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The solar system consists of the Sun; the nine planets, more than
130 satellites of the planets, a lot of small bodies like comets and
asteroids.
The orbits of the planets are ellipses with the Sun, that is the centre
of the solar system. All except Mercury and Pluto are very nearly circular.
The orbits of the planets are in the same plane called the ecliptic .
The numerous smaller bodies that habit in the solar system are the
satellites of the planets; the large number of asteroids , (small rocky
bodies that orbiting the Sun), mostly between Mars and Jupiter but there
are asteroids elsewhere. The comets (small icy bodies) come and go from
the other parts of the solar system. With a few exceptions, the planetary
satellites orbit in the same sense as the planets and approximately in the
plane of the ecliptic but this is not generally true for comets and asteroids.
The solar system is divided into nine planets (the big bodies orbiting
the Sun), their satellites ( moons, variously objects orbiting the planets),
asteroids (small objects orbiting the Sun) and comets (small icy objects).
In mythology, the Greeks called the Sun “Helios”, and the Romans
called it “Sol”.
The Sun isn´t a planet, but a normal G2 star, one of more than 100
billion stars in our galaxy. The Sun is also the only star we see during the
daytime.
The diameter is 1,390,000 km and Its mass is 1989,430 kg. The
Sun´s surface is at a temperature of about 5800K and 15,600,000K in the
core. The pressure is 250 billion atmospheres. At the center of the core
the Sun's density is more than 150 times that of water.
The Sun is the largest object in the solar system. It contains more
than 99.8% of the total mass of the Solar System. The average size of
stars in our galaxy is probably less than half the mass of the Sun.
The Sun is about 75% hydrogen and 25% helium by mass (92.1%
hydrogen and 7.8% helium by number of atoms); everything else amounts
to only 0.1%.The Sun converts hydrogen to helium in its core.
There are planets that circle the Sun faster than others, depending
on the distance. Our solar system is centered around the Sun (it is a
heliocentric system).
MERCURY
In Roman mythology Mercury is the god of commerce, travel and
thievery.
Mercury is the nearest planet to our Sun, and it is the eighth
largest of the nine planets. The temperature on Mercury ranges from 90 K
to 700 K.
Mercury is a small, rocky planet which looks like our Moon. It is
covered with craters and it has nearly changed since it was created by a
very large crash early in the history of the solar system.
One of Mercury's largest features is called the Caloris Basin. It is about
1300 km across.
Mercury moves so quickly across the sky.
The main difference with the other planets is that Mercury has no
moons.
Scientists think that there may be volcanic activity on Mercury and
so nowadays they are trying to make sure doing different inquiries.
It was once believed that there was no water on Mercury, but this turned
out to be false. Recent radar information shows evidence of ice at
Mercury's north pole. The ice hasn't melted because it is protected from
the Sun's heat by shadows of some craters.
VENUS
Venus is the Roman goddess of love and beauty. She is known as
Aphrodite in Greek mythology. It is the brightest of the planets known to
the ancients.
Venus is the second planet from the Sun, and the sixth largest of
all the nine planets.
Venus is a small, rocky planet blanketed in a thick layer of
yellowish clouds.
These clouds are not made of water (like the ones here on Earth).
Instead, they are formed from a poison called sulfuric acid.
Venus's surface is very hot , about 400 degrees Celsius.
Even though Venus is very cloudy, it's simply too hot for rain to form.
Venus has no moons.
Venus's hot temperature is due to what we call the Greenhouse
Effect. The large amount of carbon dioxide in Venus' atmosphere acts like
a blanket. The heat gets trapped underneath the thick layer of clouds.
Because the heat has nowhere to go, Venus gets hotter and stays hot.
THE EARTH
Earth is the only planet whose English name does not derive from
Greek or Roman mythology. The name comes from Old English and
Germanic language.
Earth is a small, rocky planet which supports a variety of life. As far
as we know, Earth is unique from all other planets in this respect.
The life is possible because of the existence of water.
Temperatures at the Earth's center may be as high as 7500 K, that's
hotter than the surface of the Sun.
The Earth is 4.5 to 4.6 billion years old, but it isn´t the oldest rock,
it known rocks are less
than 4 billion years old. Rocks older than 3 billion years are rare. The
oldest fossils of living organisms are less than 3.9 billion years old.
The Earth is orbited by one moon.
The Earth is the densest major body in the solar system. It's the
most compact of all the planets.
MARS
Mars in Greek mythology, is known as Ares. The planet
probably got this name due to its red color. His name is the red planet.
Mars is a small, rocky planet, which is cold and lifeless.
Mars has permanent ice caps, contain more solid carbon
Dioxide. Very strong winds and many storms sometimes blow in this
planet for nine month.
Mars has two tiny moons, which orbit very close to the surface.
Their names are Phobos and Deimos. Mars is the fourth planet from the
Sun, and the seventh largest of the nine
planets.
Though there is no water on Mars now, it is contain large lakes and
even oceans may have once existed on this planet. Clear evidence of
water erosion can be seen in old river channels and floodplains. It seems
that water was only around for a very short while and very long ago. Mars
has a lot of water.
SATURN
In Roman mythology, Saturn is the god of agriculture. Saturn is the
sixth planet from the Sun, and the second largest of the nine planets.
Saturn is a giant gas planet, which is made up of about 75% hydrogen and
25%helium. It's most famous planet of beautiful rings. Saturn's rings are
made up more water ice, but they may also include rocky particles with the
polar ice cap. The origin to Saturn is unknown. Saturn is made up of
materials, which are lighter than water. Saturn would float much like an ice
cube does in a glass of water. Saturn has 18 known moons (more than
any other planet). There may very well be several small ones yet to be
discovered (the distance to Saturn it’s very long, and the small moons are
very difficult to discover). Like Jupiter, Saturn has bands. The bands of
Saturn it’s very weak. The bands are also much wider near the equator.
Saturn's rings are extraordinarily thin. They measure about 250,000 km
across, they're no more than 1.5 kilometers. Their impressive appearance,
there's really very little material in the rings. If the rings were compressed
into a single body it would be no more than 100 km across. Saturn is the
planet that has more comets near his orbit.
URANUS
Uranus is the ancient Greek God of the world. He was the father of
Cronus (also known as Saturn in Roman mythology).
Uranus is a giant gas planet which is made of rock and ice. Uranus
is different from most planets. Uranus has 15 known moons. Voyager 2
discovered 10 small moons in addition to the 5 large ones already known.
There are many more tiny moons within the rings.
Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun and the third largest of
the nineplanets (in size). Uranus is larger in size but smaller in weight than
Neptune.Uranus's blue color is the result of a gas called "methane" found
in the atmosphere’s planet. Like the other gas planets, Uranus has rings.
Uranus's rings are very dark like Jupiter's rings. The rings are made
of particles ranging up to 10 meters across - much like the rings of
Saturn. There are 11 known rings, all are very faint. Uranus's brightest
ring
is
known
as
the
"Epsilon"
ring.
NEPTUNE
In Roman mythology Neptune was the god of the Sea. He is known
as Poseidon in Greek mythology. The planet was probably named after
the sea gods because of its deep blue color.
Neptune is a giant gas planet which is most likely made of various
"ices" and rock.Neptune can be either the eighth or ninth planet. Pluto's
orbit is kind of wacky, and it sometimes crosses in front of Neptune.
Neptune has 8 known moons; 7 small ones and a large moon called
"Triton."Neptune is the eighth planet from the Sun and the fourth largest
(by size) ofthe nine planets.
Neptune is smaller in size but it's heavier than Uranus. Neptune's
blue color is the result of a gas called "methane" in its atmosphere. Like
the other gas planets, Neptune has rapid winds and large storms.
Neptune's winds are the fastest in the solar system, reaching
2000km/hour.
JUPITER
Jupiter was the King of the Roman Gods and the patron of the
Roman state. To the ancient Greeks, he was known as Zeus.
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest of all
nineplanets. It is bigger than all the other planets combined.
Jupiter is a giant gas planet which is made up of about 90%
hydrogen and 10%helium.
Could have 1,000 Earths inside of it. It is thought that Jupiter's
Great Red Spot is a storm of gas that has arried for hundreds of years.
Jupiter has 16 moons, there are four large moons, and 12 small ones.
Jupiter does not have a solid surface of gaseous composition.
PLUTO
In Roman mythology, Pluto is the god of the underworld. In Greek
mythology, he is known as Hades, god of the underworld.
The planet received this name perhaps because it's so far from the
Sun that it is in perpetual darkness. Pluto is a small, rocky planet.
Scientists are unsure as to what it'smade of.Pluto is the only planet
that has not been visited by a spacecraft. Depending how far is its orbit,
Pluto can be either the eighth or ninth planet. Pluto sometimes crosses in
front of Neptune.
Pluto has one moon. It's called Charon.Pluto is the farthest planet
from the Sun and the smallest of the nine planets. Pluto is smaller than
seven of the solar system's moons. To date, not much is known about this
planet. Most of the information we have is based on speculation. Its moon,
Charon, helps scientists with various calculations relating to the properties
and characteristics of Pluto.Pluto is so far away that even the Hubble
Space Telescope can make out only the largest features on its surface.
ASTEROIDS
Asteroids are chunks of rock and metal that orbit around the Sun.
Scientists think that they are loose material that never formed into planets.
The Main Asteroid Belt is located between Mars and Jupiter. The
total mass of all the asteroids is less than that of the Moon.
There are 26 known asteroids larger than 200 km across. We
probably know 99% of the asteroids larger than 100 km across. Scientists
still don't know much about the smaller ones. It's thought there may be as
many as a million 1 km sized asteroids may exist.
Have been discovered more than 7000 asteroids. Hundreds of
thousands more that are too small to be seen from the Earth. The largest
asteroi is Ceres, It is 914 km across. The next largest are Pallas, Vesta
and Hygiea which are between 400 and 525 km across. All other known
asteroids are less than 340 km across. Many asteroids are visible with
binoculars or small telescopes.
COMETS
Comets are made out of dust and ice, like a dirty snow ball. Comets
are invisible except when they are near the Sun
The most famous comet is Comet Halley. Comets bright when they
are near the Sun. The comets has only a tiny solid part, called a nucleus,
no bigger than a few kilometers across. The nucleus contains icy and
frozen gases.
Bibliography
The information has been searched in this pages:
http://mercury.nineplanets.org
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http://seds.lpl.arizona.edu/nineplanets/nineplanets/ni
neplanets.html
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http://www.nmm.ac.uk/site/navId/00500300f00k
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http://sse.jpl.nasa.gov/index.cfm
♦
www.kidsastronomy.com
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