Download Our Solar System

Our solar system resides in the Milky Way galaxy
and is made up of the Sun, eight planets, and
many moons, asteroids, meteoroids, and
comets.
Physical Properties: The sun is an inexhaustible source of heat and light
energy. It is made of helium and hydrogen gas and plasma. It is
extremely dense.
Nuclear fusion reactions at the core of the sun convert hydrogen into
helium releasing energy.
The sun does rotate on an axis. Because it is made of gas and plasma,
different parts of the sun spin at different rates!
Location: at the center of our solar system (in the milky way galaxy)
Physical features:
1.
Sun spot – dark spots that are cooler areas
2.
Solar flares – eruptions of gas
3.
Prominences – loops of gas
4.
Corona – outer layer of the sun’s atmosphere
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Physical properties: Meteoroids are small pieces of
rock or iron travelling in space
Location: They orbit the sun and may enter the Earth’s
atmosphere due to gravity
Movement: When meteoroids enter the Earth's
atmosphere they are called meteors (because they are
burning and glow). Most meteors burn up in the
atmosphere, but if they survive the frictional heating
and strike the surface of the Earth (or any planet) they
are called meteorites.
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Meteoroids:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Meteoroid_
meteor_meteorite.gif
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Meteors
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Meteorites
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Physical Properties: Asteroids are chunks of
rock or iron. Sizes range from 1km-940 km in
diameter. Asteroids shine due to reflected
sunlight.
How big is 940km? Almost 585 miles across!
Location: between Mars and Jupiter there is
asteroid belt of rock, these are asteroids
Movement: Most asteroids stay in this belt
orbiting the Sun, but some may leave and go
into outer space.
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Physical properties: made of ice, dust and gases.
Comets have tails that glow. These tails point away
from the sun as the comet travels around it.
Location and movement: They travel around the
Sun in long oval-shaped orbits
Famous comets:
Halley
Hale-Bopp
Follows a 76 year orbit
(next will appear in 2061)
Before we begin, you need to understand what these
words are.
Write the above title on a clean page in your journal,
then write down these words and their definitions:
Planets – have more circular orbits around the sun
Satellite – 1. a body that orbits a planet 2. An object
launched to orbit Earth or another celestial body
Moon(s) – any planetary satellite
Satellites: Man Made
Natural
We are the
third planet in
order,
starting at
the sun
Earth is a special planet within our solar system in that
it has the right conditions for life to exist. The
combination of Earth’s distance from the Sun and
its atmosphere allows for a stable temperature
capable of supporting higher life forms, such as
humans.
There are eight large
planets in our solar
system, all of which
revolve around the
Sun in their orbits.
Each planet also
rotates, or spins,
along its axis (like a
top spinning).
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We are going to fill these out by going on a
scavenger hunt!
The information is posted around the room.
Fill out your charts. When they are complete,
fold and glue them in on your next clean pages
in your journal
Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars are terrestrial
planets; that is, they are mostly solid, and are
known as the Inner Planets because they are
closest to the Sun.
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Location in the solar system – 1st planet revolving around the Sun
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Diameter (in km) – 5,490 km
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Number of moons – no moons
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Topography (surface) – rocky, many craters and uneven surface
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Temperature – average temperature of 167oC
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Atmosphere – thick atmosphere of CO2
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Fun Fact: Because Mercury goes round the Sun so quickly, the
planet was called after the messenger of the Roman Gods. The
messenger Mercury, or Hermes as the Greeks knew him, is
usually shown as having wings on his helmet or on his sandals.
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Location in the solar system – 2nd planet revolving around the
Sun
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Diameter (in km) – 12,100 km
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Number of moons – no moons
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Topography (surface) – rocky
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Temperature – average temperature of 464oC
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Atmosphere – thick atmosphere of CO2
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Fun Fact: Venus rotates in a clockwise direction, while the other
planets rotate in a counter-clockwise direction.
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Location in the solar system – 3rd planet revolving around the Sun
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Diameter (in km) – 12,800 km
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Number of moons – one moon
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Topography (surface) – rocky
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Temperature – average temperature of 15oC
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Atmosphere – atmosphere sustains life, primarily made of
nitrogen and oxygen
Fun Fact: Only planet in the solar system that supports life.
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Location in the solar system – 4th planet revolving around the Sun
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Diameter (in km) – 6,800 km
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Number of moons – one moon
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Topography (surface) – rocky, ancient volcanoes, ice caps
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Temperature – average temperature of -65oC
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Atmosphere – thin atmosphere of CO2
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Fun Fact: Only planet in the solar system that might be able to
support life.
The Outer Planets are Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus,
and Neptune, and they are made up mostly
of gases with liquid cores.
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Location in the solar system – 5th planet revolving around the Sun
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Diameter (in km) – 143,000 km
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Number of moons – Jupiter has at least 63 known moons. The largest
four are called Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. These four moons
are called the Galilean satellites because they were first seen in 1610
by the astronomer Galileo Galilei.
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Topography (surface) – gas (called a “gas giant”)
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Temperature – average temperature of -110oC
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Atmosphere – The atmosphere of Jupiter lacks a clear lower boundary
and gradually transitions into the liquid interior of the planet.
Fun Fact: If you travel to Jupiter you will be crushed by the pressure
of the atmosphere!
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Location in the solar system – 6th planet revolving around the Sun
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Diameter (in km) – 121,000 km
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Number of moons – 53 named moons, 9 “provisional” moons
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Topography (surface) – gas (called a “gas giant”). Saturn has the largest
rings (7 rings in total).
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Temperature – average temperature of -140oC
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Atmosphere –is made up mostly of hydrogen (H2) and helium (He).
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Fun Fact: Saturn is the last planet that can be seen without using a
telescope or binoculars and the planet was known in the ancient world
before telescopes were invented.
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Location in the solar system – 7th planet revolving around the Sun
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Diameter (in km) – 51,200 km
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Number of moons – 27 moons
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Topography (surface) – gas , with rings. Uranus is an ice giant. Most
(80 percent or more) of the planet's mass is made up of a hot dense
fluid of "icy" materials – water (H2O), methane (CH4). and ammonia
(NH3) – above a small rocky core.
Temperature – average temperature of -195oC
Atmosphere – mostly made up of hydrogen (H2) and helium (He),
with a small amount of methane (CH4).
Fun Fact: Uranus rotates on its side, which means it spins
horizontally.
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Location in the solar system 8th planet revolving around the Sun
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Diameter (in km) – 49,500 km
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Number of moons – Neptune has 13 confirmed moons (and 1 more
awaiting official confirmation of discovery).
Topography (surface) –mostly made of a combination of water (H2O),
ammonia (NH3), and methane (CH4) over a possible solid core. Neptune
has 6 rings and is known as a gaseous ice giant.
Temperature – average temperature of -200oC
Atmosphere - made up mostly of hydrogen (H2), helium (He) and
methane (CH4).
Fun Fact: Neptune's moons are named after various sea gods and
nymphs in Greek mythology.