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The Planets Mercury Closest planet to the Sun 2nd smallest planet in our solar system (only slightly larger than our moon) Very large iron core makes it almost as heavy as Earth Has no satellites (moons) The daytime temperatures can reach 800 degrees Fahrenheit Orbits the Sun in about 88 or 89 Earth days (short years) Rotates once about every 59 Earth days (long days) The Sun moves backward in the sky because it orbits the Sun so fast and rotates on it’s own axis so slow It’s orbit takes it close to the Sun and then very far from the Sun Exterior is a lot like our moon (barren and cratered) Interior is a lot like Earth (iron core and a rocky mantle) Learned much of what we know from the Mariner 10 probe (1973) The iron core gives mercury a magnetic field It is so close to the Sun that astronomers have a hard time seeing it Has no atmosphere Venus Second planet from the Sun Brightest object in the sky besides the Sun and our moon Named after the Roman goddess of beauty and love (Venus) Has phases like our moon Has no satellites (moons) Sixth largest planet in the solar system (just a little smaller than Earth) Known as Earth’s “sister” planet (almost as big as Earth) Gravity is about 90% of Earth’s Has an iron core but does NOT have a magnetic field Takes 243 Earth days to rotate on it’s axis (long days) Averages over 850 degrees Fahrenheit (the hottest planet) Carbon dioxide (CO2) makes up 97% of its atmosphere creating an extreme version of the greenhouse effect Considered probably the least fit planet for living things Has dense clouds of sulfuric acid blocking any view of the surface Surface is mainly large plains with a few mountain areas Verera 10 and twenty other spacecraft have visited Venus Takes 225 days to orbit the Sun Is the most volcanic planet in our solar system Has fewer impact craters because is constantly changed by lava flow Earth The only planet that we know of that supports life The 3rd planet from the sun which therefore keeps the temperatures just right – not too hot and not frozen up Atmosphere that traps the heat in but blocks the harmful radiation Atmosphere that is oxygen rich allowing us to breath (21% oxygen) 71% of our planet is covered in water Called the Blue Planet because ¾ is covered in water Carbon found all throughout our crust (all life is carbon based) 5th largest planet in the solar system Iron inner core in a liquid outer core creates a magnetic field which protects us from harmful solar radiation Mars 4th planet from the Sun Known as the “Red Planet” because of its reddish iron-rich soil Has two moons – Phobos and Deimos Probably the most similar to Earth of all the planets Only about ½ the size of Earth Has seasons, polar ice caps, volcanoes, and wind storms just like Earth A day is very similar to Earth’s day (24 hours 37 minutes) Has Water (frozen in the polar ice caps) Is a cold, dry, desert Average surface temperature is -55 degrees Celsius Has a thin atmosphere made of 95% carbon dioxide (CO2) and then other gases like nitrogen, argon, oxygen, and water vapor There is a lot of evidence to suggest that liquid water did flow on Mars at one time Contains largest volcano in our solar system (Olympus Monds) that is twice the height of Mt. Everest Contains a canyon system (Valles Marineres) that stretches 3,000 miles across the planet Mariner 9 orbited the planet giving us pictures (1971) Viking 1 & 2 probes were launched to Mars in 1975 to retrieve samples Jupiter Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system - and the largest object (not counting the sun). Jupiter has the largest storm ever observed - the Great Red Spot - and is big enough to easily fit the earth inside of it. Jupiter contains three times the mass of all the other planets put together. Jupiter has more than 60 moons, including Ganymede - the largest moon in the solar system. Jupiter's gravity is stronger than earth's. Jupiter is a gas giant made mostly of hydrogen and helium. The Pioneer, Voyager, and Galileo missions have sent back hundreds of pictures. Jupiter has a huge magnetic field. Jupiter spins once on its axis every ten hours. Saturn The rings are composed of small particles (dust and rocks) orbiting the planet The rings form bands that are lettered (a, b, c, etc.) in order of discovery The rings may be made up of remnants of Saturn’s formation or a moon or asteroid that was somehow torn apart Has over 50 moons “Shepherd Moons” seem to help keep the rings in place One of its moons (Titan) is the only moon with a significant atmosphere (larger than Mercury) Is a gas giant 6th planet from the Sun gaseous atmosphere consists primarily of hydrogen and helium along with trace amounts of methane, ammonia, sulfur, and water vapor Has rocky and ice core 100 times the mass of Earth Very low density (could float in a giant lake) Called the “jewel of the Solar system” 2nd largest planet in our solar system Voyager spacecraft Uranus 7th planet from the Sun 3rd largest planet Is a gas giant Has about 30 moons Tipped almost 90 degrees on its side (98 degrees) Tilt creates some very crazy seasonal changes (one pole in Sun for 42 years and other in dark for 42 years) Takes 84 Earth years to orbit the Sun Has rocky core surrounded by gases like hydrogen, helium and methane creating a mushy seas on the surface (could not stand on it) Has rings that are thinner with gaps in between Is blue-green in color because the methane gas in the atmosphere absorbs the red color from the Sun Neptune 8th planet from the Sun Is a gas giant Slightly smaller than Uranus About four times the diameter of Earth Voyager 1 and 2 have given us information about Neptune Is really cold Has a dark blue spot (storm System) that is larger than Earth\ Composition is a lot like Uranus (small rocky core surrounded by liquids and gases) Blue in color because of the methane Has rings (very narrow and bunched up or thicker in some places) Has more than a dozen moons with the biggest being Triton (the only moon with a retrograde orbit Pluto Is no longer considered a planet (since 2006) Now classified as a “dwarf planet” which also includes Ceres and Eris Has a Moon (Charon) that is half as big as Pluto itself Charon and Pluto move around each other ever 6.5 days Has at least two other small moons (Hydra and Nix) Is frozen and dark Rocky core with frozen nitrogen, methane, and carbon Dioxide (CO2) No spacecraft has ever been there The smallest planet Takes 248 years to orbit the Sun Crosses the orbit of Neptune (only planet to cross another’s orbit) Summary of Inner/Terrestrial Planets (Mercury/Venus/Earth/Mars) Solid surface; rocky; terrestrial Smaller Relatively closer together Few moons Iron cores Summary of Outer/Gaseous Planets (Jupiter/Saturn/Uranus/Neptune) Gaseous; no solid surface Larger Relatively further apart Many moons Rings Rock cores