Welcome to our solar system

Planet Planet means to wander. Planets change position against the background of motionless stars. Planet- the largest object in the solar system that independently orbit the Sun There are 8 known planets in our solar system.

Formation of Terrestrial Planets In the inner solar system planets grew more slowly out of less material mostly rock Result is small rocky planets with no large gassy outer layer

Giant Red Spot Huge atmospheric “storm” on Jupiter has existed for centuries has existed for centuries visible via telescope on Earth visible via telescope on Earth important source of data on atmospheric behavior important source of data on atmospheric behavior Also, Giant Dark Spot on Neptune

Inner vs. Outer Planets Inner Planet *small *close to the sun *solid surface *thin atmospheres *no rings *few or no moons Outer Planets *large *far from the sun *gas surface *thick atmosphere *have rings *many moons

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Geocentric Model The geocentric model (geo = earth and centron = centre) Earth is the center of the solar system. Aristotle,Ptolemy and Most Greeks assumed that the Sun, Moon, star and Planets orbit Earth.

Heliocentric model A heliocentric system is one in which the planets revolve around a fixed sun. Thus Mercury, Venus, the Earth, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn all revolve around the sun

Asteroids

Asteroid Facts Composed of materials similar to those that later formed planets – mainly Fe Most located in the asteroid belt between Jupiter and Mars – some have escaped because of gravity Approximately 250 cross Earth’s orbit May have caused dinosaur extinction

Meteors, Meteorites, Meteoroids

Meteoroids, Meteors and Meteorites Meteoroids- fragments of rock or ice traveling in space Meteors- “shooting stars”, are streaks of light caused by meteoroids passing through our atmosphere Meteorites- a meteoroid that is large enough to reach Earth’s surface Meteor showers – when Earth passes through the orbit of a comet many meteors fall to Earth.

Comets

Comet Facts Comet Facts Composed of dust and rock particles mixed with ices of water, methane, and ammonia Highly elongated elliptical orbits Thought to originate beyond the orbit of Pluto, pulled in by the sun’s gravity Comets get brighter as they approach the sun because the ices started to vaporize. Tail always points away from the sun.

The End