Solar System Notes 10/15/12 -The Sun: 3 bullet point facts for each planet -Mercury:-Venus:-Earth:-Mars: -Jupiter:-Saturn:-Uranus:-Neptune:-Pluto: TheLink!!!! (3 sentences) Summarize what you learned What did you learn about the solar system that you did not know already?

Meet Our Neighbors! The Solar System ↑ We are this one the 3 rd Rock from the Sun. the 3 rd Rock from the Sun.

The Proto-Planetary Disc

“Our Local Star”, The Sun! Photospheric Composition: Hydrogen 73.46% Helium 24.85% Oxygen 0.77% Carbon 0.29% Iron 0.16% Sulfur 0.12% Neon 0.12% Nitrogen 0.09% Silicon 0.07% Magnesium 0.05%

The Dynamics of The Sun

The Terrestrial Planets Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars are called terrestrial because they have a compact, rocky surface like the Earth's. The planets Venus, Earth, and Mars have significant atmospheres while Mercury has almost none.

Mercury Atmosphere: NONE! Temperature & Appearance: Temperature & Appearance: 100°K – Night (-280°F) 700°K– Day (800°F) Looks cratered much like the surface of Earth’s Moon Size & Place in Solar System: It is the 1rst Planet in our Solar System that is closest to the sun..31 to.39 AU from the Sun. It is also the smallest planet in our Solar System. Satellites: NONE! Other Facts: Most extreme temperatures in the solar system due to its location near the sun

Venus Temperature & Appearance: Surface is 750° K (860° F) Hottest Surface Temp. in our Solar System on a planet. Cloudy & Milky color Atmosphere: Mainly 96.5 % Carbon Dioxide, 3.5% Nitrogen, other Sulfur, Argon & Water Vapor Size & Place in Solar System: Venus is about the size of Earth & was at one time called our sister planet. It is the 2 nd planet in our Solar System from the Sun..71 to.72 AU from the Sun. Satellites: NONE! Other Facts: Clouds cover entire planet, cannot see the surface Hottest Surface Temp. because of clouds creates Greenhouse Effect Sulfic Acid for clouds

The Surface of Venus

Earth (Our Home!) Atmosphere: 78 % Nitrogen, 21 % Oxygen, 1 % other Water covers 71 % of the planet Temperature & Appearance: Ranges from -80°F to 125°F depending on location. Planet is Dark Blue (water) White patches (clouds) Satellites: Moon Other Facts: The only KNOWN planet in the Solar System with life!!! Size & Place in the Solar System: 7,918 Miles around (diameter), 3 rd planet from the Sun

Mars Atmosphere: 95.7% Carbon Dioxide, 2.7% Nitrogen, 1.6 % other Size & Place in the Solar System: Smaller than Earth, 4 th Planet from the Sun Earth’s other neighbor. 1.4 to 1.52 AU from Sun Satellites: 2 Phobos & Deimos Other Facts: Mars has been explored by humans using robotic vehicles (rovers) Mars has the largest known volcano in the Solar System Olympus Mons the size of the state Arizona Temperature & Appearance: Min. -109° F, Max. 7° F. Has a reddish color because of red dirt & dust on the surface.

The Jovian Planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are known as the Jovian (Jupiter-like) planets, because they are all gigantic compared with Earth, and they have a gaseous nature like Jupiter's. The Jovian planets are also referred to as the gas giants, although some or all of them might have small solid cores.

Jupiter Atmosphere: 89.2% Hydrogen, 10.2% Helium, 0.6% other Temperature & Appearance : -230 Degrees F, bands that are swirling like clouds of different colors Size & Place in the Solar System: Largest Planet in the Solar System, 5 th planet from the Sun & 318 x larger than our planet Earth. 5 to 5.5 AU from Sun Satellites: Satellites: Jupiter has 61 (as of May 2003): 64 Other Facts: Strong magnetic field Asteroid belt between Mars & Jupiter

The Galilean Moons Europa Io Callisto Ganymede

The Great Red Spot The Great Red Spot is a hurricane- like storm, more than 2 Earth’s across that has raged for centuries.

Saturn Atmosphere: 96% Hydrogen, 3% Helium, 1 % other Size & Place in the Solar System: Saturn is the 6 th planet from the sun in Solar System & is almost the size of Jupiter & 95 x larger than the Earth. 8.5 to 10.5 AU from the Sun. Temperature & Appearance: Min. -305° F Max. -199° F, Saturn has colorful cloud bands and the most elaborate planetary ring system of all the planets Satellites: Satellites: Saturn has moons, most of which consist of dirty ice. Major moons include Titan, Mimas, Enceladus, Dione. Other Facts: Saturn has lowest density of all the planets in the entire Solar System. If you put it in water it would float.

The Rings of Saturn

The Moons, Rings & Shepherd Moons of Saturn

Uranus Atmosphere: 83% Hydrogen, 15% Helium, 2% Methane Temperature & Appearance: –357° F Max. Uranus looks like a blue/white marble floating in space. Size & Place in the Solar System: Uranus is the 7 th planet from the Sun in the Solar System. Uranus is 14.5 times the size of the Earth. 18 to 20 AU from the Sun Satellites: Uranus has Satellites: Uranus has 27 moons. All are low-density, icy worlds. Other Facts: Uranus has the must unique rotations and orbits in the Solar System. Its axis (N/S poles) are tilted at 98° which put it almost directly facing the Sun during certain seasons. Uranus gets it Blue-white color because the Methane gas within the planet absorbs all of the red light spectrum from the Sun

Neptune Atmosphere: 80% Hydrogen, 19% Helium, 1% Methane Temperature & Appearance: -391°F Neptune looks like a Giant Blue Bowling Ball or Marble floating in Space Size & Place in the Solar System: Neptune is the 8 th planet from the Sun & is the farthest planet in our Solar System away from the sun. It is 17 x the size of the Earth. 29 to 30 AU from the Sun Satellites: Neptune has known moons. The 2 well known ones are: Triton & Nereid Other Facts: Discovered on September 23, 1846, Neptune was the first planet discovered by mathematical prediction rather than regular observation.

The Dwarf Planet - Pluto Atmosphere: 98 % nitrogen ice with traces of methane & carbon monoxide (% not known yet) Temperature & Appearance: -230°C = -382 °F. To the Hubble telescope Pluto looks like a silver ball of metal floating in the deep reaches of our solar system. Through telescopes it is said to have a light brown to slight yellowish tint seen as its true color above. Size & Place in the Solar System: The Earth is about 98 x larger than Pluto & Pluto only takes up about 0.02 masses of the Earth. Pluto is out past the planet Neptune and 30 to 50 AU from the Sun. Satellites: 3 known 4 (July, 2011) moons or satellites Other Facts: Pluto is smaller than seven of the solar systems main moons. More will be known about it as the New Horizons orbiter approaches Pluto July 14, 2015.

The Dwarf Planet - Ceres Atmosphere: None ? Considered an Asteroid Size & Place in the Solar System: Ceres is considered the smallest Dwarf Planet in our solar system & the largest object in our asteroid belt between Mars & Jupiter. 2.5 to 3 AU from Earth Temperature & Appearance: may have a rocky core & ice mantle. Made up of hydrated materials, carbonates & clays. Satellites: NONE

The Dwarf Planets & Trans-Neptunian Objects