1. The Outer Planets of Our Solar System
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune

2. Outer Planets The outer planets are also called “gas giants”
These planets are much larger than the others in the solar system
These planets are less dense than the others in the solar system

3. Jupiter 5th planet from the sun Largest planet in the solar system
Planet with the shortest day
Possibility of liquid water on Jupiter’s moon, Europa
Has 63 named natural satellites
Thin ring system made of dust

4. Jupiter’s Great Red Spot

5. Jupiter- Fast Facts Surface temperature range: −145°C to -20°C
55, 206 miles in diameter
Rotates in 9.8 Earth hours
Rotates clockwise
Revolves in Earth years
17 moons (the 4 Galilean moons are Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto
5.2 AU (average distance from the sun)
Atmosphere: mostly hydrogen

6. Jupiter

7. Jupiter as seen from Voyager 1

8. Saturn 6th planet from the sun
Second largest planet in the solar system
Has the most easily visible ring system in the solar system
The rings are made of ice and other matter
The rings are not solid, but appear connected from far away
One of Saturn’s moons (Rhea) has its own ring system

9. Saturn’s “Rings” and Rhea

10. Saturn- Fast Facts Surface temperature range: −175°C to about -130°C
46,354 miles in diameter
Rotates in 10 Earth hours
Rotates clockwise
Revolves in Earth years
18 or more moons (Largest is Titan, 2nd largest is Rhea)
9.55 AU (average distance from the sun)
Atmosphere: mostly hydrogen

11. Saturn

12. Uranus 7th planet from the sun Has a ring system
Extreme seasonal variation in weather
Rotates counter clockwise and on its side
Has a strong magnetic field
Contains a lot of ice

13. Uranus

14. Uranus- Fast Facts Surface temperature range: −214°C to about -200°C
19,616 miles in diameter
Rotates in 17 Earth hours
Rotates counter clockwise
Revolves in 84 Earth years
15 moons
19.2 AU (average distance from the sun)
Atmosphere: mostly hydrogen

15. Uranus on its side

16. Neptune 8th planet from the sun Last true planet in our solar system
Contains a lot of ice
Has rings
Neptune’s Great Dark Spot is a continuous giant storm

17. Neptune’s Great Dark Spot

18. Neptune- Fast Facts Surface temperature range: −223°C to about -220°C
18,765 miles in diameter
Rotates in 16 hours and 17 minutes (Earth)
Rotates clockwise
Revolves in 165 Earth years
8 moons
30.1 AU (average distance from the sun)
Atmosphere: hydrogen, helium and methane
Methane makes Neptune look blue

19. Neptune

20. Dwarf Planets Pluto and Eris are dwarf planets
The area beyond Neptune is called the Kuiper belt
This is where most dwarf planets are found
Dwarf planets orbit the Sun, have their own gravity but has not cleared its surrounding region of planetesimals and is not a satellite
Planetesimals are solid objects (including dust) that form celestial bodies