THE SOLAR SYSTEM

The Solar System

The Sun

What does the Sun do for planet? 1. Energy from the sun heats up Earth’s water. 2. Plants use the Sun’s energy to make food. 3. The Sun’s heat helps to make the wind. 4. The Sun’s energy powers the water cycle.

PLANETS A planet is a large, round heavenly body made of rock or gas that moves around a star. We know of eight planets that orbit the sun in our solar system. Since 1992, astronomers have also discovered many planets orbiting other stars.

What are the eight planets? HINT: My Very Excellent Mother Just Served Us Nachos Mercury Venus Earth Mars Jupiter SaturnUranusNeptune

MERCURY Mercury is the smallest planet in the solar system and the one nearest to the sun. Its orbit around the sun takes 88 days to complete. It takes Mercury 59 Earth days to rotate completely on its axis.

More about Mercury Mercury has very little atmosphere. Because of this, Mercury is either very hot or extremely cold. A day on Mercury can be as hot as 800 degrees Fahrenheit. At night, Mercury’s temperature can fall as low as -300 degrees Fahrenheit.

How much would I weigh on Mercury? Mass(the amount of material in an object)-does not change. Mass(the amount of material in an object)-does not change. Weight- does change with the amount of gravity on a planet or the moon. Weight- does change with the amount of gravity on a planet or the moon. The larger a planet is, the stronger its pull of gravity. The larger a planet is, the stronger its pull of gravity. Because of Mercury’s smaller size and lower mass, it has less gravity. Because of Mercury’s smaller size and lower mass, it has less gravity. When a planet has less gravity, you would weigh less. When a planet has less gravity, you would weigh less. To find out what you would weigh on Mercury, multiply your weight by To find out what you would weigh on Mercury, multiply your weight by 0.378

VENUS Venus is the sixth largest planet in the solar system and the second in distance from the sun. Venus is the brightest planet in the solar system and the one that comes closest to the earth.

More about Venus Venus is the hottest planet in the Solar System. Venus is the hottest planet in the Solar System. Venus’s thick atmosphere traps heat. This is called the “greenhouse effect”. Venus’s thick atmosphere traps heat. This is called the “greenhouse effect”. Even though Mercury is closer to the Sun, Venus is hotter because of its atmosphere. Even though Mercury is closer to the Sun, Venus is hotter because of its atmosphere.

How much would I weigh on Venus? Venus is very similar in size and mass to Earth. Because of this, our weight would not be very different. Venus is very similar in size and mass to Earth. Because of this, our weight would not be very different. To find out what you would weigh on Venus, multiply your weight x To find out what you would weigh on Venus, multiply your weight x 0.907

EARTH Earth is the third planet from the Sun. Earth is the third planet from the Sun. Earth has one moon. The moon does not make its own light, it reflects light from the Sun. Earth has one moon. The moon does not make its own light, it reflects light from the Sun. Our planet is different from all the other planets because it has life on it. Our planet is different from all the other planets because it has life on it. Earth has two features that allow living things to survive: Atmosphere and water. Earth has two features that allow living things to survive: Atmosphere and water. It takes the Earth 365 ¼ days to revolve around the Sun. It takes the Earth 365 ¼ days to revolve around the Sun. It takes Earth 24 hours to rotate one complete time on its axis. It takes Earth 24 hours to rotate one complete time on its axis.

MARS Mars is known as the Red Planet because of its rust-colored surface. Mars takes 687 Earth days to revolve around the Sun. Mars rotates on its axis completely in 25 hours. Mars has less gravity than Earth. To find your weight on Mars, multiply your weight x 0.4

More about Mars The temperature on Mars varies from -207 degrees F at the winter pole to almost 80 degrees F on the day side during summer. The temperature on Mars varies from -207 degrees F at the winter pole to almost 80 degrees F on the day side during summer.

Mars and Earth both have at lest one moon. Mars and Earth both have at lest one moon.

The Four Inner Planets (Rocky Planets) Mercury Venus Earth Mars

The Inner Planets Inner Planets Study Jam Inner Planets Study Jam Inner Planets Study Jam Inner Planets Study Jam

What separates the 4 Inner Planets from the other planets?

The Asteroid Belt An asteroid is a rocky body in space which may be only a few hundred feet wide or it may be several hundred miles wide. An asteroid is a rocky body in space which may be only a few hundred feet wide or it may be several hundred miles wide. They are considered to be debris left over from the formation of the Solar System. They are considered to be debris left over from the formation of the Solar System. Many asteroids orbit the Sun between the planets Mars and Jupiter. Many asteroids orbit the Sun between the planets Mars and Jupiter.

This is the asteroid Ida with its tiny moon Dactyl to the right. The image was taken by NASA's Galileo spacecraft in 1993.

The Jovian Planets (Gas Giants) Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune

Jupiter

Jupiter is the largest planet in the Solar System. Jupiter is the largest planet in the Solar System. It takes Jupiter only 10 hours to rotate completely on its axis. It takes Jupiter only 10 hours to rotate completely on its axis. It takes Jupiter 4,331 Earth days to complete its orbit around the Sun. It takes Jupiter 4,331 Earth days to complete its orbit around the Sun. Its diameter is 88,846 miles, more than 11 times that of Earth, and about one-tenth that of the sun. Its diameter is 88,846 miles, more than 11 times that of Earth, and about one-tenth that of the sun. It would take more than 1,000 Earths to fill up the volume of the giant planet. It would take more than 1,000 Earths to fill up the volume of the giant planet. Jupiter has the strongest gravitational pull because it is so massive. Do you think you would weigh more or less on Jupiter? Jupiter has the strongest gravitational pull because it is so massive. Do you think you would weigh more or less on Jupiter?

Jupiter’s Great Red Spot The Great Red Spot is a huge storm like a hurricane on Earth. The Great Red Spot is a huge storm like a hurricane on Earth. It is enormous (three Earths would fit within its boundaries) and it has persisted for at least the 400 years that humans have observed it through telescopes. It is enormous (three Earths would fit within its boundaries) and it has persisted for at least the 400 years that humans have observed it through telescopes.

Saturn Saturn is the 2 nd largest planet in our Solar System. Saturn is the 2 nd largest planet in our Solar System. Saturn is well known for its rings. They are made of pieces of rock and ice. Some pieces are as tiny as dust, other chunks are as big as houses. Saturn is well known for its rings. They are made of pieces of rock and ice. Some pieces are as tiny as dust, other chunks are as big as houses. It takes Saturn 11 hours to rotate completely on its axis. It takes Saturn 11 hours to rotate completely on its axis. Saturn completes its revolution around the Sun every 10,747 Earth days. Saturn completes its revolution around the Sun every 10,747 Earth days.

Uranus Most often, a planet stands upright on its axis. Uranus is different. It is tilted on its side. It takes Uranus 17 hours to rotate completely on its axis. It takes Uranus 30,589 Earth days to revolve around the Sun. Uranus has many moons.

Neptune Neptune is the smallest of the Gas Giants. Neptune is the smallest of the Gas Giants. Neptune is the coldest of the planets with an average temperature of degrees Fahrenheit Neptune rotates on its axis completely in about 19 hours. It takes Neptune almost 165 years to orbit the Sun! That is the longest of any of the planets.

Let’s compare some of the inner planets to the Gas Giants! Planet Comparison Planet Comparison Planet Comparison Planet Comparison

Outer Planets Study Jam Outer Planets Study Jam Outer Planets Study Jam Outer Planets Study Jam

Rotation, Revolution, & Orbit

Stars and Galaxies A star is a huge ball of very hot gases that gives off light, heat, and other energy. There are many other stars much bigger than our sun. Why does the Sun look so much bigger to us than the other stars? Light travels to the Earth from the Sun in 8 minutes. Light from the nearest star takes over 4 years to reach us!

Constellations A constellation is a group of stars that forms a pattern in the sky. A constellation is a group of stars that forms a pattern in the sky. Constellation Brainpop Constellation Brainpop Constellation Brainpop Constellation Brainpop

Our Galaxy We live in the Milky Way Galaxy. A galaxy is a huge system, or group, of stars held together by gravity. The universe is made up of all the matter and energy there is. This includes all galaxies, stars, planets, and moons. The size of the universe is UNKNOWN!