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Solar System History Planetos Greek
for
Wanderer
English
Planet
Sun
Saturn
Mercury
Jupiter
Discovered
with telescope
Venus
Moon
Uranus
Neptune
1 1846
Page
1781
Mars
Solar
System
Part
Planets
Rocky
Type
Gas Giants
Type
Dwarf
Mercury
Jupiter
Eris (plutoid)
Composition
Venus
Saturn
Pluto (plutoid)
Composition
Earth
Uranus
Mars
Neptune
Icy/Rocky
Composition
Icy
Composition
Rocky
2 MakeMake (plutoid)
(Mah-key Mah-key)
Icy
Ceres
Page
Type
Solar
System
Part
Other
Type
Type
Type
Asteroids
Comets
Kuiper Belt
Dust & Rocks
Where found
Where found
Where found
In space
Composition
Rocky
Number
> 750,000
Ort Cloud
Composition
Ice, dry ice, frozen
ammonia, dust
Number
Several trillion
Past Neptune
Composition
Icy
Number
>35,000
Meteoroid
In atmosphere
Meteor
Hits Earth
3 Between
Mars/Jupiter
Meteorite
Page
Type
Planets
Type
Rocky
Venus
1
/
8
Order from Sun/Ranking
2
/
6
Order from Sun/Ranking
3
Day/Year (Earth Hours/Days/Years)
59
dys
/
88
dys
Weight on Planet
x .38
243
dys
/
225
dys
Weight on Planet
x .86
Mars
/
5
Order from Sun/Ranking
4
/
7
Day/Year (Earth Hours/Days/Years)
24
hrs
/
365
dys
Weight on Planet
your weight
25
hrs
/
abt 2
yrs
Weight on Planet
x .38
4 Order from Sun/Ranking
Earth
Page
Mercury
Planets
Type
Gas Giants
5
/
1
Uranus
Order from Sun/Ranking
6
/
2
Order from Sun/Ranking
7
Day/Year (Earth Hours/Days/Years)
10
hrs
/
12
yrs
Weight on Planet
x 2.87
11
hrs
/
29
yrs
Weight on Planet
x 1.32
Neptune
/
3
Order from Sun/Ranking
8
/
4
Day/Year (Earth Hours/Days/Years)
17
hrs
/
84
yrs
Weight on Planet
x .93
16
hrs
/
165
yrs
Weight on Planet
x 1.23
5 Order from Sun/Ranking
Saturn
Page
Jupiter
Sun Facts
Planets
Diameter
1,400,000 kilometers
Planetary Records
Weight
x 27
Nearest to Sun
Jupiter
Mercury
Mercury
Diameter
Diameter
Length of Year
143,200 km
4,880 km
88 days
Weight (if 100 pounds)
Weight (if 100 pounds)
287 pounds
38 pounds
Distance
58,000,000 km
Farthest from
Sun
Neptune
Length of Year
165 years
Distance
2,871,000,000 km
6 Smallest Planet
Page
Largest Planet
Gravity
Solar System/Earth-Moon System
Mass of Object
Effect
Effect
Gravity Solar System
Large Mass (Jupiter/Sun)
Small Mass (Mercury/Ceres)
Planets fly off
into space
Planets revolve
around Sun
Large gravity
Small gravity
No Gravity Earth/Moon
System
Gravity Earth/Moon
System
Weight (More/Less)
Weight (More/Less)
Moon revolves
around Earth
revolves around
Sun
Weigh more
Jupiter
Sun
Weigh less
Mercury
Ceres
7 Moon/Earth
fly off into
space
X 2.87
x 27
x .38
x .002
Page
No Gravity Solar System
Solar System Fact Sheet
(Source: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov; http://solarviews.com)
The Solar System
Categories
Mercury
Venus
Earth
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Rocky or Gas
Rocky
Rocky
Rocky
Rocky
Gas
Gas
Gas
Gas
57.9
108.2
149.6
227.9
778.3
1,427
2,871
5,914
Revolution
(Year)
88
Days
225
Days
365
Days
687
Days
12
Years
29
Years
84
Years
165
Years
Rotation
(Day)
59
days
243 days
(backwards)
23 hours
56 min.
24 hours
31 min.
9 hours
55 min.
10 hours
42 min.
17 hours
12 min.
(backwards)
16 hours
6 min.
Diameter
(kilometers)
4,880
12,100
12,756
6,794
143,200
120,000
51,800
49,528
Moons
0
0
1
2
63
63
27
13
Rings
No
No
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Temperature
-300o F. to
800 o F.
900 o F.
-125o F.
to 125o F.
-200o F.
to 72o F.
-230o F.
(average)
-284o F.
(average)
-383o F.
(average)
-392o F.
(average)
Weight on
Planet*
.38
.86
1
.38
2.87
1.32
.93
1.23
Distance
from Sun
(millions of
kilometers)
Categories
Mercury
Venus
Earth
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Atmosphere
Various
gases
CO2
Nitrogen
Oxygen
Carbon
Dioxide
Hydrogen
Helium
Hydrogen
Helium
Very Thin
Thicker
Thicker
Thin
Very Thick
Very Thick
Hydrogen
Helium
Methane
Hydrogen
Helium
Methane
Very Thick
Very Thick
*To calculate your weight on the Sun or planet, multiply your weight by the number in the column. For
example, if you weighed 100 pound on Earth, you would weigh 38 pounds on Mercury, 86 pounds on
Venus, etc.
Other Bodies in the Solar System
Major Moons
Revolves
Around
Distance
from Planet
(km)
Diameter
(km)
Your weight
on moon*
Atmosphere
Larger than
Mercury
Earth
384,000
3,500
.16
None
No
Io
Jupiter
421,600
3,600
.18
Very thin; sulfur
gas from
volcanoes.
No
Europa
Jupiter
671,000
3,200
.13
Very thin; oxygen.
No
Ganymede
Jupiter
1,100,000
5,300
.15
Very thin; oxygen.
Yes**
Callisto
Jupiter
1,890,000
4,800
.13
None
No
Moon
Moon
Revolves
Around
Distance
from Planet
(km)
Diameter
(km)
Your weight
on moon*
Atmosphere
Larger than
Mercury
Enceladus
Saturn
238,000
500
.003 (est.)
Water Vapor
No
Titan
Saturn
1,222,000
5,150
.15
Nitrogen/Methane
Yes
Miranda
Uranus
130,000
470
.001 (est.)
None
No
Triton
Neptune
355,000
2,700
.06 (est.)
Very thin;
nitrogen ice
particles.
No
Charon
Pluto
19,700
1,180
.03 (est.)
None
No
Moon
* Your weight times the number in the column.
**Ganymede is the largest moon in the Solar System.
Surface Features of Major Moons
Moon
Moon
Surface Features
Surface covered with craters. There are also flat areas of lava flow (called Maria – Latin for seas).
Io
Io is covered with active volcanoes that erupt with molten sulfur. Molten sulfur is also thrown into the
atmosphere; most falls to the surface as “snow.” Surface colors are brown, orange, and yellow.
Europa
Entire surface is ice. There are ice volcanoes. The surface shows movement similar to that around the
North Pole, indicating the possibilities of a water ocean under the ice.
Ganymede
Callisto
Has an icy surface. May have a liquid water ocean underneath the ice.
Very heavily craters. May have ocean underneath the surface that filled older craters. Craters on
surface indicate the oldest surface in the Solar System.
Moon
Surface Features
Enceladus
Very bright, icy surface. The surface is split; there are plains. The surface has numerous ridges and
rough terrain. There are water jets coming from the surface. There may be a liquid ocean under the
surface.
Titan
Surface cannot be seen because of thick clouds in atmosphere. The Cassini probe and Huygens Lander
have shown a frozen surface with methane lakes. There appear to be mountains, rivers, channels, and
plains. Surface may be similar to that of the Earth.
Miranda
Its surface is unlike anything in the Solar System. Miranda may be have been broken apart by a
collision with a moon long ago. It appears the moon may have come back together in a jumbled fashion.
There are canyons, mountains, and rough surfaces. The most prominent feature on the surface is an
area that is shaped like a chevron (V-shaped).
Triton
Triton’s surface is covered with ridged areas, canyons, and grooves. Liquid nitrogen geysers also cover
the surface.
Charon
May be covered with water ice and little rock.
Dwarf Planets
Body
Diameter
(kilometers)
Distance
from Sun
(millions of
kilometers)
Rotation
(Day)
Revolution
(Year)
Moons
Rings
Eris
(Icy)
(plutoid*)
2,400
5,700
(closest)**
14,700
(farthest)
Unknown
557 Earth
Years
1
No
Temperature Atmosphere
-406o F.
None
Weight
on
Body***
.07
Body
Diameter
(kilometers)
Distance
from Sun
(millions of
kilometers)
Rotation
(Day)
Revolution
(Year)
Moons
Rings
Pluto
(Icy/Rocky)
(plutoid*)
2,300
4,400
(closest)**
7,400
(farthest)
6.4
Earth
Days
248 Earth
Years
3
No
-380o F.
Nitrogen,
CO2, and
Methane
(Thin)
.07
Haumea
(how-MAYuh)
(Icy/Rocky)
(plutoid*)
(Eggshaped)
2,000 x
1,000
5,300
(closest)**
7,700
(farthest)
3 hrs 55
min
285 Earth
Years
2
No
-402o F.
?
.05
MakeMake
(Mah-Key)
(Icy)
(plutoid*)
1,300 –
1,900
5,700
(closest)**
8,000
(farthest)
?
310 Earth
Years
0
No
-406o F.
Methane
.05
Ceres
(Rocky)
950
446
9 hours
4.6 Earth
Years
0
No
-100o F.
(Sun high
overhead)
None
.003
Temperature Atmosphere
*Plutoid – a dwarf planet outside the orbit of Neptune.
**Closest – closest approach to Sun; Farthest – farthest distance from Sun.
***Your weight times the number in the column.
Weight
on
Body***
Comets
Composition (what
they are made of!)
Location of Comets
Distance from Sun
(km)
Number
-Water ice, dry ice,
ammonia ice, dirt, and
rocks.
-Sometimes called
“dirty snowballs” or
“icy mudballs.”
Come from the Kuiper
Belt (outside the orbit
of Neptune) or the
Oort Cloud (Oort
Cloud named after
Jan Oort who
proposed its
existence [has not
been confirmed])
10,000,000,000,000
(one light year)
Over
1,000,000,000,000
(source: Amateur Observer’s Program – Comets & Asteroids)
Main Parts of a
Comet
Nucleus – The “dirty
snowball.”
Coma – Dense cloud of
vaporized ices and
dirt that surrounds
Nucleus.
Tail – Gases and other
particles blown off
the comet by the
Solar Wind (particles
from the Sun).
Always points away
from the Sun.
A comet’s path around the Sun
2
3
1
6
5
4
1. At first, a comet is nothing more than a dirty frozen “snowball” in space.
2. As it approaches the Sun, the gases start vaporizing and you start to see
the coma.
3. As the comet gets close enough to the Sun, a tail forms (made of dirt and
gas being pushed away from the comet’s nucleus by the solar wind).
4. It passes around the Sun. The tail is longest at this point. (If the comet
gets close enough to the Sun, it can break-up into many pieces. It can also get
close enough to be pulled into the Sun.)
5. It moves away form the Sun. The tail is smaller and pointing away from the
Sun. It is pushed by the solar wind.
6. It gets fainter and the tail smaller. Eventually it can no longer be seen.
(source: crystalinks.com)
Asteroids
Composition
Locations
Distance from
Sun (km)
Number
Size Range
Irregular rocky
bodies
Most found
between orbit of
Mars & Jupiter
270,000,000 to
675,000,000
Over 150,000
526 km to around
100 meters
Two Largest
Vesta – 526 km
Pallas – 520 km
Meteoroids/Meteors/Meteorites
Where They Come
From
-Most come from the
Asteroid Belt.
-Few come from
particles left from
comets when Earth
crosses their path.
Size Range
Grain of sand to less
than 100 meters.
Definition of a
Meteoroid
Grain or rock that is
travelling in space.
Definition of a Meteor
Definition of a
Meteorite
Grain or rock that has
entered the
atmosphere
(sometimes called
“shooting” or “falling”
star.)
A meteor that is large
enough to survive the
trip through the
atmosphere and hit
the Earth’s surface.
Do I Need a Telescope?
Solar System Body
Visible Without a Telescope
Mercury
Yes
Venus
Yes
Mars
Yes
Asteroids
No
Jupiter
Yes
Saturn
Yes
Uranus
No
Neptune
No
Dwarf Planets
No
Solar System Body
Visible Without a Telescope
Comets
Depends**
**Comets are not visible without a telescope when they are far from the Sun. As they approach
the Sun, the size of the comet, how much light it reflects, and how close to Earth it gets all
affect if it can be seen without a telescope. Some can, but most cannot be seen without a
telescope.
Solar System Final Test
Please Do Not Write on This Test
Terima kasih
You may use the Solar System Fact Sheet on this test.
1. Which planets are the TERRESTRIAL (ROCKY) planets?
a. Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus
b. Earth, Jupiter, MakeMake
c. Mercury, Venus, Earth Mars
d. Haumea, comets, asteroids, meteors.
Use the picture to answer questions 2-4.
(source: DS1 Principles of Operations, Northwestern University)
2. What is the DIFFERENCE between the rocky planets and gas giants?
a. Rocky planets are SMALLER than are the gas giants.
b. Gas giants are FARTHER from the Sun.
c. Rocky planets are WARMER than the gas giants.
d. ALL of the above.
3. What is the ORDER of the planets from the Sun?
a. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Earth, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus
b. Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus
c. Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
d. Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto
1
4. Identify a PROBLEM with the picture.
a. Saturn should be LARGER than Jupiter.
b. ALL the inner planets HAVE rings.
c. ALL the outer planets HAVE rings.
d. There is NOTHING wrong with this diagram.
5. Planet X is a small, terrestrial planet that has no moon, no water, and no atmosphere.
WHICH planet is Planet X?
a. Mercury
b. Neptune
c. Mars
d. Earth
6. NASA has lost a spacecraft. Before communication was lost, Astonisher 17 sent back some
information. Where will you MOST LIKELY find the lost spacecraft?
Name: Astonisher 17
Mission: Atmospheric study
Last facts reported:
4
4
4
4
4
The probe was AT LEAST 105,000,000 kilometers from Earth.
Its surface CAN’T be seen because of the clouds.
It has AT LEAST thirteen moons.
It is BLUE-GREEN in color.
It is LESS THAN 50,000 kilometers in diameter.
You will MOST LIKELY find Astonisher 17 at…
a. Venus.
b. Eris.
c. Uranus.
d. Neptune.
7. What is the BIGGEST moon in the Solar System?
a. The Moon
b. Triton
c. Titan
d. Ganymede
8. Which is the CORRECT order of the planets from the LARGEST to the SMALLEST?
a. Saturn, Mars, Venus, Mercury
b. Neptune, Earth, Venus, Mars
c. Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus
d. Earth, Mars, Venus, Mercury
2
Use the graph to answer the next question.
Diameter of Selected Planets
9. Based on the INFORMATION in the graph, WHICH PLANET is Mercury?
a. Planet A
b. Planet B
c. Planet C
d. Planet D
Use the graph to answer the next question.
Distance of Selected Planets From the Sun
10. Based on the INFORMATION in the graph, WHICH PLANET is Saturn?
a. Planet A
b. Planet B
c. Planet C
d. Planet D
3
Use the graph to answer the next question.
Average Temperature of Selected Planets
11. Based on the INFORMATION in the graph, WHICH PLANET is Mars?
a. Planet A
b. Planet B
c. Planet C
d. Planet D
Use the graph to answer the next question.
Mass of Selected Planets
12. On which planet would you weigh the MOST?
a. Planet A
b. Planet B
c. Planet C
d. Planet D
4
13. A probe from Earth has landed on an UNKNOWN object. Information sent to Earth
describes the object as; mostly rock, some traces of metal, irregular shaped, and orbiting
around the sun. From the following information, what would you CONCLUDE this object
might be?
a. Comet
b. Asteroid
c. Meteorite
d. Star
14. What is the DIFFERENCE between a meteor and meteorite?
a. A METEOR is in the ATMOSPHERE and a METEORITE is on EARTH.
b. A METEORITE is in the ATMOSPHERE and a METEOR is on EARTH.
c. A METEOR is on EARTH and a METEORITE is in SPACE.
d. They are the SAME.
15. Comets are icy masses of frozen gases and dust particles. What HAPPENS as a comet
APPROACHES the Sun?
a. The gases CATCH FIRE, making the comet GLOW.
b. The ice begins to VAPORIZE, leaving a tail of GASES AND DEBRIS.
c. The comet EXPLODES, which is called a supernova.
d. The comet BOUNCES off the Sun’s magnetosphere.
16. What SEPARATES the rocky planets from the gas giants?
a. Nothing
b. Mars
c. Comets
d. The Asteroid Belt
17. Which of the following instruments could BEST see the rings on Saturn?
a. Your eyes
b. Binoculars
c. Telescope
d, Magnifying glass
18. What is an IMPORTANT function of space probes, such as Voyager, as they travel in
space?
a. To LAND on each planet and report the conditions there.
b. To TAKE PICTURES and send them back to Earth.
c. To FLY-BY other planets.
d. To see if LIFE EXISTS on other planets.
5
Use the chart for the next question.
Observed Physical Features
Celestial Body
Instrument
Physical Features
Moon
Telescope
Light patterns, craters, hills, valleys
Mercury
Telescope
Light patterns, hills, valleys, craters
Venus
Space Probe
Mars
Telescope
Craters, valleys, hills
Hills, volcano craters, valleys, mountains,
ice caps, empty river beds, empty lakes
19. Physical features of the planets in the chart are visible through a telescope except
Venus. Why would a telescope NOT BE GOOD ENOUGH to see craters, valleys, etc. on
Venus?
a. Venus is COVERED with clouds that block our view of its surface.
b. Earth’s CLOUDS GET IN THE WAY of Earth-bound telescopes.
c. The Moon BLOCKS our view of Venus.
d. Scientists are FEARFUL of viewing Venus through telescopes because it is too
near the Sun.
Use the chart for the next question.
Technology
Discovery
Hubble Telescope
Quasar, Galaxies
Radio Telescope
Evidence of Black Holes
International Space Station
Greater detail, Planets, Sun
Optical Telescope
Planets, moon
20. The discovery of non-light emitting celestial bodies were found MAINLY by…
a. the Hubble Telescope.
b. the International Space Station.
c. optical telescopes.
d. radio telescopes.
6
21. Without gravity, what would be the SHAPE of the solar system?
a. Planets would REVOLVE in perfect circles.
b. There would be NO solar system.
c. Planets’ orbits would CROSS.
d. All planets would be in the SAME orbit.
22. An astronaut will feel LESS gravitational pull on the Moon than on Earth; therefore….
a. an astronaut can jump much FARTHER on the Moon.
b. an astronaut will feel very HEAVY on the Moon and be unable to jump.
c. an astronaut will jump the SAME distance on the Moon as on Earth.
d. an astronaut CANNOT jump anywhere because the suit is too HEAVY.
23. What force KEEPS the planets in their orbits?
a. The Sun.
b. The Sun’s GRAVITY.
c. The planet’s gravity.
d. The MILKY WAY’S gravity.
24. The Earth’s gravity is PULLING us towards…
a. the CENTER of the Earth.
b. the Moon.
c. the Sun.
d. the Earth’s crust.
7
Answer Key
Objective 1a - Identify the planets in the solar system by name and
relative location from the sun.
1. Which planets are the TERRESTRIAL (ROCKY) planets?
c. Mercury, Venus, Earth Mars
2. What is the DIFFERENCE between the rocky planets and gas giants?
d. ALL of the above.
3. What is the ORDER of the planets from the Sun?
c. Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus,
Neptune
4. Identify a PROBLEM with the picture.
c. ALL the outer planets HAVE rings.
Objective 1b - Using references, compare the physical properties of
the planets (e.g., size, solid or gaseous).
5. Planet X is planet is a small, terrestrial planet that has no moon, no water, and no
atmosphere. Which planet is Planet X?
a. Mercury
6. You will most likely find Astonisher 17 at…
d. Neptune.
8
7. What is the BIGGEST moon in the Solar System?
d. Ganymede
8. Which is the correct order of the planets from the LARGEST to the SMALLEST?
b. Neptune, Earth, Venus, Mars
Objective 1c - Use models and graphs that accurately depict scale
to compare the size and distance between objects in the solar
system.
9. Based on the INFORMATION in the graph, WHICH PLANET is Mercury?
b. Planet B
10. Based on the INFORMATION in the graph, WHICH PLANET is Saturn?
c. Planet C
11. Based on the INFORMATION in the graph, WHICH PLANET is Mars?
d. Planet D
12. On which planet would you weigh the MOST?
d. Planet D
Objective 1d - Describe the characteristics of comets, asteroids,
and meteors.
13. A probe from Earth has landed on an unknown object. Information sent to Earth
describes the object as; mostly rock, some traces of metal, irregular shaped, and orbiting
around the sun. From the following information, what would you CONCLUDE this object
might be?
b. Asteroid
9
14. What is the DIFFERENCE between a meteor and meteorite?
a. A METEOR is in the ATMOSPEHRE and a METEORITE is
on EARTH.
15. Comets are icy masses of frozen gases and dust particle. What HAPPENS as a comet
APPROACHES the Sun?
b. The ice begins to MELT, leaving a trail of GASES AND
DEBRIS.
16. What SEPARATES the rocky planets from the gas giants?
d. The Asteroid Belt
Objective 2c - Relate science’s understanding of the solar system
to the technology used to investigate it.
17. Which of the following instruments could best see the rings on Saturn?
c. Telescope
18. What is an IMPORTANT function of space probes, such as Voyager, as they travel in
space?
b. To TAKE PICTURES and send them back to Earth.
19. Physical features of the planets in the chart are visible through a telescope except
Venus. Why would a telescope not be good enough to see craters, valleys, etc. on Venus?
a. Venus is covered with clouds that block our view of
its surface.
10
20. The discovery of non-light emitting celestial bodies were found MAINLY through…
d. Radio Telescope
Objective 3c - Identify the role gravity plays in the structure of
the solar system.
21. Without gravity, what would be the SHAPE of the solar system?
b. There would be NO solar system.
22. An astronaut will feel LESS gravitational pull on the Moon than on Earth; therefore….
a. an astronaut can jump much FURTHER on the Moon.
23. What force KEEP the planets in their orbits?
b. The Sun’s gravity.
24. Earth’s gravity is PULLING us towards…
a. the center of the Earth.
11