Before we begin… A.U. = Astronomical Unit 1 AU = the distance from Earth to the Sun This is how we measure distances from the planets to the Sun

Each planet has unique and identifiable features. -mass-gravity-composition -atmosphere -length of rotation -length of revolution –temperature -number of satellites (moons)

THE INNER PLANETS

Called the “terrestrial” planets. This comes from the Latin word “terra” which means Earth. Known for being Earth-like Made of dense, rocky materials

MERCURY

Mercury COMPOSITION Iron and nickel Iron core Very rocky with craters Its largest surface feature is the Caloris Basin Lots of cliffs ATMOSPHERE NONE because of its low gravity- it is unable to keep gases in its atmosphere TEMPERATURE Greatest temperature range in our Solar System. 425 C during the day to -170 C at night (-274 F to 797 F) MASS 5.5% of Earth’s mass

LENGTH OF YEAR 88 Earth days LENGTH OF DAY 59 Earth days A.U.s FROM SUN.38 MOONS NONE Mercury

Mercury Pictures South Pole of Mercury First image taken from Mariner 10 in 1974 The crater we see is 140 km in diameter

Mariner 10

VENUS

Venus COMPOSITION Often called “Earth’s Twin” as it is similar in size and mass surface is covered with volcanoes and oozing lava OR solidified lava; ATMOSPHERE Very thick and made mostly of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) extreme greenhouse effect clouds are made of sulfuric acid TEMPERATURE 450 C to 475 C (873 F) MASS 80% of Earth’s mass

LENGTH OF YEAR 226 Earth days LENGTH OF DAY 243 Earth days (rotates in the opposite direction = retrograde rotation) A.U.s FROM SUN.72 MOONS NONE Venus

Venus Pictures N. Hemisphere of Venus from Magellan spacecraft Maat Mons is displayed in this 3- dimensional perspective view of the surface of Venus taken by NASA Magellan. The viewpoint is located north of Maat Mons

EARTH

Earth COMPOSITION Sedimentary, igneous, metamorphic rocks; iron and nickel make up the inner and outer core; various elements, minerals, and other rocks; 70% water!!!; very active  moving tectonic plates ATMOSPHERE 5 layers; Nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide, among other gases make up the troposphere; is unique in our Solar System (as far as we know) for being able to support life; causes meteors to burn up and protects life from the Sun’s intense radiation TEMPERATURE Able to support life; allows water to exist at solid, liquid, and gaseous states of matter MASS 6 X metric tons

LENGTH OF YEAR Earth days LENGTH OF DAY 23.9 hours A.U.s FROM SUN one = 150,000,000 km MOONS 1; Luna Earth

MARS

Mars COMPOSITION Iron oxide gives this planet its red color; ice caps are made of frozen carbon dioxide and water; the largest volcano in our solar system is on Mars (Olympus Mons) ATMOSPHERE thin; mostly carbon dioxide with some nitrogen and argon TEMPERATURE from -125 C to 35 C (-168 F to 50 F); this large temperature difference results in strong winds, which create dust storms MASS 10% of Earth’s

LENGTH OF YEAR 687 Earth days LENGTH OF DAY 24.6 hours A.U.s FROM SUN 1.52 MOONS 2 small moons; Phobos and Deimos Mars

Mars Pictures The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter captured this image of spider-shaped features on Mars, carved by vaporizing dry ice. A towering dust devil casts a serpentine shadow over the Martian surface in this image from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The scene is a late-spring afternoon in the Amazonis Planitia region of northern Mars.

CURIOSITY ROVER

Two spacecraft engineers stand with three generations of Mars rovers developed at NASA's JPL, Pasadena, Ca. Front and center is a flight spare of Sojourner, left is a working sibling to Spirit and Opportunity, right is test rover Curiosity.

THE OUTER PLANETS

Known as the “Gas Giants” Have deep, massive atmospheres rather than hard, rocky surfaces Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune

JUPITER

Jupiter COMPOSITION hydrogen and helium in the atmosphere become liquid in the middle of the planet rocky core at the planet’s center. ATMOSPHERE Hydrogen, helium, methane, ammonia, water vapor very colorful clouds and continuous storms of high-pressure gases (“Great Red Spot”) clouds are made of ammonia ice crystals TEMPERATURE -145 to 21 C/-230 to 70 F at surface and 43,000 F/24,000 C at its core (hotter than the surface of the Sun!) MASS 318 times Earth’s mass

LENGTH OF YEAR 11.9 years LENGTH OF DAY 9.9 hours A.U.s FROM SUN 5.20 MOONS as many as 63; 16 that are more than 6 miles in diameter, according to NASA; 4 largest = Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto Jet Stream on Jupiter Video Jupiter

Jupiter Pictures

SATURN

Saturn COMPOSITION below the atmosphere, there’s a liquid layer of H (hydrogen) and He (helium) small, rocky core ATMOSPHERE thick outer atmosphere of H and He, ammonia, methane, and water vapor broad rings, each composed of thousands of smaller rings, which are made of ice, dust, and rock particles has bands of clouds and storms like Jupiter TEMPERATURE -140 C/-220 F MASS 95 times Earth’s mass

LENGTH OF YEAR 29.5 years LENGTH OF DAY 10.7 hours A.U.s FROM SUN 9.54 MOONS approximately 62; NASA recognizes 25 with diameters of at least 6 miles; Titan is the largest, Mimas, Iapetus, Enceladus Taking on Titan Video Saturn

URANUS

Uranus COMPOSITION has a mantle of liquid and solid water, methane, and ammonia surrounding a rocky core its axis of rotation is tilted on its side (goes up and down, not side to side) ATMOSPHERE dark, thin rings made up of hydrogen, helium, and some methane, which is what gives the planet a blue-green color very thick and hazy TEMPERATURE -319 F/-195 C in atmosphere and up to 12, 632 F/7,000C at rocky core MASS 14.5 times Earth’s mass

LENGTH OF YEAR 84 years LENGTH OF DAY 17.2 hours A.U.s FROM SUN MOONS approximately 27; Cordelia and Ophelia Uranus

NEPTUNE

Neptune COMPOSITION liquid water, methane, and ammonia that might change to solid ice probably has a rocky core ATMOSPHERE Similar to the atmosphere on Uranus with methane also giving Neptune its blue-green color dark-colored storms similar to the Great Red Spot on Jupiter, but they disappear quickly because the atmosphere is very active and changes rapidly TEMPERATURE Surface temperatures are -391 F/-235 C MASS 17.1 times Earth’s mass

LENGTH OF YEAR 165 years LENGTH OF DAY 16.1 hours A.U.s FROM SUN MOONS NASA says 13 (8-13 is what I have read); Triton is the largest Kuiper Belt Dust Video Neptune