Download The Solar System

The Solar System
The Planets and You!
Introduction
• A solar system consists of a star and
objects that revolve around it.
• Our Solar System consists of the Sun
and eight known planets and the
moons that orbit those planets.
• The force of gravity keeps planets in
orbit around the sun.
The Sun
• It is over one million times larger
than Earth.
• It is eight light minutes away from
Earth or 92,957,000 miles. It’s light
takes eight minutes to reach Earth.
The Nine Known Planets
The Inner Planets
•
•
•
•
Mercury
Venus
Earth
Mars
The Outer Planets
•
•
•
•
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Mercury
• Closest planet to the
sun
• Approximately half
the size of Earth
• Rocky surface covered
by craters
• No water or air results
in unchanged
appearance
• Surface temperatures
are hot enough to melt
lead
Venus
• Second planet from
the Sun
• Approximately the
same size as the
Earth
• Atmosphere
consists of
poisonous gases
Earth
• Third planet from
the Sun
• Largest of the four
inner planets
• Only planet where
life is known to
exist
• 70% of the surface
is covered by water
Mars
• Fourth planet from
the Sun
• Approximately half
the size of Earth
• Known as the Red
Planet
• Has four seasons
similar to Earth
• Resembles Earth more
than any other planet
Jupiter
• Fifth planet form
the Sun
• Largest planet in
our Solar System
• 1300 Earths could
fit inside Jupiter
• Doesn’t have a
surface; made of
gases
Saturn
• Sixth planet from
the Sun
• Second largest
planet
• 800 Earths could
fit inside Saturn
• Thousands of rings
are made up of ice
and rock fragments
Uranus
• Seventh planet
from the Sun
• Four times larger in
diameter than the
Earth
• Blue-green in color
• The tilt of the axis
causes sunlight for
42 years at a time
Neptune
• Eighth planet form
the Sun
• Four times larger in
diameter than the
Earth
• Blue in color
Let’s compare the
planets to Earth
A day on :
Mercury
Venus
Mars
=
=
=
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
=
=
=
=
3 Earth months
117 Earth days
41 minutes longer than
an Earth day
10 Earth hours
10 ½ Earth hours
13 ½ Earth hours
18 Earth hours
If you weigh 85 lbs. On Earth,
you weigh:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
32 lbs on Mercury
77 lbs on Venus
32 lbs on Mars
244 lbs on Jupiter
112 lbs on Saturn
79 lbs on Uranus
105 lbs on Neptune
2.5 lbs on Pluto
The Orbital Speed of the Planets
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Mercury
Venus
Earth
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Pluto
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
30 miles per second
22 miles per second
19 miles per second
15 miles per second
8 miles per second
6 miles per second
4.2 miles per second
3.3 miles per second
2.9 miles per second
Therefore, the further away from the Sun, the
slower the orbital speed.
The Earth has one Moon.
How many moons do the other planets have?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Mercury
Venus
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
-
0
0
2
17
22
15
2
It takes 365 days for Earth to revolve
around the Sun.
How long does it take the other planets?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Mercury
Venus
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Pluto
-
88 Earth days
225 Earth days
about 2 Earth years
11.8 Earth years
30 Earth years
84 Earth years
165 Earth years
248 Earth years