Download Ch. 23: “Touring Our Solar System”

Ch. 23: “Touring Our Solar
System”
23.3: “The Outer Planets”
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Jovian Planet Formation
The more massive chunks in the outer solar system are dense
enough that they can attract the hydrogen and helium gas from
the solar nebula.
The original chunks form the cores of the giant planets, and the
remainder of the planets is made up from the accreted hydrogen
and helium.
This explains why the giant planets have roughly the same
chemical composition as the Sun, since they are largely formed
from the same material.
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Jupiter

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Largest planet: has the
fastest rotation
The Great Red Spot
Galilean Moons: Io,
Callisto, Europa,
Ganymede
Very faint ring system
Jupiter’s hydrogenhelium atmosphere also
contains small amounts
of methane, ammonia,
water, and sulfur
compounds.
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Jupiter
Giant Among Planets
 Jupiter’s Moons
• Jupiter’s satellite system, including the 28 moons
discovered so far, resembles a miniature solar
system.
 Jupiter’s Rings
• Jupiter’s ring system was one of the most
unexpected discoveries made by Voyager 1.
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Jupiter’s Largest Moons
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Saturn

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Saturn floats in water!
Ring system based upon
density: which rings
would have the densest
particles?
Saturn’s atmosphere is
very active, with winds
roaring at up to 1500
kilometers per hour.
Saturn’s satellite system
consists of 31 moons.
Titan is the largest moon,
and it is bigger than
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Uranus

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Tilted on axis 90
degrees
Very faint ring
system usually not
visible
Methane gas gives
the bluish color
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Neptune
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High winds
dominate Neptunes
weather
Triton is Neptune’s
largest moon;
nearly the size of
Earth’s moon
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Neptune


High winds
dominate Neptunes
weather
Triton is Neptune’s
largest moon;
nearly the size of
Earth’s moon
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Pluto
Many scenarios have been considered:
1. Interaction with Neptunian system,
but in fact they have never been close.
2. Gravitational perturbations from
Neptune are what allowed Pluto to
form.
3. Pluto originally rotated so fast that
it broke up to form Charon.
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