Download Inner Planets

The Inner Planets
Mercury
Venus
Earth
Mars
Why they are called the “Inner Planets”
The inner planets are the four planets that lie between
the Sun and the asteroid belt.
Mars
Earth
Venus
Mercury
The planets that are located after the
asteroid belt are called the outer planets.
That makes sense, doesn’t it?
Characteristics of the Inner
Planets
• Closest to the Sun
• Composed mostly of solid rock
• Each have a core, a mantle, and a crust
• Many craters of varying sizes
• Sometimes called the “terrestrial planets”,
because of their similarities to Earth
• Smaller than most of the outer planets
Mercury
• Distance from the sun:
57,909,175 km
• Origin of Name:
the Roman messenger of the
gods
• Size (in diameter):
4,880 km
• Interesting Fact:
The temperature can range
from -200 C to over 430 C!
Venus
• Distance from the Sun:
108,208,930 km
• Origin of Name:
The Roman goddess of love and
beauty
• Size (in diameter):
12,103.6 km
• Interesting Fact:
It is sometimes known as
Earth’s “sister planet”
because of their similar size,
mass, volume, and density!
Earth
• Distance from the Sun:
149,597,890 km
• Origin of Name:
Old English and Germanic
• Size (in diameter):
12,756.3 km
• Interesting Fact:
The Earth is not perfectly
round, but actually pearshaped!
Mars
• Distance from the Sun:
227,936,640 km
• Origin of Name:
the Roman god of war
• Size (in diameter):
6,794 km
• Interesting Fact:
The month of March got its
name from Mars!
Explore the Inner Planets…and
beyond!
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The Inner Planets by a 2nd grade class
The Inner Planets by Star Child
BrainPop: Mars
BrainPop: The Sun
BrainPop: Planets of the Solar System
The Discovery Channel on Space
view again?