Download Inner Planets

Inner Planets
By, Ms. Vriksha
~for educational purposes only~
Terrestrial Planets
• Inner planets are also called terrestrial
planets, because they are rocky planets
• Earth is the largest followed by Venus and
Mars
• Mercury is the smallest
Mercury
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Little bigger than the Moon
Closest to the Sun
Covered with thousands of low spots (craters)
Craters made by meteorites that crashed into
Mercury
• No atmosphere-scorching hot during the day,
very cold at night
• 1973, Mariner 10- Space probe to Mercury
Venus
• Second from the Sun
• About the same size as Earth (rotates in the
opposite direction as Earth)
• Atmosphere of thick swirling clouds
• Burning hot an poisonous
• Hot and dry
Venus (cont’d)
• Clouds of Venus – good at reflecting the Sun’s
light
• Makes it the brightest object in Earth’s night
sky
Earth
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Our home- perfect for life
3rd planet from the Sun
Liquid water
Largest terrestrial planet
Atmosphere- 100 kms thick
One large moon- Luna- no atmosphere-many
craters
Mars
• 4th terrestrial planet
• Red planet- reddish brown soil rich in iron
oxide
• 2 deeply cratered moons- Phobos and Deimos
• Has polar ice caps
• Many volcanoes
• Winds on Mars cause duststroms
Mars (cont’d)
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Named after Roman God of war- Greek: Ares
Several probes sent to mars
1st probe- Viking I, 1976
Then the robot Sojourner in 1997
Spirit and Opportunity in 2004
Curiosity in 2011
Mangalyaan by ISRO in 2013
Asteroids
• Rocky objects upto several 100 kms orbiting the
Sun
• Called minor planets
• Asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter
• Uneven shapes
• One small ball shaped object in asteroid beltDwarf Planet CERES
• Main asteroid – IDA
Comets
• Frozen mass of different kinds of ice and dust
in orbit around the Sun
• Much smaller than planets
• Greek for having long hair
• Gives of bright, fuzzy appearance when close
to the Sun
• Two tails and a nucleus
Compare and Contrast Asteroids and
Comets
A presentation by Ms. Vriksha
~for educational purposes only~
COMING SOON: OUTER PLANETS