THE SOLAR SYSTEM

The Solar System consists of: Planets Planets Planets Moons Moons Asteroids Asteroids Comets Comets

PLANETS A planet is a large, round heavenly body that orbits a star and shines with light reflected from the star. We know of nine planets that orbit the sun in our solar system. Since 1992, astronomers have also discovered many planets orbiting other stars. World book

What are the nine planets? HINT: My Very Educated Mother Just Sent Us Nine Pizzas Mercury Venus Earth Mars Jupiter SaturnUranusNeptunePluto

Inner Planets The inner four rocky planets at the center of the solar system are: The inner four rocky planets at the center of the solar system are: Mercury Mercury Venus Venus Earth Earth Mars Mars

MERCURY Mer|cu|ry «MUR kyuhr ee», noun. The smallest planet in the solar system, after Pluto, and the one nearest to the sun. Its orbit about the sun takes 88 days to complete, at a mean distance of almost 36,000,000 miles. Mercury goes around the sun about four times while the earth is going around once. [< Latin Mercurius] World Book

Mercury Second smallest planet Second smallest planet Covered with craters Covered with craters Has no moons or rings Has no moons or rings About size of Earth’s moon About size of Earth’s moon

VENUS Venus is the sixth largest planet in the solar system and the second in distance from the sun. Venus is the brightest planet in the solar system and the one that comes closest to the earth. World Book

Venus Sister planet to Earth Sister planet to Earth Has no moons or rings Has no moons or rings Hot, thick atmosphere Hot, thick atmosphere Brightest object in sky besides sun and moon (looks like bright star) Brightest object in sky besides sun and moon (looks like bright star) Covered with craters, volcanoes, and mountains Covered with craters, volcanoes, and mountains

EARTH Age: At least 4 1/2 billion years Age: At least 4 1/2 billion years Mass: 6,600,000,000,000,000,000,000 (6.6 sextillion) tons (6.0 sextillion metric tons). Mass: 6,600,000,000,000,000,000,000 (6.6 sextillion) tons (6.0 sextillion metric tons). Surface features: Highest land—Mount Everest, 29,035 feet (8,850 meters) above sea level. Lowest land—shore of Dead Sea, about 1,310 feet (399 meters) below sea). Surface features: Highest land—Mount Everest, 29,035 feet (8,850 meters) above sea level. Lowest land—shore of Dead Sea, about 1,310 feet (399 meters) below sea). Temperature: Highest, 136 °F (58 °C) at Al Aziziyah, Libya. Lowest, °F (-89.6 °C) at Vostok Station in Antarctica. Average surface temperature, 59 °F (15 °C). Temperature: Highest, 136 °F (58 °C) at Al Aziziyah, Libya. Lowest, °F (-89.6 °C) at Vostok Station in Antarctica. Average surface temperature, 59 °F (15 °C). Chemical makeup of the earth's crust (in percent of the crust's weight): oxygen 46.6, silicon 27.7, aluminum 8.1, iron 5.0, calcium 3.6, sodium 2.8, potassium 2.6, magnesium 2.0, and other elements totaling 1.6. Chemical makeup of the earth's crust (in percent of the crust's weight): oxygen 46.6, silicon 27.7, aluminum 8.1, iron 5.0, calcium 3.6, sodium 2.8, potassium 2.6, magnesium 2.0, and other elements totaling 1.6.

Earth Third planet from sun Third planet from sun Only planet known to have life and liquid water Only planet known to have life and liquid water Atmosphere composed of composed of Nitrogen (78%), Oxygen (21%), and other gases (1%). Atmosphere composed of composed of Nitrogen (78%), Oxygen (21%), and other gases (1%).

Mars Fourth planet from sun Fourth planet from sun Appears as bright reddish color in the night sky Appears as bright reddish color in the night sky Surface features volcanoes and huge dust storms Surface features volcanoes and huge dust storms Has 2 moons: Phobos and Deimos Has 2 moons: Phobos and Deimos

MARS The Mars Odyssey probe, shown in this illustration orbiting Mars, found evidence of water ice beneath the surface of Mars in The probe, launched in 2001, also analyzed the chemical composition of the planet's surface. World Book The Mars Odyssey probe, shown in this illustration orbiting Mars, found evidence of water ice beneath the surface of Mars in The probe, launched in 2001, also analyzed the chemical composition of the planet's surface. World Book

Outer Planets The outer planets composed of gas are : The outer planets composed of gas are : Jupiter Jupiter Saturn Saturn Uranus Uranus Neptune Neptune

What is this planet called?

Jupiter

Jupiter Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system. Its diameter is 88,846 miles (142,984 kilometers), more than 11 times that of Earth, and about one-tenth that of the sun. It would take more than 1,000 Earths to fill up the volume of the giant planet. When viewed from Earth, Jupiter appears brighter than most stars. It is usually the second brightest planet—after Venus. Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system. Its diameter is 88,846 miles (142,984 kilometers), more than 11 times that of Earth, and about one-tenth that of the sun. It would take more than 1,000 Earths to fill up the volume of the giant planet. When viewed from Earth, Jupiter appears brighter than most stars. It is usually the second brightest planet—after Venus.

Jupiter Largest planet in solar system Largest planet in solar system Brightest planet in sky Brightest planet in sky 60+ moons, 5 visible from Earth 60+ moons, 5 visible from Earth Strong magnetic field Strong magnetic field Giant red spot Giant red spot Rings have 3 parts: Halo Ring, Main Ring, Gossamer Ring Rings have 3 parts: Halo Ring, Main Ring, Gossamer Ring

SATURNS

SATURN

Saturn 6 th planet from sun 6 th planet from sun Beautiful set of rings Beautiful set of rings 31 moons 31 moons Largest moon, Titan, Largest moon, Titan, Easily visible in the night sky Easily visible in the night sky Voyager explored Saturn and its rings. Voyager explored Saturn and its rings.

URANUS one of the larger planets in the solar system and the seventh in distance from the sun. U|ra|nus «yu RAY nuhs, YUR uh-», noun.

Uranus 7 th planet from sun 7 th planet from sun Has a faint ring system Has a faint ring system 27 known moons 27 known moons Covered with clouds Covered with clouds Uranus sits on its side with the north and south poles sticking out the sides. Uranus sits on its side with the north and south poles sticking out the sides.

NEPTUNE Latin, related to nebula cloud, mist Latin, related to nebula cloud, mist In Neptune's outermost ring, 39,000 miles (63,000 kilometers) from the planet, material mysteriously clumps into three bright, dense arcs. NASA

Neptune 8 th planet from sun 8 th planet from sun Discovered through math Discovered through math 7 known moons 7 known moons Triton largest moon Triton largest moon Great Dark Spot thought to be a hole, similar to the hole in the ozone layer on Earth Great Dark Spot thought to be a hole, similar to the hole in the ozone layer on Earth

Outermost Planet Pluto, the outermost planet, is a small solid icy planet is smaller than the Earth's Moon. Pluto, the outermost planet, is a small solid icy planet is smaller than the Earth's Moon.

PLUTO Is Pluto a planet? Yes, Pluto is a planet. The body that decides the classification of objects in the solar system, the International Astronomical Union (IAU), has no plans to change Pluto's status as a planet and has decided against assigning it a minor planet number. For more on this decision, see: tml. tml.

Pluto 9 th planet from sun (usually) 9 th planet from sun (usually) Never visited by spacecraft Never visited by spacecraft Orbits very slowly Orbits very slowly Moon, Charon, is very close to Pluto and about the same size Moon, Charon, is very close to Pluto and about the same size

Asteroids Small bodies Small bodies Believed to be left over from the beginning of the solar system billions of years ago Believed to be left over from the beginning of the solar system billions of years ago 100,000 asteroids lie in belt between Mars and Jupiter 100,000 asteroids lie in belt between Mars and Jupiter Largest asteroids have been given names Largest asteroids have been given names

Comets Small icy bodies Small icy bodies Travel past the Sun Travel past the Sun Give off gas and dust as they pass by Give off gas and dust as they pass by

Explain why comets, asteroids, and meteoroids are important to the study of the formation of the solar system. Meteoroids A meteoroid is a small, rocky body that revolves around the sun. Meteoroids are similar but much smaller than asteroids. Most are probably pieces of asteroids. A meteoroid is a small, rocky body that revolves around the sun. Meteoroids are similar but much smaller than asteroids. Most are probably pieces of asteroids. If a meteoroid enters Earth’s atmosphere and strikes the ground without burning up first, it is called a meteorite. If a meteoroid enters Earth’s atmosphere and strikes the ground without burning up first, it is called a meteorite. You can see a large number of meteors during a meteor shower as Earth passes through the dusty debris of comets. You can see a large number of meteors during a meteor shower as Earth passes through the dusty debris of comets. Meteorites have different compositions. The three major types of meteorites are stony, metallic, and stony-iron meteorites. Meteorites have different compositions. The three major types of meteorites are stony, metallic, and stony-iron meteorites.

Writing Activity Write a paragraph about the solar system. Include 5 facts covered in this presentation. Write a paragraph about the solar system. Include 5 facts covered in this presentation.

Solar System Activities Order the Planets Order the Planets Order the Planets Order the Planets Fun with Planets Fun with Planets Fun with Planets Fun with Planets Constellations of the Northern Sky Constellations of the Northern Sky Constellations of the Northern Sky Constellations of the Northern Sky Planets Planets Planets Solar System Solar System Solar System Solar System