1. Origin of our Universe:
Planets and Things

2. OUTCOME QUESTION(S): S1-4-08: Vocabulary & Concepts
What objects make up our solar system and Universe?
Vocabulary & Concepts 
Asteroid belt Kuiper belt Moon
Asteroid Meteoroid Meteor
Meteorite Comet

3. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune
Formation of our Solar System
All matter recycled from past supernova explosions
Outer region of nebula:
Gases (far from forming Sun) begin to cool
Cluster together and condense
Forming the Gas Giants:
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune
Gas Giants appear to lack solid surfaces, but the gases may become liquid or solid deeper towards their dense core

4. Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars
Inner region of nebula:
Gases in the inner region too hot to condense
Chunks of iron and rock collide and stick together
Forming Terrestrial Planets:
Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars
“Terrestrial” planets have a surface of rock, iron and hard elements through to the molten core

5. Terrestrial planets

6. It rotates so slowly that its “year” is less than 2 “days” long
Mercury
Closest to the Sun
Receives sunlight 10x brighter than Earth
Day temperatures over 400°C
No atmosphere - so night temp fall to -180°C
Day (rotation) – 59 Earth days
Year (revolution) – 88 Earth days
It rotates so slowly that its “year” is less than 2 “days” long

7. Venus 3rd brightest object in the sky
Sun and Moon are brightest objects
3rd brightest object in the sky
CO2 atmosphere traps heat (+ 465°C)
Many volcanoes eject tonnes of sulphur
Clouds of sulphuric acid – makes acid rain
Day (rotation) – 243 Earth days
Year (revolution) – 225 Earth days
Its “year” is shorter than its “day”

8. Earth Atmosphere (N2, O2, H2O) stabilizes temperature
Ranges from -85oC to +65oC
Liquid water covers about 70% of surface
Generally stable – some volcanoes, earthquakes
Day (rotation) – 1 Earth days
Year (revolution) – 365 1/4 Earth days
Distance from the Sun is most responsible for the factors that contribute to Earth’s ability to sustain life

9. Mars Bright red - iron oxide dirt makes it reddish
Most studied planet (no signs of life… yet )
Of all planets, Mars is most like Earth
Surface temp ranges from -120oC to +30oC
Day (rotation) – 1 Earth day
Year (revolution) – 687 Earth days
Although it is dry and barren now, scientists have evidence that may point to past glaciers and liquid water

10. An Asteroid Belt separates the Terrestrial planets from the Gas Giants – maybe remains of a totally smashed older planet

11. Look at the shadow of a moon on the picture of Jupiter
The Gas Giants
Look at the shadow of a moon on the picture of Jupiter

12. Jupiter Largest of the planets (11x bigger than Earth).
Has 63 moons (2006)
Great Red Spot is a continuous hurricane
Temp around -160oC
Day (rotation) – 10 Earth hours
Year (revolution) – 11.9 Earth years
The coloured bands are gas clouds being streaked over the surface as it rotates quickly

13. Saturn 2nd largest of the planets
3 moons and a shadow in this picture
2nd largest of the planets
Least dense – may not have a solid core
Rings stretch from Earth to Moon
60 moons and 1000 rings (could be crushed moon)
Day (rotation) – 11 Earth hours
Year (revolution) – 29.5 Earth years
Notice the coloured bands on the surface here too

14. It is now pronounced “ur-an-is” not “ur-anus”
Rotates on its side
Extremely cold -210oC
Has several narrow, dark rings
Has 27 moons
Day (rotation) – 17 Earth hours
Year (revolution) – 84 Earth years
It is now pronounced “ur-an-is” not “ur-anus”

15. Neptune has some faint rings too, and 20 moons
Only discovered because its gravity “tugs” on Uranus’s orbit causing changes
Blue and white – methane in atmosphere
The Great Dark Spot is a gigantic storm
Extremely cold -220oC
Day (rotation) – 16 Earth hours
Year (revolution) – 165 Earth years
Neptune has some faint rings too, and 20 moons

17. Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet in 2006
Kuiper Belt and the Oort Cloud
Contain thousands of icy and rocky objects
Kuiper Belt – Neptune to about 30 to 55 AU
Oort Cloud – from 5000 AU to AU
Pluto and Eris are the best known dwarf planets
found in Kuiper belt
Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet in 2006

18. The Roman goddess of the moon was Luna
Moon: Large natural object (rock/metal) that revolves around a planet – also called a satellite.
The Roman goddess of the moon was Luna
Humans have visited the moon’s surface six times between 1969 and 1972.
Planet (2006)
Known moons
Mercury
Venus
Earth 1
Mars 2
Jupiter 63
Saturn 60
Uranus 27
Neptune 13
Pluto 3

19. Asteroid belt in large gap from Mars – Jupiter
Asteroid: Chunk of rock/metal that orbits the Sun but too small to be considered a planet.
Asteroid belt in large gap from Mars – Jupiter
Largest is 1000 Km in diameter
Asteroid that crosses Earth’s path called a Trojan
Asteroids can get bumped and smashed into a new orbit and sometimes that orbit can get “close” enough to be pulled in by Earth’s gravity.

20. Meteoroid that completely burns up - meteor
Meteoroid: lump of rock that is trapped by Earth’s gravity and pulled into the atmosphere.
Falling meteoroids bump into air molecules heating up (friction) until the air glows – and the meteoroid burns up and breaks apart.
Meteoroid that completely burns up - meteor
producing a streak of light - “shooting star”
The only difference between meteoroid and asteroid is that a meteoroid is random and an asteroid orbits the Sun

21. Meteorite impact crater in Arizona
Meteorite: fragment of a meteoroid that doesn’t burn up and strikes the Earth (space rock).
Large meteorite collisions make craters
Westhawk Lake is a crater
Meteorite impact crater in Arizona

22. Halley’s comet: last seen in 1986 it has a orbit period of 76 years
Comet: chuck of ice/dust that orbits the Sun.
Most originate from the Oort cloud
Tail: passing by Sun heats trailing gas and debris then blown out by solar wind - millions of km long
Some have regular periods of revolution
Halley’s comet: last seen in 1986 it has a orbit period of 76 years

23. CAN YOU ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS? S1-4-08:
What objects make up our solar system and Universe?
Vocabulary & Concepts 
Asteroid belt Kuiper belt Moon
Asteroid Meteoroid Meteor
Meteorite Comet