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Guided Notes:
Greek Mythology of the 4 outer planets:
Jupiter: Zeus (king of the gods)
Saturn: Cronus (Titan of time)
Uranus: Universe (sky god)
Neptune: Poseidon (god of sea)
Two Classes of Outer Solar System Planets:
A. ___GAS GIANTS__ -
The two Gas Giants in our solar system:
1.
Jupiter
2. Saturn
B.___ICE GIANTS__ -
The two Ice Giants in our solar system:
1.
Uranus
2. Neptune
Gas Giant Structure:
1. Hydrogen Gas
2. Liquid Metallic Hydrogen
3. Ice
4. Rocky Core
Liquid Metallic Hydrogen:
The Hydrogen gas compresses so much that it turns into a liquid state. In this liquid state it takes
on metal properties.
Magnetic Fields:
The liquid metallic hydrogen acts like a metal, and creates a large magnetic field around the gas giants.
Ice Giant Structure:
1. Hydrogen Gas
2.
Ice Layer
3.
Rocky Core
Atmospheres:
Composition:
Atmospheres are mostly composed of Hydrogen gas,
with trace amounts of other gasses. The other gasses
give the gas giants their individual colors.
Belts – Dark Colored Bands
Zones – Light Colored Bands
Belt Zone Circulation:
Since the outer planets spin so fast, the clouds smear
out into bands. The Belts and Zones circulate in
opposite directions
Where do storms occur?
Storms occur at the boundaries between the belts and
zones, where turbulence occurs.
Why do storms last so long?
On Earth, there is land which causes friction, and dissipates the storms. On the outer planets, there is no
land, so the storms last for large amounts of time.
Example: The Great Red Spot on Jupiter has been around since: Galileo First used a telescope to look at
Jupiter .
(around 350 years ago)
Why are belts and zones less evident on Uranus and Neptune?
The Ice Giants have a layer of Methane covering the clouds, so it is more difficult to see.
Also, they are colder, so there is less atmospheric turbulence to cause them.
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Space Missions to Outer Solar System:
Pioneer 10 & 11:
1970’s – These were test spacecraft to see if they could survive the large magnetic fields.
They Flew past most the outer planets
Voyager 1 & 2:
1970’s – 1980’s – Similar to the Pioneer crafts, but had more scientific instruments. They are still
working, and are currently at the edge of our solar system.
Together, they flew past all the outer planets
Galileo:
1990’s – Sent into orbit around Jupiter to study it.
At the end of the mission, astronomers flew it into Jupiter to directly measure the atmosphere.
Cassini:
2000’s to Present – Send into orbit around Saturn to study it. (it is still orbiting, gathering data)
This spacecraft carried a probe that landed on the moon Titan.
New Horizons:
2010’s currently on it’s way to Pluto to fly past and take readings.
Ring Systems:
Which outer planets have rings?
All outer planets have rings
Roche Limit:
The distance where gravity from the planet becomes so
strong, it rips large objects apart.
Distance - 2.5 radii from the CENTER of a planet
Inside RL – No large objects can form or stay (therefore no large moons are found inside the roche
limit), only tiny moons and rings.
Outside RL- Large objects can form, no rings are found
here, but large moons can exist .
Why are Saturn’s Rings more visible than the other outer planets?
Saturn ring composition:
Saturns rings are composed of mostly Ice. Ice is highly
reflective, so the rings are easy to see.
Other outer planet ring composition:
All the other outer planets rings are composed of rock. Rock is
not reflective, so these rings are very difficult to see.
Ring Structure:
Shepherd Satellite:
Small satellites (often captured asteroids a few km across)
that are found within the ring systems.
The gravity from these small satellites push and pull the
ring material, helping maintain their shape.
Ex: Any gap in a ring is caused by a shepherd satellite.
Every ringles has two shepherd satellites, one on each side.
The position of the shepherd satellites determine the ring structure.
What do Shepherd Satellites do?
1. Maintains the ring shape, and keeps
material from leaving the rings
2.Adds material to the ring system:
Ex: the moon Io has volcanoes that
shoot material into the rings
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Natural Satellites (Moons)
Each gas giant has ___DOZENS OF SATELLITES_______
Examples of Interesting Satellites of the Outer Solar System
Jupiter:
Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto - all discovered by Galileo
Collectively, the four of Jupiter’s largest satellites are called: ___Galilean Satellites_____________
Saturn:
Titan, Enceladus
Neptune:
Triton
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Satellites in Detail:
Jupiter:
1. Io:
Most volcanically active object in the solar system.
Has more volcanoes than any other object
The moon is just outside the roche limit, this means it is really
stretched by jupiter. The stretching causes the interior rocks to melt
into magma. The moon has no ice, all rock.
2. Europa:
Has a liquid ocean under a crust of ice. The ocean has more water
than all the water on Earth.
It is just a little further than Io, so Jupiters gravity stretches it, causing
The ice to melt into a liquid ocean.
Iceburg like structures cover the icy surface. Very few craters due to water motion
underneath.
3. Ganymede:
Largest satellite in the solar system. Mostly Ice
Further out that Io and Europa, so has less heating from Jupiter’s gravity.
There may be some liquid water under the surface
4. Callisto:
Similar to Ganymede, but smaller. Farthest away from jupiter, so no heating. Very
cold, heavily cratered.
Saturn:
1.Titan:
Has the thickest atmosphere of any satellite in the solar system.
Its atmosphere is even thicker than Earths.
Atmosphere is mostly Nitrogen gas. It is created from Methane oceans/seas
on it’s surface.
Cassinni spacecraft launched a lander probe onto Titans surface
2.Enceladus:
Was recently discovered (by cassinni spacecraft) to have
Guysers of liquid water shooting off the surface. Hot liquid
water is thought to be under its icy surface.
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Neptune:
1.Triton:
Odd moon. It has guysers of nitrogen erupting from its surface.
Astronomers are unsure as to why this occurs.
It also rotates backward compared to all the other moons, which means it
Was probably captured by Neptune, and use to be an
Independent object (like pluto)