1. The Earth’s Solar SystemBy
Christopher Franckowiak

2. All pictures used for this slideshow were obtained from http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/
NASA still images, audio files and video generally are not copyrighted. You may use NASA imagery, video and audio material for educational or informational purposes, including photo collections, textbooks, public exhibits and Internet Web pages. This general permission extends to personal Web pages.
Facts and photos used in the slideshow taken from:
Sun:
Mercury:
Venus:
Earth:
Mars:
Jupiter:
Saturn:
Uranus:
Neptune:
Pluto:
The direct test link can be accessed by using this address

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4. If this is your first time accessing this module, select the Sun
If this is your first time accessing this module, select the Sun. If you would like to jump to any of the planets – select that planet.

5. The Sun
Is a star
Provides Earth with energy, which brings life to the planet
Closest star to our Earth
Planets orbit around the sun
109 times bigger than Earth
Average temperature of 5700° C
Over 4.5 billion years old
Click the
to review
The sun is a star, a hot ball of glowing gases at the heart of our solar system. Its influence extends far beyond the orbits of distant Neptune and Pluto. Without the sun's intense energy and heat, there would be no life on Earth. And though it is special to us, there are billions of stars like our sun scattered across the Milky Way galaxy.

6. Closest planet to the Sun 8th largest planet in our solar system
Mercury
FACTS
Closest planet to the Sun
8th largest planet in our solar system
Orbits around the sun every 88 days
Named after the messenger of the Roman Gods
Mercury has no atmosphere
Mercury has no moons
Average temperature of side facing the Sun is 400° C
Surface covered with craters and completely dry
1 of five planets that can be seen without using a telescope
Sun-scorched Mercury is only slightly larger than Earth's Moon. Like the Moon, Mercury has very little atmosphere to stop impacts, and it is covered with craters. Mercury's dayside is super-heated by the sun, but at night temperatures drop hundreds of degrees below freezing. Ice may even exist in craters. Mercury's egg-shaped orbit takes it around the sun every 88 days.

7. Second planet from the sun Sixth largest planet in the solar system
Venus
FACTS
Second planet from the sun
Sixth largest planet in the solar system
Named after Roman goddess of love and beauty
Considered Earth’s sister planet
Surface is very hot – about 400° C
Venus has no moons
Blanketed in a thick layer of yellow clouds composed of sulfuric acid
One orbit around the sun takes about 226 days
Venus is a dim world of intense heat and volcanic activity. Similar in structure and size to Earth, Venus' thick, toxic atmosphere traps heat in a runaway "greenhouse effect." The scorched world has temperatures hot enough to melt lead. Glimpses below the clouds reveal volcanoes and deformed mountains. Venus spins slowly in the opposite direction of most planets.

8. Third planet from the sun Fifth largest planet in the solar system
Earth
Third planet from the sun
Fifth largest planet in the solar system
71% of the Earth’s surface is covered by water
Considered Earth’s sister planet
Orbited by 1 moon
Densest major body in the solar system
Supports a variety of life
One orbit around the Sun takes about 365 days
Earth is an ocean planet. Our home world's abundance of water -- and life -- makes it unique in our solar system. Other planets, plus a few moons, have ice, atmospheres, seasons and even weather, but only on Earth does the whole complicated mix come together in a way that encourages life -- and lots of it.
FACTS

9. Fourth planet from the sun 7th largest planet
Mars
FACTS
Fourth planet from the sun
7th largest planet
Has two moons – Phobos and Deimos
Has permanent ice caps at both poles made up of solid carbon dioxide
Visible with the naked eye from Earth
Named after the god of war
One orbit around the sun takes about 687 days
Mars is a cold desert world. It is half the diameter of Earth and has the same amount of dry land. Like Earth, Mars has seasons, polar ice caps, volcanoes, canyons and weather, but its atmosphere is too thin for liquid water to exist for long on the surface. There are signs of ancient floods on Mars, but evidence for water now exists mainly in icy soil and thin clouds.

10. Asteroids / The Asteroid Belt
Asteroids are chunks of rock and metal that orbit around the Sun
Loose material that did not form into planets
Main Asteroid Belt located between Mars and Jupiter
Total mass of all of the asteroids is less than that of Earth’s moon
26 known asteroids larger than 200km across
99% are larger than 100km across
May be as many as a million 1km sized asteroids
Asteroids are rocky, airless worlds that orbit our sun, but are too small to be called planets. Tens of thousands of these "minor planets" are gathered in the main asteroid belt, a vast doughnut-shaped ring between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Asteroids that pass close to Earth are called Near-Earth Objects (NEOs).

11. Fifth planet from the Sun
Jupiter
FACTS
Fifth planet from the Sun
Largest of all of the planets – 318x bigger than Earth
16 moons
Gas giant planet composed of 90% hydrogen and 10% helium
Has faint rings like Saturn, but much smaller
Named after the King of the Roman Gods
Does not have a solid surface
One orbit around the sun lasts about 4331 days
Jupiter, the most massive planet in our solar system -- with dozens of moons and an enormous magnetic field -- forms a kind of miniature solar system. Jupiter does resemble a star in composition, but it did not grow big enough to ignite. The planet's swirling cloud stripes are punctuated by massive storms such as the Great Red Spot, which has raged for hundreds of years.

12. Sixth planet from the sun 2nd largest planet
Saturn
Sixth planet from the sun
2nd largest planet
Has 18 moons – most of all the planets
Is a gas giant composed of 75% hydrogen and 25% helium
Rings are made up mostly of water ice and rocky particles
Named after the god of agriculture
One orbit around the sun takes about 10,047 days
FACTS
While cruising around Saturn in early October 2004, Cassini captured a series of images that have been composed into this large global natural color view of Saturn and its rings. This grand mosaic consists of 126 images acquired in a tile-like fashion, covering one end of Saturn's rings to the other and the entire planet in between. The images were taken over the course of two hours on 6 Oct. 2004, while Cassini was approximately 6.3 million km (3.9 million miles) from Saturn. Since the view seen by Cassini during this time changed very little, no re-projection or alteration of any of the images was necessary. Three images (red, green and blue) were taken of each of the 42 locations, or "footprints," across the planet. The full color footprints were put together to produce a mosaic that is 8,888 pixels across and 4,544 pixels tall. The smallest features seen here are 38 km (24 miles) across. Many of Saturn's splendid features noted previously in single frames taken by Cassini are visible in this one detailed, all-encompassing view: subtle color variations across the rings, the thread-like F ring, ring shadows cast against the blue northern hemisphere, the planet's shadow making its way across the rings to the left, and blue-grey storms in Saturn's southern hemisphere to the right. Tiny Mimas and even smaller Janus are both faintly visible at the lower left. The sun-Saturn-Cassini, or phase, angle at the time was 72 degrees; hence, the partial illumination of Saturn in this portrait.

13. Seventh planet from the sun 3nd largest planet Has 15 moons
Uranus
Seventh planet from the sun
3nd largest planet
Has 15 moons
Is a gas giant composed of rock and various ices
Spins differently than most planets – tilted sideways instead of right side up
Named after the Greek God of the Heavens
Blue color is the result of a gas called methane found in the planet’s upper atmosphere
One orbit around the sun takes about 30,589 days
FACTS
Uranus is the only giant planet whose equator is nearly at right angles to its orbit. A collision with an Earth-sized object may explain Uranus' unique tilt. Nearly a twin in size to Neptune, Uranus has more methane in its mainly hydrogen and helium atmosphere than Jupiter or Saturn. Methane gives Uranus its blue tint.

14. Eighth planet from the sun 4nd largest planet
Neptune
Eighth planet from the sun
4nd largest planet
Has 8 moons – largest called Triton
Is a gas giant composed of rock and various ices
Named after the Greek God of the Sea
Blue color is the result of a gas called methane found in the planet’s upper atmosphere
Winds on Neptune are the fastest found in the solar system (2000 km/hour)
One orbit around the sun takes about 59,800 days
FACTS
Dark, cold and whipped by supersonic winds, Neptune is the last of the hydrogen and helium gas giants in our solar system. More than 30 times as far from the sun as Earth, the planet takes almost 165 Earth years to orbit our sun. In 2011 Neptune completed its first orbit since its discovery in 1846.

15. Ninth planet from the sun Smallest planet
Pluto
FACTS
Ninth planet from the sun
Smallest planet
Smaller than 7 of the solar system’s moons
Orbit intersects Neptune – occasionally change spots as 8th and 9th planets from the sun
Considered a dwarf planet
Has one moon called Charon
One orbit around the sun takes about 90,588 days
Discovered in 1930, Pluto was long considered our solar system's ninth planet. But after the discovery of similar intriguing worlds deeper in the distant Kuiper Belt, icy Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet. This new class of worlds may offer some of the best evidence about the origins of our solar system. Pluto is also a member of a group of objects that orbit in a disc-like zone beyond the orbit of Neptune called the Kuiper Belt. This distant realm is populated with thousands of miniature icy worlds, which formed early in the history of our solar system. These icy, rocky bodies are called Kuiper Belt objects or transneptunian objects.

16. The Sun
Question 1: determine if the statement is true or false and select the appropriate answer
Planets in our solar system revolve around the sun.
TRUE
FALSE

17. The Sun
Correct! All of the planets in the solar system revolve around the sun.
Question 2: Select the best answer
The sun is a _________?
A. Planet
B. Meteor
C. Star
D. Asteroid

18. The Sun
Correct! The sun is a star. It is also the closest star to planet Earth.
Question 3: Select the best answer
The sun is approximately how big?
A. 10x bigger than Earth
B. 50x bigger than Earth
C. 75x bigger than Earth
D. 100x bigger than Earth

19. PROCEED The Sun Correct! The sun is 109x bigger than the planet Earth.
Click proceed to move on to the planet Mercury
PROCEED

20. Mercury
Question 1: determine if the statement is true or false and select the appropriate answer
Mercury’s thick atmosphere is primarily composed of Nitrogen.
TRUE
FALSE

21. Mercury
Correct! Mercury’s closeness to the Sun and extreme temperature contribute to it not having an atmosphere.
Question 2: Select the best answer
Mercury has _________ moon(s)?
A. 0
B. 1
C. 3
D. 7

22. Mercury
Correct! Mercury does not have any moons.
Question 3: Select the best answer
Mercury orbits the sun every _________ days?
A. 22
B. 44
C. 88
D. 128

23. PROCEED Mercury Correct! Mercury orbits the sun once every 88 days.
Click proceed to move on to the planet Venus
PROCEED

24. Venus
Question 1: determine if the statement is true or false and select the appropriate answer
Venus is considered the sister planet of Mars.
TRUE
FALSE

25. Venus
Correct! Earth is considered the sister planet of Mars.
Question 2: Select the best answer
Venus is the ____ largest planet in the solar
System.
A. 2nd
B. 4th
C. 6th
D. 8th

26. Venus
Correct! Venus is the 6th largest planet in the solar system.
Question 3: Select the best answer
Venus is blanketed in a thick layer of yellow
Clouds composed of _________?
A. Methane
B. Calcium Carbonate
C. Hydrogen Monoxide
D. Sulfuric Acid

27. Venus
Correct! The thick layer of yellow clouds is composed of sulfuric acid.
Click proceed to move on to the planet Earth
PROCEED

28. Earth
Question 1: determine if the statement is true or false and select the appropriate answer
The surface of the Earth is covered by 71% water.
TRUE
FALSE

29. Earth
Correct! The Earth’s surface is composed of 71% water.
Question 2: Select the best answer
The Earth is third planet from the Sun. Which
2 planets are closer?
A. Mercury and Mars
B. Mecury and Venus
C. Venus and Mars
D. Mercury and Neptune

30. Earth
Correct! Earth is the 3rd planet from the Sun. Only Mercury and Venus are closer.
Question 3: Select the best answer
Earth is the _____ largest planet in the solar
system.
A. 2nd
B. 3rd
C. 4th
D. 5th

31. Earth
Correct! Earth is the 5th largest planet in the solar system but also has the highest density.
Click proceed to move on to the planet Mars
PROCEED

32. Mars
Question 1: determine if the statement is true or false and select the appropriate answer
Mars has two moons. Their names are Phobos and Chandler.
TRUE
FALSE

33. Mars
Correct! The moons that orbit Mars are named Phobos and Deimos.
Question 2: Select the best answer
Mars is the ___ largest planet.
A. 7th
B. 6th
C. 5th
D. 4th

34. Mars
Correct! Mars is the 7th largest planet in the solar system.
Question 3: Select the best answer
Mars is the ____ planet from the Sun?
A. 2nd
B. 3rd
C. 4th
D. 5th

35. Mars
Correct! Mars is located after Mercury, Venus, and Earth making it the 4th planet from the Sun.
Click proceed to move on to the planet Jupiter
PROCEED

36. Jupiter
Question 1: determine if the statement is true or false and select the appropriate answer
Jupiter is the 6th planet from the Sun.
TRUE
FALSE

37. Jupiter
Correct! Jupiter is the 5th planet from the Sun. Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars are all closer to the sun than Jupiter.
Question 2: Select the best answer
Jupiter is a gas giant planet composed of
____% hydrogen and ____% helium
A. 70, 30
B. 75, 25
C. 80, 20
D. 90, 10

38. Jupiter
Correct! Jupiter is composed of 90% hydrogen and 10% helium.
Question 3: Select the best answer
Jupiter is the ____ largest planet?
A. 1st
B. 2rd
C. 3th
D. 4th

39. PROCEED Jupiter Correct! Jupiter is the largest planet.
Click proceed to move on to the planet Saturn
PROCEED

40. Saturn
Question 1: determine if the statement is true or false and select the appropriate answer
Saturn is the 2nd largest planet.
TRUE
FALSE

41. Saturn
Correct! Saturn is the second largest planet. The only planet bigger is Jupiter.
Question 2: Select the best answer
Saturn is the ____ planet from the Sun?
A. 4nd
B. 5rd
C. 6th
D. 7th

42. Saturn
Correct! Saturn is the 6th planet from the Sun. Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, and Jupiter are closer.
Question 3: Select the best answer
Saturn has ____ moons, the most of all the planets?
A. 10
B. 16
C. 18
D. 22

43. PROCEED Saturn Correct! Jupiter has 18 moons.
Click proceed to move on to the planet Uranus
PROCEED

44. Uranus
Question 1: determine if the statement is true or false and select the appropriate answer
Uranus spins differently than most planets – tilted up sideways instead of right side up.
TRUE
FALSE

45. Uranus
Correct! Uranus is unique in the way that it spins compared to the other planets. .
Question 2: Select the best answer
Uranus is the ____ planet located from the sun?
A. 6nd
B. 7rd
C. 8th
D. 9th

46. Uranus
Correct! Uranus is the 7th planet from the Sun. Only Neptune and Pluto are further.
Question 3: Select the best answer
Uranus is the ____ largest planet?
A. 2nd
B. 3rd
C. 4th
D. 5th

47. Uranus
Correct! Uranus is the 3rd largest planet behind Saturn and Jupiter.
Click proceed to move on to the planet Neptune
PROCEED

48. Neptune
Question 1: determine if the statement is true or false and select the appropriate answer
Neptune is the 5th largest planet.
TRUE
FALSE

49. Neptune
Correct! Neptune is the 4th largest planet and is one of the gas giants.
Question 2: Select the best answer
Neptune is the ____ planet from the sun?
A. 6nd
B. 7rd
C. 8th
D. 9th

50. Neptune
Correct! Neptune is the 8th planet from the Sun for the majority of the time as its orbit crosses with pluto.
Question 2: Select the best answer
Neptune’s blue color is a result of the ____
Found in it’s atmosphere?
A. Helium
B. Nitrogen
C. Carbon
D. Methane

51. Neptune
Correct! Mercury’s closeness to the Sun and extreme temperature contribute to it not having an atmosphere.
Click proceed to move on to the planet Pluto
PROCEED

52. Pluto
Question 1: determine if the statement is true or false and select the appropriate answer
Pluto is considered a gas giant.
TRUE
FALSE

53. Pluto
Correct! Pluto is considered a dwarf planet.
Question 2: Select the best answer
There are ____ planets bigger than Pluto?
A. 6
B. 7
C. 8
D. 9

54. Pluto
Correct! Pluto is the smallest planet in the solar system.
Question 2: Select the best answer
Pluto is smaller than ____ moons in the
solar system?
A. 5
B. 6
C. 7
D. 8

55. Pluto
Correct! There are 7 moons in the solar system bigger than the planet Pluto.
Congratulations! You have completed the module on planets. Click Continue to proceed to the unit test.
CONTINUE

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66. Sun video http://solarsystem. nasa. gov/multimedia/video-view. cfm