Sun becomes a star and its radiation blows away most leftover dusty gas, leaving behind 8 planets & moons

The Sun and eight* Planets My Very Excellent Mother Just Served Us Nachos Mercury Venus Earth Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune

The Inner Planets Click below for video clip

The Inner Planets Terrestrial Planets – made of rock with cores of iron Much smaller than the gas giants Dense Planets’ surfaces have evidence of meteor impacts – craters

Mercury Moves faster around the sun than any other planet. (Named by the Romans after the fleet- footed messenger of the gods because of its speed) The closest planet to the Sun badly scarred with cratersThe surface of Mercury is badly scarred with craters due to the constant bombardment of meteorites. No atmosphereNo atmosphere – so really cold at night Ice can be found in shadows of deep cratersIce can be found in shadows of deep craters Rank in size – 8thRank in size – 8th

Venus Often called Earth’s sister planet – close to the same size and has similar composition as the Earth Venus has a thick atmosphere of carbon dioxide – causes greenhouse effect which traps immense heat and creates immense pressure Has the highest average surface temperature, as much as 475° C (900 ° F) due to greenhouse effect Atmosphere is so thick that we do not know what the surface is like without radar technology Size Rank – 6th

Earth The only planet to have water in all three phases – ice, liquid, water vapor The only planet to have water in all three phases – ice, liquid, water vapor Nitrogen gas dominates the atmosphere Nitrogen gas dominates the atmosphere Silicon and oxygen dominate the crust Silicon and oxygen dominate the crust Size Rank – 5 th (largest inner planet) Size Rank – 5 th (largest inner planet) Will learn lots more later!!! Will learn lots more later!!!

Mars “Red Planet” due to iron oxide (rust) in the crust Has the largest volcano in the solar system – Olympus Mons – (4 times larger than Earth’s tallest mountain - Mt. Everest) Has polar ice caps and ice frozen under the surface Deep canyons are evidence that water once flowed on Mars Size Rank – 7th

How Large are Martian Volcanoes? As large as some states

Probes to Mars nears-endeavor-crater-7-years-roving.htmlhttp:// nears-endeavor-crater-7-years-roving.html

The Boundary Line * Asteroid Belt * Rocky bodies that orbit the Sun between Mars & Jupiter Natural Boundary between the inner planets and the outer planets

The Outer Planets “Jovian Planets” Click below for video clip For Size Comparison

The Outer Planets “Jovian Planets” Known as the “Gas Giants” or Jovian Planets Very large planets Made of mostly gas and dust Pluto was the exception – more similar to inner planets – small and solid.

Jupiter The largest planet Predominantly gas – 90% hydrogen, 10% helium Has the Great Red Spot – a giant storm Has the largest moon in the solar system – Ganymede (larger than Pluto and Mercury) Has a moon that is volcanically active – Io Size Rank – 1st

Saturn Another gas planet - Density is so low – it could float on water Has the widest array of rings – made of gas, dust and ice Has 2 nd largest moon – Titan (has nitrogen atmosphere like Earth) Size Rank – 2nd

Uranus Revolves around the sun like a spinning wagon wheel – axis is tilted on its side Has a blue/green color due to methane in the atmosphere Size Rank – 3rd

Neptune Another gas planet Methane in the atmosphere gives it the blue-green color Size Rank – 4th

Pluto Now called a “dwarf planet” by astronomers Has an eccentric orbit – sometimes coming closer to the Sun than Neptune Made mostly of rock and ice (unlike the other outer planets)

As compared to the U.S. How Small is Pluto? Pluto’s moon - Charon

Asteroids, Comets, Meteors Click below for video clip

Asteroids Asteroids - small to large solid objects orbiting the sun usually between Mars and Jupiter…possibly left over debris that never joined up with other planets in the beginning. Some get bumped out of orbit and can slam into planets.

Comets Comets – balls of ice, dust and gas with a streaming tail pointing away from the sun (solar wind blows it) many comets reside in the Kuiper Belt or further out in the Oort Cloud. Click for animation

Meteor Shower MeteorsMeteors – aka “shooting stars” - debris that burns up in Earth’s atmosphere MeteoroidsMeteoroids – debris moving through space MeteoritesMeteorites – debris that hits Earth’s surface – creating craters DebrisDebris is generally leftover from comets’ tails