Cratered surface like the moon Rotation - 59 Earth days Revolution – 88 Earth days Magnetic Field Temperature Maximum 427 C Minimum -173 C Atmosphere – H,Na,O

Surface of Mercury includes cliffs, basins, plains, craters

Earth’s twin Rotation Earth days Revolution – 224 Earth days Magnetic field Temperature 482 C Atmosphere – CO 2, N

Venus Surface Mountains, valleys, basins, craters, volcanoes, rifts Atmosphere – thick clouds with Sulfuric acid droplets

The Red Planet ½ the size of Earth Rotation - 25 hours Revolution – 687 Earth days Magnetic field Temperature C Atmosphere – CO 2, N, Ar, 0

Surface includes plains, volcanoes, mountains and evidence of water in the past. Dust storms occur today.

Moons of Mars Deimos and Phobos are both very small.

Largest planet Rotation – 9.6 hours Revolution – 11.9 years Ring system present Temperature -121 C Atmosphere – H, He Moons - 40

The Great Red Spot is a powerful storm system, lightening occurs in the clouds in the atmosphere of the planet.

Ice volcanoes occur on the moon.

Volcanic eruption is seen.

Second largest planet Rotation – 10 hours Revolution –29 years Complex system of rings Temperature -125 C Atmosphere – H, He Moons - 30

Ring system

Third largest planet Rotation hours Revolution – 84 years Magnetic field Temperature -193 C Atmosphere – H, He, Methane Ring system Moons - 21

Ring system composed of ice boulders and dust.

Blue color result of methane gas in atmosphere. Rotation – 16 hours Revolution –165 years Temperature -153 to –193 C Atmosphere – H,He, methane Rings present Moons - 8

Storms occur in the atmosphere of Neptune. Clouds present.

Rings show odd twisted pattern.

Smallest planet Rotation - -6 Earth days Revolution –249 years Planet is solid rock Atmosphere – Methane, N Moon - 1

Pluto’s orbit takes it inside Neptune’s orbit on occasion making it the eighth planet for a period of time.

Meteoroid – small pieces of rock that results from the breakup of comets. Meteor – a meteoroid that enters the Earth’s atmosphere. Meteorite – a meteor that reaches the Earth’s surface.

Impact craters on Earth that result from the impact of a meteor.

A piece of rock smaller than a planet that orbits the sun, most are between Mars and Jupiter.

A mass of frozen gases and rock particles that orbits the sun, often developing a bright tail when it passes near the sun.

Diagram of a comet