Mrs. Horn 5 th Grade Science THE PLANETS OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM

Space is full of natural objects- some close to Earth, others very far away Objects close to us are part of our solar system Main parts of our solar system: the sun and the 8 planets that orbit it -planet- large round object that travels in a fixed path (orbits) around a star

A star is a huge ball of hot gases that gives off its own light The sun is much closer to us than any other star Although the sun is far away, it is close enough for us to feel its heat It is also close enough for it to look round and bright Planets do not give off their own light; we see them because they reflect sunlight to your eyes THE SUN- EARTH’S CLOSEST STAR

HOW ARE PLANETS DIFFERENT? The 8 planets revolve around the sun at different distances Each planet takes a different amount of time to make one trip (revolve) around the sun -Each planet’s year is a different length -The farther the planet is from the sun, the longer its year Each planet takes a different amount of time to rotate on its axis -Each planet’s day is a different length Planets have different amounts of moons -moon- a natural object that revolves around a planet -Some planets have no moons (Mercury & Venus); while Jupiter has 63 moons

THE INNER PLANETS Mercury, Venus, Earth, & Mars are known as the inner planets. They are small and rocky.

Mercury is the first planet from the sun. (58 kilometers from the sun) Day length of 59 Earth days Year length of 88 Earth days 0 moons Mercury’s temperatures rise to 662 degrees F during the day and fall to -274 degrees F at night. Mercury has no liquid water and is covered with craters. MERCURY

Venus has an average surface temperature of 896 degrees F. Venus has no liquid water, and its surface consists of rolling plains and large highlands. Venus also has a few volcanoes. Its atmosphere is more than 90 times as thick as Earth’s and is made up almost completely of carbon dioxide. 108 kilometers from the sun Day length of 226 Earth days Year length of 243 Earth days O moons VENUS

Third planet from the sun 75 % of the planet is covered by water Its atmosphere is made up of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and 1% other gases. Earth’s average surface temperature is 68 degrees F. Earth is 150 kilometers from the sun. Day length is 24 hours Year length is 365 days 1 moon EARTH

MARS Fourth planet from the sun Surface temperature ranges from 68 degrees F to -220 degrees F Scientists have found some evidence of liquid water once flowing on its surface The only water now is frozen as ice near Mars’s poles Liquid water may be underground Its surface has mountains, valleys, extinct volcanoes, plains, and it spotted with craters Known as the Red Planet -Red color comes from rust-like substances on its surface -Atmosphere made of carbon dioxide

228 kilometers from the sun Day length is 24.7 Earth hours Year length is 687 Earth days 2 moons MARS CONTD…..

THE OUTER PLANETS 4 planets farthest from the sun Large and made up mostly of gases Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune

Largest planet Thick atmosphere made up mostly of hydrogen and some helium Huge red area called the “Great Red Spot” -A storm that has been raging for hundreds of years Surrounded by a thin set of rings 779 kilometers from the sun Day length of 9.9 Earth hours Year length of 11.9 Earth years 63 moons JUPITER

Second largest planet Very thick atmosphere Largest set of rings that are made up of bits of ice and rock 1434 kilometers from the sun Day length of 10.7 Earth hours Year length of 29.5 Earth years 60 moons SATURN

Third largest planet Temperature of its clouds is -216 degrees F Large amounts of ice Set of rings Methane gas in its atmosphere give it a greenish color Planet’s axis is titled at a greater angle than any other planet 2873 kilometers from the sun Day length of 17.2 Earth hours Year length of 84 Earth years 27 moons URANUS

Temperature of clouds similar to that of Uranus Atmosphere also contains methane gas Winds speeds of up to 684 miles per hour Fewer rings than Uranus and Saturn 4495 kilometers from the sun Day length of 16.1 Earth hours Year length of Earth years 13 moons NEPTUNE