1. Our Solar System

2. SUN The sun is a STAR (which is a ball of gas.)
Plasma erupts from the sun in the shape of a massive handle.
The sun is a STAR (which is a ball of gas.)
IT is the CENTER of our Solar System or Milky Way.
The distance from each planet to the sun is measured in ASTRONOMICAL UNITS (AU).

3. MERCURY Smallest planet (only slightly larger than Earth’s Moon)
Closest planet to the Sun (36 million miles or AU)
Solid, rocky or terrestrial planet with a metallic core
Scarred by craters (like our Moon)
An INNER planet
Completes orbit around
the sun in 88 Earth days
Diameter - 3,032 miles
(4,879 km)

4. VENUS
Spins BACKWARDS (The sun rises in the west and sets in the east.)
An INNER planet
Diameter - 7,521 miles (12,104 km)
Orbits the Sun every Earth days.
Magellan spacecraft radar data enabled scientists to penetrate Venus' thick clouds and create simulated views of the surface.
Second closest planet to the sun (67 million miles or 0.72 AU)
Rocky or terrestrial surface is surrounded by thick clouds
Cratered and volcanic landscape

5. EARTH Solid, rocky or terrestrial planet
It spins around the sun on its AXIS. This is called the ROTATION of earth.
Earth’s tilt and revolution cause SEASONS!
Third planet from the sun (93 million miles or one AU)
An INNER planet.
Diameter - 7,918 miles (12,742 km)
It takes 1 year for the Earth to orbit the Sun.
Solid, rocky or terrestrial planet
Surface - mountains, valleys, canyons and plains

6. JUPITER Gas giant = NO solid surface
Jupiter's Great Red Spot is a gigantic storm (about the size of two to three Earths) that has been raging for hundreds of years.
Gas giant = NO solid surface
Fifth planet from the sun (484 million miles or 5.2 AU)
Largest planet in the Solar System
Has the shortest day
An OUTER planet
Diameter - 86,881 miles (139,822 km)
It orbits the Sun every Earth
years

7. SATURN Gas giant = NO solid surface
Sixth planet from the sun (886 million miles or 9.5 AU)
Orbited by at least 53 moons.
Has 7 rings
An OUTER planet.
Diameter - 72,367 miles
(116,464 km)
It orbits the Sun every
29.4 Earth years.

8. To Be Continued…