The Outer Planets Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune

General Characteristics Large Much more mass than interior planets Have thick gaseous exterior with solid core All have many moons All have rings Referred to as gas giants, or Jovian planets Their rotational period (the length of one day) varies from equator to pole because of their great size & not being perfectly sphere.

Asteroid Belt Located between Mars & Jupiter Separates the inner planets from the outer planets

Jupiter Composition Distance from Sun (AU) 5.2 AU Appearance hydrogen helium Distance from Sun (AU) 5.2 AU Appearance Moons Rings - 63 - faint rings Motion of Rotation Counterclockwise & 9 hr. 55 min. to rotate on axis

Jupiter Mass is 2.5 times all planets Semi-permanent features in atmosphere, such as cloud bands and the Great Red Spot Four largest moons show similarities to the terrestrial planets, such as volcanism and internal heating 3rd brightest object in our sky

Saturn Composition Distance from Sun (AU) 9.5 AU Appearance hydrogen helium Distance from Sun (AU) 9.5 AU Appearance Moons Rings - 56 - visible rings Motion of Rotation Counterclockwise & 10 hr. 39 min. to rotate on axis

Saturn two moons, Titan and Enceladus, show signs of geological activity Titan is larger than Mercury and the only satellite in the solar system with a substantial atmosphere south pole storm Saturn eclipsing the sun, as seen from the Cassini orbiter

Uranus Composition Distance from Sun (AU) 19.6 AU Appearance water (ice) ammonia (gas) methane (gas) Distance from Sun (AU) 19.6 AU Appearance Moons Rings - 27 - faint rings Motion of Rotation Clockwise (retrograde) & 17 hr. 14 min. to rotate on axis as seen by Voyager 2

Uranus the lightest in mass of the outer planets orbits the Sun on its side (98º axial tilt), & has extreme seasons much colder core than the other gas giants, and radiates very little heat into space

Neptune Composition Distance from Sun (AU) 30 AU Appearance water (ice) ammonia (gas) methane (gas) Distance from Sun (AU) 30 AU Appearance Moons Rings - 13 - faint rings Motion of Rotation Counterclockwise & 16 hr. 6 min. to rotate on axis Neptune’s rings

Neptune highest winds (2100 kph) in the solar system – violent hurricanes largest moon, Triton, is geologically active, with geysers of liquid nitrogen possesses a number of Trojan asteroids (share orbit with Neptune, but will not collide). great dark spot Scooter Wizard’s eye