Section 3-1 (Part 3) The Outer Planets (Gas Giants)
Objectives Name the outer planets Identify what they are made of Decide how the outer planets are different than the inner planets
Gas Giants (Outer Planets) Jupiter and Saturn = Gas Giants Uranus and Neptune = Ice Giants
Taken by Voyager 1 Spacecraft From 25 million Miles away Jupiter: 5th planet From the Sun
Jupiter Distance from Sun: 5.2 AU’s Period of Rotation: about 10 hours Period of Revolution: 11 years, 313 days Diameter: 143,000 km Gravity: 236% of Earth’s gravity
Jupiter Has a very thick atmosphere –Made of hydrogen, helium, methane, ammonia and water vapor The bands on Jupiter are where there are high winds
Jupiter Great Red Spot: hurricane-like storm that has lasted 350 years! –Red Spot Jr. has been seen recently
Jupiter Jupiter has a thin ring system
Jupiter’s moons Jupiter has a total of 63 moons Galilean Moons –Discovered by Galileo in 1620 –Callisto, Ganymede, Europa and Io
Jupiter Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system
Saturn 6th planet from the Sun Distance from Sun = 9.5 AU’s Period of Rotation: 10 hours, 30 mins. Period of Revolution: 29 years, 155 days Gravity: 91% of Earth’s gravity
Saturn’s Rings Saturn has the largest ring system of any planet
Saturn’s Rings Millions of small pieces of rock, ice and dust make up the rings
Saturn’s moons Saturn has a total of 68 moons Titan is the name of the biggest moon –A probe has been landed on Titan very recently –Scientists think Titan may have liquid water on it
Saturn Saturn is the 2nd largest planet in the Solar System
Uranus 7th planet from the Sun Distance from Sun: 19 AU’s Period of Rotation: 17 hours, 14 mins Period of Revolution: 84 years, 274 days Gravity: 82% of Earth’s gravity
Uranus Thick atmosphere –Contains methane and hydrogen gas, which creates a turquoise color –Very similar to Neptune –Some call Uranus and Neptune the “ice giants)
Uranus Uranus is different from other planets, because it is tipped on its side –Possibly from being hit by a huge comet Has a retrograde (clockwise) rotation like Venus
Uranus’ moons Uranus has a total of 27 moons
Uranus Uranus is the 3rd largest planet in the solar system
Neptune 8th planet from the Sun Distance from Sun: 30 AU’s Period of Rotation: 16 hours, 7 mins Period of Revolution: about 164 days Gravity: 112% of Earth’s gravity
Neptune Neptune’s atmosphere is similar to Uranus’s –Hydrogen, helium,methane & nitrogen –The core/center of Neptune is probably ice and rock –Called an “ice giant like Uranus
Neptune Neptune is the furthest actual planet from the Sun It is also the 4th largest planet
How are the Outer Gas Giants different than the Inner Planets?
Outer Planets vs. Inner Planets The outer planets are mostly made of gas –They couldn’t be close to the Sun, because heat makes gas spread out The distance between these gas giants is much greater than the distance between the inner, terrestrial planets The gas giants are Much, Much bigger than the inner, terrestrial planets