2. Our Solar System  Is a group of objects in space that orbit a star in the center. OUR SUN!  Everything else in our solar system is small compared to the sun.

3. Objects in our solar system:  Planets  Dwarf Planets  Moons  Asteroids

4. Objects in our Solar System  A planet is a large object that revolves around a star in a clear orbit.  A “dwarf planet” revolves around a star but it’s path is not clear of other objects.  A moon revolves around a planet.

5. Objects in our solar system Asteroid Belt – A ring of asteroids that obit the sun between Mars and Jupiter that separates the inner and outer planets.

6. Inner Planets  Mercury  Venus  Earth  Mars

7. Inner Planets are Similar  They are alike because they have : Rocky Surfaces Smaller than most of the outer planets None have more than 2 moons

8. Inner Planets are Different  It can be hot enough to melt lead on Mercury  Mars temperature never gets higher than 70 degrees  Earth has a large amount of oxygen in its atmosphere

9. Mercury  Size of Earth’s moon  Covered in Craters  Planet closest to the sun  The Messenger launched in 2004, it is scheduled to fly by Mercury 3 times before going into orbit around the planet in 2011!!

10. Venus  About the same size as Earth  Venus is the third brightest object in Earth’s sky.  Made up of volcanoes, mountain ranges, highland regions, craters, and lava plains  The sulfuric clouds make it difficult to study from Earth.

11. Earth  Largest of the inner planets.  Only planet known to have life.  Only planet to have a surface of mostly water.  Earth’s distance from the sun helps maintain temperature that supports life.

12. Mars  Called the Red Planet because it looks red from Earth.  Mars is small – it’s diameter is only HALF of Earth’s!  Has huge dust storms  COULD have liquid on surface  Space probes have landed on Mars! Two rovers Spirit and Opportunity

13. Space Craft on Mars!  Spirit and Opportunity landed in 2003