Planet Notes

Introduction Our solar system formed from a swirling cloud of gas and dust. The sun -made from the densest matter that became very hot and started to produce its energy by nuclear fusion.

Introduction The remaining matter continued swirling around the sun because of the sun’s gravity and eventually clumped together to make solid forms =planets, moon, and other objects of space.

The Planets In order from the sun- Mercury; Venus; Earth; Mars (inner) Jupiter; Saturn; Uranus; Neptune (outer)

The Planets Mnemonic Device A silly sentence to help you remember the order of the planets My Mercury Very Venus Educated Earth Mother Mars Just Jupiter Served Saturn Us Uranus Nachos Neptune

INNER PLANETS Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. Terrestrial means “Earth-like” All have rocky surfaces like Earth.

MERCURY Closest to the Sun. Thin to no atmosphere “planet of extremes” temps range: -170C to 425C No moons

VENUS Earth’s twin Greenhouse effect “Evening star” Retrograde rotation- spins East to West Carbon dioxide; thick atmosphere No moons

EARTH 70% water Atmosphere -mostly Nitrogen Rotates West to East 1 moon 3rd from the sun

MARS “Red Planet” Ice Caps Thin atmosphere -mostly Carbon Dioxide 2 moons- Phobos, Deimos Axis is tilted & has seasons like Earth.

OUTER PLANETS Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. “Gas giants” All have gaseous atmospheres/surfaces. Have rings. Some rings are more visible than others.

JUPITER Largest of all planets Has a “Great Red Spot”- storm of swirling high-pressure gas Faint rings. 4 well-known moons- Io, Callisto, Ganymede, Europa

SATURN visible rings made of ice, dust, and rock. 2nd largest planet Less dense than water (would float in water) Largest moon (Titan)- is bigger than Mercury

URANUS Methane Atmosphere Bluish in color Rotates from top to bottom (like a tire) Faint rings that surround the planet vertically (up and down)

NEPTUNE Atmosphere has very visible clouds. Has a “great dark spot” Has Faint rings Last planet 8th from the sun