1. The Inner Planets of Our Solar System
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars

2. Why are they called the Inner planets?
They are closer together and closer to the sun

3. Mercury Closest planet to our sun Smallest planet in the solar system
Fastest orbiting planet
Caloris Basin is the largest impact crater in the solar system
70% metallic components
Large core

4. Mercury’s Core Compared to Earth’s

5. Mercury- Fast Facts Surface temperature range: −183°C to 427°C
That’s −297°F to 801°F!
1,864 miles in diameter
Rotates in 59 Earth days
Rotates clockwise
Revolves in 88 Earth days
Zero moons
0.387 AU (average distance from the sun)
Virtually no atmosphere
Leads to a large amount of impact craters

6. Mercury
Impact craters of Mercury

7. Venus Second planet to the sun Hottest planet in the solar system
Has the densest atmosphere in the solar system
Often called “Earth’s twin” because they are similar in size, gravity, and bulk composition
Large numbers of volcanoes
Low number of impact craters

8. Phases of Venus

9. Venus- Fast Facts Surface temperature range: 450°C to 480°C
4,474 miles in diameter
Rotates in 243 Earth days
Rotates counter clockwise
Revolves in 225 Earth days
Zero moons
0.723 AU (average distance from the sun)
Atmosphere: mostly Carbon Dioxide
Very thick

10. Venus
Earth next to Venus- congratulations! It’s twins! 

11. Earth- Fast Facts Surface temperature range: -89°C to 57.7°C
4,971 miles in diameter
Rotates in 1 Earth day
Rotates clockwise
Revolves in Earth days
One moon (“Earth’s moon”)
1 AU (average distance from the sun)
Atmosphere: mostly Nitrogen

12. Mars Fourth planet from the sun Called the “red planet”
Caused by the iron oxide on the surface
Has volcanoes, valleys, deserts and polar ice caps
No liquid water has been found
Largest volcano in the solar system called “Olympus Mons”

13. Olympus Mons

14. Mars- Fast Facts Surface temperature range: -87°C to -5°C
2,609 miles in diameter
Rotates in 24 hours and 37 minutes (Earth time)
Rotates clockwise
Revolves in 687 Earth days
Two moons (Phobos and Deimos)
1.52 AU (average distance from the sun)
Atmosphere: mostly Carbon Dioxide
Thin layer

15. Mars
Look at the impact craters and thin atmosphere