1. The Solar System

2. The Solar System Composed of the following Sun Planets Moons Asteroids
Comets
Meteroids

3. General Information
The Sun takes up 99.85% of the Mass of the Solar system
Each planet moves around the sun in an elliptical orbit

4. The Planets Two Types of Planets Terrestial Jovian
Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars
Small and rocky
Jovian
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune
Huge Gas Giants
Pluto does not fit neatly into either category

5. Comparisons Size Density Inner Planets (Terrestial) smaller
Earth is ¼ the size of smallest Jovian planet (Neptune)
Density
The inner planets are more dense
Differ because of chemical composition

6. Interiors of the Planets
3 substances make up the interior of the planets
Gases
Hydrogen and Helium
Melting point is near absolute zero
Rocks
Mainly silicates and metallic irons
Melting points are above 700 degrees celcius
Ices
Ammonia, methane, carbon dioxide and water
They have intermediate melting points

7. Atmosphere Why don’t the gases escape? Gravity
Gases are held into our planets by gravity
In order for a gas to escape it has to travel at the planets escape velocity
Earth 11 km/s
Jupiter 60km/s

8. The Inner Planets
Mecury
Venus
Earth
Mars
Moon

9. Mercury Size 1/3 of the Earth Orbital Period 87.9 Days Length of Day
Avg. Temp
440
# Moons
Atmosphere
O2, Na and H2
Color
Dark grey
Unique Facts
Largest Night Day Temp. Change

10. Mercury Innermost Planet Second Smallest Surface Features
Cratered highlands
Smooth terrains
Has scarps which shows signs of previously being tectonically active

11. Mercury Continued Surface Temperature Revolves around sun quickly
Rotates Slowly
One Night Takes 3 months
Avg. Daily temp
427 o C
Avg. Nightly temp
-173 o C

12. Venus Size 1/1 Orbital Period 224.7 Days Length of Day 243 Days
Avg. Temp
737
# Moons
Atmosphere
CO2, O2and N2
Color
Dirty Yellow
Unique Facts
Highest Albedo and Hottest Planet

13. Venus Second Planet Earth’s Twin Covered with thick clouds
Surface Features
Varied Topography much like Earth
80 % is covered by plains, created by lava
Only 8% is the highlands (volcanoes)

14. Venus Surface Temperature Atmosphere
Surface Temperature is approx. 475oC
Atmosphere
97% CO2
Small Amounts of Water Vapor
Small Amounts of Nitrogen
Atmospheric Pressure is 90x Greater than Earth’s

15. Mars Size ½ Orbital Period 686.9 Days Length of Day 24.6 Hours
Avg. Temp
210
# Moons 2
Atmosphere
CO2,
Color
Reddish
Unique Facts
Olympus Mons
Water Ice Caps

16. Mars The Red Planet Has Brilliant White Polar Caps Atmosphere
1% the Denisty of Earth’s Atmosphere
Primarly made up of CO2
Temperatures can Drop to -125oC
Polar Caps are made of water ice covered by a thin layer of frozen CO2

17. Mars Surface Features Olympus Mons Valles Marineris
Volcano that is the size of Ohio and 23 km high
2.5 times taller than Mt. Everest
Valles Marineris
Largest Canyon
5000km Long and 8km Deep
NO MARTIANS

18. Jupiter Size 11x Orbital Period 12 Years Length of Day 9.925 hrs
Avg. Temp
129
# Moons
16+
Atmosphere
H2 and He
Color
Red, Orange
Unique Facts
70% all Planetary Mass

19. Jupiter Jupiter: 5th planet from the Sun
Largest planet in the SS, twice the combined mass of the eight other planets
Fastest rotating planet; causes it to slightly bulge at center
Great Red Spot is the universe’s largest storm & also has enormous lightning storms
Io, a moon of Jupiter, is the most volcanically active object in the SS

20. Saturn Size 9.5 x Orbital Period 29 Years Length of Day 10.656 hrs
Avg. Temp 97
# Moons 18
Atmosphere
H2, and He
Color
Bluish Yellow
Unique Facts
7 Major Rings

21. Saturn Saturn: 6th planet from the Sun
Also known as the Ringed Planet; rings composed of varying rock & ice fragments
2nd largest planet in our SS
Least dense planet; less dense than water
Rapid rotation causes bulge at equator & flattened poles

22. Uranus Size 4 x Orbital Period 84 Years Length of Day 17.24 Hrs
Avg. Temp 58
# Moons
20+
Atmosphere
H2, He CH4
Color
Blue
Unique Facts
Accidentally Discovered

23. Uranus Uranus: 7th planet from the Sun 3rd largest planet in our SS
Axis of rotation is tilted on its side; almost perpendicular to its orbital plane around the Sun = the Rolling Planet
Also has rings
Poles spend 42 years in darkness

24. Neptune Size 4 x Orbital Period 165 Years Length of Day 16.11 hrs
Avg. Temp 58
# Moons 8
Atmosphere
H2, He and CH4
Color
Blue
Unique Facts
Existence was Predicted before discovery

25. Neptune Neptune: 8th planet from the Sun
Sometimes is the 9th planet from the Sun when it crosses Pluto’s orbit
Similar to Uranus; has several moons & rings
Existence was predicted before discovery
Great Dark Spot is an Earth size storm on Neptune that disappeared in 1994

26. Pluto Size 1/5 Orbital Period 248 yrs Length of Day 6.3 days Avg. Temp50
# Moons 1
Atmosphere
N2 and CH4
Color
Unknown
Unique Facts
Retrograde
Highest eccentricity

27. Pluto Pluto: 9th Planet from the Sun
Sometimes is the 8th planet from the Sun when it crosses Neptune’s orbit
Also known as Planet X because it was not discovered until 1930
Smallest planet in our SS
Sometimes referred to as double planet because of it’s moon Charon, which exhibits synchronous rotation with Pluto
Only outer planet to have solid, rocky surface, but is not dense enough to be considered a terrestrial planet
Was the 8th planet between