1. Astronomy
Outer Planets

2. Objectives
Explain how gas giants are different from terrestrial planets
Describe the individual characteristics of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune
Describe the characteristics of a Dwarf Planet

3. Did You Know???
The moons of Saturn are called Sheppard moons because they help keep Saturn’s rings in place, like a Sheppard does with sheep
Source -

4. The Inner Planets
Gas Giants – A larger planet composed entirely of gas
The gas giants are Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune

5. The difference between terrestrial planets and gas giants

6. Jupiter

7. Jupiter

8. Jupiter Jupiter is the 5th planet from the sun
It is also the largest planet in our solar system
Jupiter is made of Hydrogen and Helium, the same gases as our sun
The Temp in the clouds is -230o F
Below it is 70oF
Jupiter
Size
142,984 km
Moons 63
Rings
Yes - 3
Symbol
Rotation (Day)
10 EH
Revolution (Year)
11 EY 313 ED

9. Jupiter Jupiter’s axis is at an angle of 3o
Jupiter has hardly and seasons because of its tilt on its axis

10. Jupiter vs Earth
1000 Earths could fit inside of Jupiter

11. Jupiter’s Moons Jupiter has 63 moons
Below are its 4th largest moons that were discovered by Galileo along with Jupiter Io
Europa
Ganymede
Callysto

12. Shoemaker-Levy 9 Comet Impact
On July 1994, an asteroid named Shoemaker-Levy 9 broke into 21 pieces and slammed into Jupiter

13. The Great Red Spot
The Great Red Spot is a hurricane type storm on Jupiter
It is over 400 years old and 1 ½ times larger than Earth

14. Jupiter’s Atmosphere and The Great Red Spot
This image shows the bands of winds on Jupiters atmosphere

15. Jupiter’s Ring
Jupiter has a small ring system made up of rock material
(unlike Saturn’s rings system which is made of ice)

16. A volcanoe erupts on the moon of Io
A volcanoe erupts on the moon of Io. The smoke shoots 201 miles in the air

17. Saturn

18. Saturn

19. Saturn Saturn is the 6th planet farthest from the sun
It is also the second largest planet in our solar system
Just like Jupiter, Saturn gives off more energy than it receives from the sun
Saturn
Size
120,536 km
Moons 61
Rings
Yes
Symbol
Rotation (Day)
11 EH
Revolution (Year)
29 EY 155ED

20. Saturn Saturn’s axis is at an angle of 27o
Saturn sees' big changes in its seasons due to its tilt

21. Saturn’s Moons

22. Saturn’s Moons Titan is the second largest moon on our solar system
It is bigger than Mercury
It has a very thick atmosphere which makes it a candidate for life

23. Saturn’s Moons
Hyperion has a spongy-looking surface that is thought to result from thermal erosion, a process through which dark materials accumulating on crater floors are warmed by sunlight and melt deeper into the surface

24. Saturn’s Moons
Enceladus is the shinest object in the solar system, and scientists have long though that it was a cold still place.
Recently they learned that it is geologically active, has an atmosphere and has a warm south pole
This makes is a candidate for supporting life

25. Saturn’s Moons
Rhea is heavily cratered, has faults in many orientations and shows evidence of volcanism

26. Saturn’s Moons
Dione is also heavily cratered. Scientists speculate that the whispy appearance is caused by material of high albedo that is thin enough to allow surface features to be unobscured. This material might have been ejected from fractures in Dione's surface and fell back to the surface as snow or ash.

27. Saturn’s Moons
Mimis has a nickname the “Death Star” because it looks like the Death Star from Star Wars
Its large crater is named Herschel

28. Saturn’s Moons

29. Saturns Rings
All of the gas giants have rings, however Saturn’s rings are the largest.
They are made of ice particles that can be from a few centimeters small to a few meters wide

30. Saturn Saturn is also made out of helium and hydrogen.
The upper atmosphere is made up of methane, ammonia and ethane
Because the helium is still falling towards the core, Saturn is still forming

31. Saturn’s Hexagonal Storm
Scientists have recently discovered a strange hexagonal shaped storm at the north pole of Saturn

32. Uranus

33. Uranus Uranus is the 7th planet from the sun
It was discovered by William Herschel in 1781
Uranus is the brightest and coldest planet
Uranus
Size
51,118 km
Moons 21
Rings
Yes - 9
Symbol
Rotation (Day)
17 EH
Revolution (Year)
83 EY 273 ED

34. Uranus Uranus axis is at an angle of 98o
Uranus spins on its side which means that its poles receive more energy for the sun that its equator

35. Uranus
Uranus spins very fast and because of this winds on Uranus can reach speeds of up to 600 miles per hour
However, because Uranus spins on its side, the winds go in the opposite direction they would travel on Earth

36. Neptune

37. Neptune Neptune is the 8th planet in our solar system
Although it is bright blue, it is not a water world it is made of hydrogen and helium
Neptune
Size
49,528 km
Moons 13
Rings
Yes
Symbol
Rotation (Day)
16 EH
Revolution (Year)
163 EY 263ED

38. Neptune Neptune’s axis is at an angle of 30o
Neptune has seasons similar to ours

39. Neptune’s Winds
Neptune’s winds are the fastest in the Solar System and can reach speeds of up to 1,200 miles per hour

40. Neptune’s Winds
Neptune’s winds are the fastest in the Solar System and can reach speeds of up to 1,200 miles per hour

41. Neptune’s Spots Just like Jupiter, Neptune has a Great Dark Spot
It also has a smaller spot named “Scooter” which travels around the planet once every 16 days

42. Dwarf Planets A Dwarf Planet has the following characteristics -
1) Large enough to have a strong enough gravitational pull that gives it a round shape
2) However it is not large enough to clear other objects out of its area
3) Large enough to have moons of their own, however will not become moons to other planets
4) Orbits around the sun
Dwarf Planets

43. Pluto

44. Pluto Pluto was discovered in 1930 by Clyde W. Tombaugh
From 1930 until 2005 Pluto was the 9th planet of our solar system
In 2006 Pluto was redefined as a dwarf planet
Pluto
Size
2.390 km
Moons 3
Rings No
Symbol
Rotation (Day) EH
Revolution (Year)
248 EY 4ED

45. Pluto
Because of its strange orbit, Pluto is sometimes closer to us than Neptune

46. Dwarf Planets
Ceres – The closest dwarf planet to the sun. It has water which makes it a candidate for life

47. Dwarf Planets
Eris – The discovery of Eris is what led to Pluto and other small “planets” being labeled as dwarf planets

48. Dwarf Planets
Quaoar – Takes about 287 years to orbit the sun

49. Dwarf Planets
Sedna – Takes abot 1,200 years to orbit the sun. Is the reddest object in our solar system.

50. Dwarf Planets
Makemake – Makemake’s atmosphere is frozen to its surface, making it useless.

51. Review Jupiter is the 5th planet Saturn is the 6th Planet
Largest planet in the solar system
Great Red spot is a 400 yr old hurricane
Saturn is the 6th Planet
Known for its unique moons and rings
Still forming
Uranus is the 7th Planet
Rotates on its side
Neptune is the 8th Planet
Winds travel 1,200 mph
Has a Great Dark Spot similar to Jupiter’s Great Red spot
Pluto and other smaller objects are refered to as dwarf planets

52. Journal
Terrestrial Planets
Dwarf Planets
Gas Giants