Download Wolfson Inner Solar System

Mercury
Mythology - Hermes – The messenger god)
1st ever color photo of Mercury
by MESSENGER probe; 2008
Mercury
Transit across Sun
1st ever color photo of Mercury
by MESSENGER probe; 2008
Mercury
Mapped by Mariner 10
Mercury vs. Earth & Moon
1/6 size of Earth
Mercury
Images by Mariner 10
Mercury
Statistics:
* .4 A.U. From Sun
* 1/3 Size of Earth
* Orbital Period = 3 Months
*Rotation Period = 88 Days
* Surface Gravity = 1/6 of Earths
* The planet is too small to hold an atmosphere
Atmosphere:
•There is no atmosphere
•heat is not trapped on the planet.
• it is VERY HOT during the day, and
VERY COLD during the night
Mercury is NOT the hottest or coldest planet.
core
1. Very Large
2. Solid
3. Iron
Mercury has a disproportionately
large Iron core.
It should be cooled and solid.
However, MESSENGER flyby
data indicates the core is partially
molten.
This contradicts current theories.
Lobate scarps
Definition – curved cliffs
Cause =When the core
cooled,it shrunk, causing the
crust to collapse.
Mercury
Missions to Mercury
Mariner 10
Launched Nov 1973
Flyby March 1974
MESSENGER
Launched Aug 2004
Orbit insertion March 2011
Mercury
MESSENGER
Orbit Insertion –> Launch – E – V – V - M – M - M
Mercury
MESSENGER
Orbit Insertion –> Launch – E – V – V - M – M - M
Venus
Aphrodite – The goddess of Love
The Morning/Evening Star/Sister Planet
Venus Statistics
• Distance - .73 A.U. From Sun
• Size – Same Diameter as Earth
More Statistics
• Orbital Period – .6 Years
• Rotation Period – 243 days
• Surface Gravity – .9 of Earths
Venus
Atmosphere
• Runaway Greenhouse Effect
– Visible light from sun hits the surface
– Surface reradiates the energy in the form of
infrared
– Clouds block some of the IR from escaping
– Surface gets hotter
Runaway Greenhouse Effect Results
• CO2 Atmosphere
• NO WATER!
CO2 Atmosphere
No Water!
Atmospheric Conditions
1. Pressure 90x that of Earths
2. Very dry, no surface water
3. Sulfuric Acid in Clouds Atmosphere
4. Temperature 900 F
5. Wind Speed up to 250 Miles per Hour.
Venus
Weather
Twin cyclones: two storms with lowpressure centers that causes a circular
Images/Video from
pattern of winds to form. Venus
Express Orbiter
Weather
• Vortex Storms:
– huge swirling vortex of
clouds around Venus'
southern pole.
– changes shape within
just a few days
– The rotation of Venus
deflects them sideways
so they swirl together,
like water going down
the drain of a bathtub.
http://www.astroarts.org/content/vex/VIRTIS_movie_500_b.gif
(vortex)
Venus
Solar Storms
i. Venus does not have a magnetic field.
ii. Solar Wind erodes away the atmosphere.
Venus
Missions
Venera 9-14 –1978 - 1982 – Landers (First & only images of Surface)
Venus
Images from
Venera 13 probe
Surface
Venus
Missions
Magellan – 1989 – Orbiter – Created Radar Map of Surface
Venus
Magellan – Radar Map
~8 min
Missions
magellan_mapping_venus.wmv
Venus
Magellan – Radar Map
Missions
Venus
Missions
Pioneer Venus 1 & 2 - 1978 – Orbiters & Descent Probes
Venus
Missions
Venus Express – 2005 to present – Orbiter
Animation of
Venus Express
Studying Venus
Venus
Venus Express
Missions
~5 min
Venus
Although Venus is often called Earth’s Twin or Sister planet. The
only similarities is the size. Almost every other feature makes Venus
very different from Earth.
Earth
MESSENGER animation
Leaving earth.
Earth
Earth
Atmosphere -78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen
Distance -1 au from sun (93,000,000 miles)
Contains water in all 3 phases
Surface Gravity – 9.8 m/s
Rotation – 1 day
Orbit – 1 year
Earth
Greenhouse Effect
-Has Liquid Water (Some Water Vapor in Atmosphere)
-Water vapor keeps planet warm (main greenhouse gas)
-Ozone Layer prevents water from Disassociating
Earth
Technically, Earth is currently undergoing an Icehouse effect.
however, most of the time, Earth is in a Greenhouse effect.
Greenhouse
Icehouse
Earth
Icehouse effect :
- Anytime there is a continent over any of the poles, the resulting
ice sheet reflects large amounts of Solar Radiation into space
-causing the Earth to cool down.
Image from NASA
Earth Observatory
Earth
Technically, Earth is currently undergoing an Icehouse effect.
however, most of the time, Earth is in a Greenhouse effect.
Greenhouse
Icehouse
Gondwanaland
Pangaea
Antarctica
Earth
Icehouse effect
As long as Antarctica is at the South Pole, the Earth will continually
be thrown into Glaciation periods.
We are currently at the end of an Interglacial period.
Earth
70 Atmospheres of CO2 is trapped in Earths Rocks.
If all of this CO2 were released, which planet would we look
like?
Only place we know of that supports life - 4 reasons:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Correct distance from sun
Natural/Stable greenhouse effect
Ozone Layer & Magnetic Field
Presence of Liquid Water
Planet Guidelines
• The IAU therefore resolves that planets and other
bodies in our Solar System be defined into three
distinct categories in the following way:
• (1) A planet1 is a celestial body that (a) is in orbit
around the Sun, (b) has sufficient mass for its selfgravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it
assumes a hydrostatic equilibrium (nearly round)
shape, and (c) has cleared the neighbourhood
around its orbit.
• (2) A dwarf planet is a celestial body that (a) is in
orbit around the Sun, (b) has sufficient mass for its
self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that
Planet Guidelines
• (1) A planet is a celestial body that
– (a) is in orbit around the Sun,
– (b) has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to
overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a
hydrostatic equilibrium (nearly round) shape,
and
– (c) has cleared the neighbourhood around its
orbit.
Planet Guidelines
• (2) A dwarf planet is a celestial body that
– (a) is in orbit around the Sun,
– (b) has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to
overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a
hydrostatic equilibrium (nearly round) shape2, (
– c) has not cleared the neighbourhood around its
orbit, and
– (d) is not a satellite.
Planet Guidelines
• (3) All other objects3 orbiting the Sun shall
be referred to collectively as "Small Solar
System Bodies".
Video Links
• Earth from Spaceshuttle
– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHyonFhWp6w
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ddEjVwpX9I
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5d6cd7XXiA
&feature=related
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mj52CgKHzH
Q
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwwioJhQzeg&
feature=PlayList&p=0D959158C1FC558F&playn
ext=1&index=21
Mars
Go to inner_mars.ppt