Our Solar System Alabama Course of Study # 10 Describe components of our solar system.  Defining comets, asteroids, and meteors.

The Solar System consists of the Sun and the other celestial objects that are gravitationally bound to it. starryskies.com/solar_system/planets.gif&imgrefurl=http ://starryskies.com/ solar_system/planets_top.html&h=639&w=669&sz=56&tbnid=EYkAlDcqP9wa6M:&tbnh=132&tbnw=138&prev= /images%3Fq%3Dsolar%2Bsystem%2Bpicture%26um%3D1&start=1&sa=X&oi=images&ct=image&cd=1

The major features of the Solar System are Pluto, Neptune, Uranus, Saturn, Jupiter, the asteroid belt, the Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth and its Moon, and Mars. A comet is also seen on the left.

Included in the Solar System is the Sun. The Sun is the Solar System’s parent star. It is classified as a moderately large yellow dwarf and is rather large and bright. ww.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx%3Fc%3Dss%26id%3D75&h=437&w=500&sz=90&tbnid=f5pTEUSitbHemM:&tbnh=114&tbnw=130&prev=/i mages%3Fq%3Dsun%2Bpictures%26um%3D1&start=1&sa=X&oi=images&ct=image&cd=1

The four terrestrial inner planets include Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.

Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun and the smallest planet. Mercury has no natural satellites, and its only known geological features besides impact craters are “wrinkle-ridges”. fully-caffeinated.blogspot.com/2007/03/mercury-gone-wild-i-am-total- beginner.html&h=347&w=336&sz=32&tbnid=iYlw6MDGwVn7_M:&tbnh=120&tbnw=116&prev=/images%3 Fq%3Dmercury%2Bpictures%26um%3D1&start=3&sa=X&oi=images&ct=image&cd=3

Venus is close in size to Earth and like Earth has a thick silicate mantle around an iron core. rl= &tbnw=123&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dvenus%2Bpictures%26um%3D1&start=1&sa=X&oi=images&ct=image &cd=1

Earth is the largest and densest of the inner planets. It is the only one to have current geological activity, and the only planet known to have life. It has one satellite, the Moon, the only large satellite of a terrestrial planet in the Solar System. ars1024.jpg&imgrefurl= 6fsHxqEpaDM:&tbnh=113&tbnw=150&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dearth%2Bpictures%2Bfrom%2Bspace%26um%3D1& start=1&sa=X&oi=images&ct=image&cd=1

Mars is smaller than Earth and Venus. It possesses a tenuous atmosphere of mostly carbon dioxide. slayer.com/images/mars.jpg&imgrefurl= earth- close.html&h=437&w=436&sz=10&tbnid=rSvlcMjdVDzXuM:&tbnh=126&tbnw= 126&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmars%2Bpictures%26um%3D1&start=1&sa=X& oi=images&ct=image&cd=1

An asteroid belt occupies the orbit between Mars and Jupiter. Asteroids are mostly small Solar System bodies composed mainly or rocky and metallic non-volatile minerals. An asteroid belt occupies the orbit between Mars and Jupiter. Asteroids are small Solar System bodies composed mainly of rocky and metallic non-volatile minerals.

The four gas giant outer planets include Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

Jupiter has a mass that is 2 ½ times all the other planets put together. It is composed primarily of hydrogen and helium. ww.gly.bris.ac.uk/www/teach/virtrips/nineplanets/pxjup.html&h= 858&w=758&sz=59&tbnid=viGnDqCT36tlFM:&tbnh=145&tbnw =128&prev=/images%3Fq%3Djupiter%2Bpictures%26um%3D 1&start=1&sa=X&oi=images&ct=image&cd=1

Saturn is famous for its extensive ring system. It is similar to Jupiter in its atmospheric makeup. n/images/saturn_false.jpg&imgrefurl= %3D/saturn/discover.html&h=759&w=958&sz=62&tbnid=Dqc2s- bHoZl8SM:&tbnh=117&tbnw=148&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dsaturn%2Bpictur es%26um%3D1&start=1&sa=X&oi=images&ct=image&cd=1

Uranus is 14 times the size of Earth. It is the lightest of the outer planets. It orbits the Sun on its side. 74/images/planets/uranus.jpg&imgrefurl= 4/uranus.php&h=474&w=368&sz=226&tbnid=cRyXP6htjyjCZM:&tbnh=15 0&tbnw=116&prev=/images%3Fq%3Duranus%2Bpictures%26um%3D1& start=2&sa=X&oi=images&ct=image&cd=2

Neptune, though slightly smaller than Uranus, is more massive and therefore denser. It radiates more internal heat, but not as much as Jupiter or Saturn. browse.jpe&imgrefurl= tbnid=Ehz0ivJFlKGDcM:&tbnh=97&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dneptune%2Bpictures%26um%3D1&start=1&sa=X&oi=i mages&ct=image&cd=1

Comets are small Solar system bodies, usually only a few kilometers across, composed largely of volatile ices. When a comet enters the inner Solar System, its proximity to the Sun causes its icy surface to sublimate and ionise, creating a coma: a long tail of gas and dust often visible to the naked eye. universe.co.uk/Articles/Dont_Panic.htm&h=300&w=300&sz=17&tbnid=crH_ujpZ-6pP- M:&tbnh=116&tbnw=116&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcomet%2Bpictures%26um%3D1&start=2&sa=X&oi=images&ct=image &cd=2

A meteor is the visible event that occurs when a meteoroid or asteroid enters the earth's atmosphere and becomes brightly visible. Meteor%2520by%2520Don%2520Dixon.jpg&imgrefurl= 390&w=455&sz=33&tbnid=cjiiyjz3t9dY0M:&tbnh=110&tbnw=128&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmeteor% 2Bpictures%26um%3D1&start=1&sa=X&oi=images&ct=image&cd=1

A meteorite is a portion of a meteoroid or asteroid that survives its passage through the atmosphere and impact with the ground without being destroyed. meteorite A meteorite is a portion of a meteoroid or asteroid that survives its passage through the atmosphere and impact with the ground without being destroyed. meteorite e_earth_449.jpg&imgrefurl= x.shtml&h=335&w=449&sz=17&tbnid=GZm7J0xKU2K- lM:&tbnh=95&tbnw=127&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmeteorite%2Bpictures%26um%3D1&start=2&sa=X& oi=images&ct=image&cd=2