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Mr. Vallee’s Introduction to the Solar System Student Handout http://www.brainpop.com/science/ http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/space/solar-system http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/solar_system/index.cfm http://spaceplace.jpl.nasa.gov/ I. II. III. General Introduction to the Solar System. The words "solar system" refers to the Sun and all of the objects that travel around it. These objects include planets, dwarf planets, natural satellites such as the moon, the asteroid belt, comets, meteoroids, and interplanetary dust and gas. Our solar system has an elliptical shape and is part of a galaxy known as the Milky Way. The Sun is the center of the solar system. It contains 99.8% of all of the mass in our solar system. Consequently, it exerts a tremendous gravitational pull on planets, dwarf planets, satellites, asteroids, comets, and meteoroids. How the solar system was formed. Astronomers believe the solar system formed about 4.7 billion years ago. However, they differ in their beliefs about how it formed. Most astronomers believe that solar system formed from a single flat cloud of gas (hot hydrogen and helium gas) known as the solar nebula. Perhaps triggered by a nearby supernova or by the gravitational disturbance of a passing star, the solar nebula began to contract and rotate. Its central region collapsed into a protostar (a heavy hot core) which began to grow. In the broad disk surrounding the protostar, particles began to condense from knots of gas. These grew into bodies of rock and ice a few miles apart. These collided and coalesced (came together) and eventually formed planets. Although there are other theories, this is the one believed by most astronomers. http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/solar_system_level2/solar_system.html A. History (Beginning of Astronomy) 1. Theories about Earth a. Shape: flat versus spherical. (1) Aristotle watched eclipse of moon (partial obscuring of one heavenly body by another) and noticed shadow of earth on the moon was curved. b. Position in the universe. (1) Geocentric – earth is the center of the universe (2) Heliocentric – sun is the center of the universe and it spins on an axis. Early times, only Aristarchus believed that. (3) 1500s, Nicholas Copernicus believed heliocentric theory, but church against that idea, so he recanted his belief. Kepler “Father of Astronomy” had 3 important theories (mathematical) as to “why/how planets move in relation to sun. 2. Galileo – used telescopes for star gazing 3. Einstein’s theories how the universe works 4. Today, missions into space, telescopes, satellites orbiting in space all give us continually updated information as to the occurrences in our universe as well as others. B. Our Solar System 1. Consists of celestial bodies (relating to the skies/heavens) that revolve around our star, the sun. Includes: a. Planets and their satellites/moons (1) Planet must: a. orbit the sun b. must not be a satellite c. must be massive enough for its own gravity to keep it round, and also big enough to dominate its orbit. Pluto falls short, as well as other orbiting bodies that occupy the Kuiper belt. b. Moons/satellites: maintain an orbit around their planet http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/solar_system_level2/planets.html c. Dwarf Planet - an object that does not fit the planet category (note the criteria above) – an example is Pluto, which fits all criteria except for the last. (1) Dwarf Planets must: a. in orbit around the sun b. has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a “nearly round” shape (hydrostatic equilibrium) c. has not cleared the neighbors around its orbit d. is not a satellite d. Asteroids (millions of rocky lumps orbiting between Mars, Jupiter) http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/solar_system_level2/asteroids.html e. Meteors (rocks captured by Earth’s gravity, heated up by 2 friction and burn) http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/solar_system_level2/meteoroids.html f. Comets (billions of masses of dust and frozen gasses which glow when they approach the sun). They originate in the Oort cloud and the Kuiper belt. http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/solar_system_level2/comets.html g. Interplanetary dust and gas (left over particles/gas from the origin of the solar system). h. Sun - huge ball of hot gases that give off great amounts of energy which comes from a nuclear reaction that takes place inside of stars. 2. Movement of planets, dwarf planets, and satellites that orbit the sun a. The sun is the center of the solar system (show diagram/basketball) b. System is flat (show side view) c. Each planet has its own orbit it follows around the sun Mercury has an inclined orbit. The Dwarf planet, Pluto, has the most elliptical orbit, although it is the furthest away from the sun, there are 20+ years it is actually closer to the sun than Neptune. d. Travel counterclockwise around sun (all) e. Travel different speeds f. Planet year – time it takes to orbit the sun once (Pluto lasts 248 Earth years) g. Planets spin as they orbit the sun. All spin counterclockwise, except Venus (clockwise) and Uranus (spins on its side). h. Planet day- time it takes to spin once on its axis. 3. Size of planets (huge difference) a. Jupiter is 63 times bigger than the dwarf planet, Pluto b. Sequence of planets in size from smallest to largest: Mercury, Mars, Venus, Earth, Neptune, Uranus, Saturn, Jupiter. 4. Location from the sun (approximate scale to provide a perspective ONLY): Mercury 4”, Venus 7”, Earth 10”, Mars 15”, Jupiter 4’6”, Saturn 8’, Uranus 16’, Neptune 25’ 5. Inner planets (4) are Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. Small rocky worlds w/metal cores and except for Mercury they have thin atmospheres. 3 6. Outer planets (4) are Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, and Uranus the gas giants. They have a deep atmosphere that thickens into a hot liquid, which reaches to rocky cores. They all have rings as well. 7. Dwarf planets (5). Pluto (located beyond Neptune), Ceres (located in asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter), Eris, Makemake, and Haumea ( all located beyond Pluto in Kuiper Belt). There are many more waiting to be identified! 8. Satellites/moons orbit every planet except for Mercury and Venus. 4