Our Universe

The Sun  Actually a star.  About 333,000 times the mass of Earth.  Heat and light travel about MILLION miles from the Sun to reach Earth.

Mercury Closest planet to the Sun. Often called the “Morning Star” Mercury is a heavy planet. Because Mercury is smaller than Earth, it is much cooler.

Venus  The second planet from the Sun.  Like the Earth, Venus has an atmosphere.  Because we cannot see the surface of Venus, we do not know how it looks.  Space Probe Space Probe

Earth The third planet from the Sun. The biggest of terrestrial planets. Oasis of life; the temperature, weather, and atmosphere allow for life to be present.

Mars  Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun.  It is known as the “Red Planet” because of it’s reddish atmosphere.  Mars had two moons. Deimos and Phobos

Jupiter  Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun.  It is the largest planet in our solar system.  It is a gaseous planet, with no solid surface.  It has a big red spot that has been swirling there for over 300 years.

Saturn Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun. It is very similar to Jupiter, though much smaller. Saturn has 7 rings around the planet that add up to 169,800 miles wide. Saturn has 34 moons orbiting it.

Uranus Uranus is the seventh planet from our Sun. Unlike all the other planets, Uranus spins on it’s side. It may have an ocean under all of the covering clouds. It has a large rocky core, and may contain many diamonds.

Neptune  Neptune is the eighth planet away from our Sun.  It has a big storm, much like that of Jupiter’s.  Jupiter has 6 rings that circle the planet.

Pluto Pluto used to be the farthest planet from the Sun. Scientists have recently decided that Pluto is no longer a planet. It does, though, have 2 moons orbiting it.

Conclusion  “My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas.”  Write down one interesting fact that you learned from this lesson and turn it in to my desk.