The Solar System

We’ve always known that there were seven objects in the Solar System.

They were called “planetos” (English – “planets)(Greek for “wanderer”).

This is because they moved (“wandered”) in the sky.

These seven: Saturn Mercury Sun Moon Venus Jupiter Mars

These objects could all be seen without a telescope.

It was thought all these objects revolved around the Earth.

They were wrong!

Everything in the Solar System revolves around the Sun!

Nothing new was discovered until 1609.

In 1609, Galileo used a telescope to look at the evening sky. Source: Wikimedia Commons

Galileo discovered: Pictures Source: The Galileo Project, Rice University Craters on the Moon Sunspots “Ears” on Saturn Jupiter’s Four “Galilean” Moons

A “new” planet was discovered in 1781.

Using a 40-foot long telescope … Source: Wikimedia Commons

Sir William Herschel discovered Uranus.

Neptune was first observed in 1846.

Today’s telescopes are larger and improved. We see objects better today than any time in history!

Thousands of telescopes observe the skies each night. Source: Kitt Peak National Observatory

One example is the Keck Observatory in Hawaii has two telescopes with 10 meter mirrors (about 33 feet ). Source: Keck Observatory

The Hubble Space Telescopes explores the universe in Earth orbit.

So, what do we know about our Solar System?

Our Solar System is made up of: The Rocky Planets (made up of rock!) Mercury VenusMars Earth

Our Solar System is made up of: The Gas Giants (made up primarily of gas!) Jupiter SaturnNeptune Uranus

Our Solar System is made up of: Dwarf Planets Ceres (rocky) MakeMake* - Icy Eris - icy Pluto (icy & rocky) *Mah-key Mah-key

Our Solar System is made up of: Other Asteroids

Our Solar System is made up of: Other Asteroids The vast majority of the asteroids are found between the orbits of Mars & Jupiter. Source: NASA Solar System Website

Our Solar System is made up of: Other Asteroids Source: JPL Photojournal Asteroids are rocky bodies.

Our Solar System is made up of: Other Asteroids There are over 750,000 asteroids.

Our Solar System is made up of: Other Comets Source: NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day August 26, 1995

Our Solar System is made up of: Other Comets Source: StarrySkies.com Comets are found in the Oort Cloud.

Our Solar System is made up of: Other Comets Source: StarrySkies.com The Oort Cloud is six trillion miles away from the Sun.

Our Solar System is made up of: Other Comets Comets are basically “dirty snowballs.”

Our Solar System is made up of: Other Comets They are made of ice, dry ice, frozen ammonia and dirt & dust.

Our Solar System is made up of: Other Comets As they approach the Sun, they melt and may be easily seen.

Our Solar System is made up of: Other Comets There are over one trillion comets in the Oort Cloud.

Our Solar System is made up of: Other Kuiper Belt Source: Lunar Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Outer Solar System Debris webpage

Our Solar System is made up of: Other Kuiper Belt Kuiper Belt Objects are found beyond the orbit of Neptune to about five billion miles from the Sun. Source: Windows on the Universe

Our Solar System is made up of: Other Kuiper Belt Kuiper Belt Objects are icy bodies. Source: University of Hawaii, Institute for Astronomy, Dr. David Jewitt’s website

Our Solar System is made up of: Other Kuiper Belt There are over 35,000 Kuiper Belt Objects.

Our Solar System is made up of: Other Dust and Rocks Source: Windows on the Universe

Our Solar System is made up of: Other Dust and Rocks Space is full of dust and rocks.

Our Solar System is made up of: Other Dust and Rocks When they are in space, they are called “meteoroids.” Source: NASA Stardust Website

Our Solar System is made up of: Other Dust and Rocks When they enter our atmosphere, they are “meteors.” Source: NASA Solar System Exploration Website

Our Solar System is made up of: Other Dust and Rocks When they hit the ground, they are meteorites.

The planets in the Solar System Source: NASA StarChild website

The planets in the Solar System The Rocky Inner Planets Source: answers.com – Terrestrial Plants

The planets in the Solar System The Rocky Inner Planets Mercury

The planets in the Solar System The Rocky Inner Planets Mercury Closest planet to Sun (1) Smallest planet (Rank #8) Source: MESSENGER Mercury Website

The planets in the Solar System The Rocky Inner Planets Mercury Day is 59 Earth days long Year is 88 Earth Days Long Source: MESSENGER Mercury Website

The planets in the Solar System The Rocky Inner Planets Mercury Weight on planet – Earth x.38 Source: MESSENGER Mercury Website

The planets in the Solar System The Rocky Inner Planets Venus Source: JPL Photojournal

The planets in the Solar System The Rocky Inner Planets Venus Second planet from the Sun(2) Sixth largest planet (Rank #6) Source: JPL Photojournal

The planets in the Solar System The Rocky Inner Planets Venus Day is 243 Earth days long Year is 225 days long Source: JPL Photojournal

The planets in the Solar System The Rocky Inner Planets Venus Weight on planet – x.86 Source: JPL Photojournal

The planets in the Solar System The Rocky Inner Planets Earth Source: NASA Galileo Mission

The planets in the Solar System The Rocky Inner Planets Earth Third planet from the Sun(3) Fifth largest planet (Rank #5) Source: NASA Apollo 17

The planets in the Solar System The Rocky Inner Planets Earth Day is 24 hours long Year is 365 days long Source: NASA Apollo 17

The planets in the Solar System The Rocky Inner Planets Earth Weight on planet – your weight Source: NASA Apollo 17

The planets in the Solar System The Rocky Inner Planets Mars

The planets in the Solar System The Rocky Inner Planets Mars Fourth planet from the Sun(4) Seventh largest planet (Rank #7) Source: Space Telescope Science Institute

The planets in the Solar System The Rocky Inner Planets Mars Day is 25 Earth hours long Year is about two Earth years long Source: Space Telescope Science Institute

The planets in the Solar System The Rocky Inner Planets Mars Weight on planet - x.38 Source: Space Telescope Science Institute

The planets in the Solar System The Outer Gas Giants Source: NASA/JPL Cassini-Huygens Website

The planets in the Solar System The Outer Gas Giants Jupiter Source: Space Telescope Science Institute

The planets in the Solar System The Outer Gas Giants Fifth planet from the Sun (5) Largest planet (Rank #1) Jupiter Source: Space Telescope Science Institute

The planets in the Solar System The Outer Gas Giants Day is ten Earth hours long Year is twelve Earth years long Jupiter Source: Space Telescope Science Institute

The planets in the Solar System The Outer Gas Giants Weight on planet - x 2.87 Jupiter Source: Space Telescope Science Institute

The planets in the Solar System The Outer Gas Giants Saturn

The planets in the Solar System The Outer Gas Giants Sixth planet from the Sun (6) Second largest planet (Rank #2) Saturn Source: Space Telescope Science Institute

The planets in the Solar System The Outer Gas Giants Day is 11 Earth hours long Year is 29 Earth years long Saturn Source: Space Telescope Science Institute

The planets in the Solar System The Outer Gas Giants Weight on planet - x 1.32 Saturn Source: Space Telescope Science Institute

The planets in the Solar System The Outer Gas Giants Uranus Source: Space Telescope Science Institute

The planets in the Solar System The Outer Gas Giants Seventh planet from the Sun (7) Third largest planet (Rank #3) Uranus Source: Space Telescope Science Institute

The planets in the Solar System The Outer Gas Giants Day is 17 Earth hours long Year is 84 Earth years long Uranus Source: Space Telescope Science Institute

The planets in the Solar System The Outer Gas Giants Weight on planet - x.93 Uranus Source: Space Telescope Science Institute

The planets in the Solar System The Outer Gas Giants Neptune Source: Space Telescope Science Institute

The planets in the Solar System The Outer Gas Giants Eighth planet from the Sun (8) Fourth largest planet (Rank #4) Neptune Source: Space Telescope Science Institute

The planets in the Solar System The Outer Gas Giants Day is 16 Earth hour long Year is 165 Earth years long Neptune Source: Space Telescope Science Institute

The planets in the Solar System The Outer Gas Giants Weight on planet - x 1.23 Neptune Source: Space Telescope Science Institute

Planetary Records 1,400,000 km in diameter Solar Facts Weight - x 27

Planetary Records 134,200 km in diameter Largest & Smallest Planets JupiterMercury 4,900 km in diameter Weight – 287 pounds (100 pounds on Earth) Weight – 38 pounds (100 pounds on Earth)

Planetary Records 58,000,000 km from Sun Nearest & Farthest from Sun MercuryNeptune 2,900,000,000 km from Sun Year is 88 Earth Days Long Year is 165 Earth years Long

Keeping the Solar System Together The force of gravity holds the Solar System together. What keeps the Solar System together?

Keeping the Solar System Together All the planets would fly off into space. What if there was no gravity? Moon would fly off into space.

Keeping the Solar System Together Planets revolve around the Sun. What is the effect of gravity? Moon revolves around the Earth.

Keeping the Solar System Together Large Mass = Large Gravity What is the effect of gravity? Sun Jupiter Weigh More! Sun = weight x 27 Jupiter = weight x 2.87

Keeping the Solar System Together Small Mass = Small Gravity What is the effect of gravity? Mercury Ceres Weigh Less! Mercury= weight x.38 Ceres= weight x.oo2 (100 lbs = 4 ounces)

And that’s a quick look at our Solar System!