{ Solar System: Part II J. Blake Fall 2014

 When studying the solar system, there are a few terms you need to know to understand the magnitude of what you are discussing.  Words to know  Astronomical unit (AU)  Light year  Composition  Atmosphere  Gravitational force Key Terms to Know

 The distances between the planets and each other as well as the planets and the sun are… astronomical  Normally we (in the US) measure distance in miles, but others (everyone else in the world) measures in meters.  1 mile= about 1.6 kilometers (km); 30 miles=48.28 km  But if we measured the distances in space it would be MILLIONS  So astronomers use astronomical units or AU Astronomical Unit (AU) The Reason

 1 AU= kilometers or  1 AU= kilometers or 149,597,870,700 meters   AU is the distance between the earth and the sun   Earth  Sun = 1 AU   What’s the distance? =1, 1:   Mercury  Sun?   Mars  Sun?   Jupiter  Sun?   Earth  Sun? AU- The Use

 Often we hear the term “light year” as in someone is “light years away,” but that is not actually possible  A light year is- a measurement of distance in space; it is = to the distance light travels in one year To Infinity or Nah?

 Atmosphere- pocket of  Atmosphere- pocket of gases surrounding a planet   Composition- what something is made of   Gravitational force- (look in your notes on gravity and inertia)  Natural Satellite-  Natural Satellite- a celestial body that orbits another body, its primary   What are some examples of natural satellites and their primaries? The Other Terms