1. The Planets

2. Table of Contents
Add “Planets” to the table of contents in your science journal.

3. Inner Planets Closest to the sun Small and rocky Few or no moons
Mercury
Venus
Earth
Mars

4. Mercury
Appearance/terrain-Covered with craters that created when meteors crashed into it.
Diameter- 4,880 km (2nd smallest planet)
Distance from the Sun million km (36 million miles)
Temperature: very hot daytime, very cold night
Length of 1 day: 58 Earth days
Length of 1 year: 88 Earth days
# of moons: 0

5. Mercury

6. Add to chart: Mercury Covered w/craters 4,880 km 57 million km
PLANET
Appearance/
Terrain
Diameter
Distance from Sun
Length of 1 day
Length of 1 year
Mercury
Covered w/craters
4,880 km
57 million km
58 Earth Days
88 Earth Days

7. Venus
Appearance/terrain- very similar to earth with mountains, continents, and even areas where oceans could be (if there were any water).
Diameter- 12,100 km
Distance from the Sun- 108 million km (67 million miles)
Temperature: thick atmosphere traps gases making it the hottest planet.
Length of 1 day: 243 Earth days
Length of 1 year: 224 Earth days
# of moons: 0

8. Venus

9. Add to chart: Venus PLANET Appearance/ Terrain Diameter
Distance from Sun
Length of 1 day
Length of 1 year
Venus
Very similar to Earth
NO WATER
12,100 km
108 million km
243 Earth Days
224 Earth Days

10. Earth
Appearance/terrain- Mostly blue(3/4 water), brown and green continents and white ice-capped poles.
Diameter- 12, 756 km
Distance from the Sun- 150 million km (93 million miles)
Temperature: varies by location
Length of 1 day: 24 hours
Length of 1 year: 365 ¼ days
# of moons: 1

11. Earth

12. Add to chart: Earth PLANET Appearance/ Terrain Diameter
Distance from Sun
Length of 1 day
Length of 1 year
Earth
¾ water (oceans) Continents, ice capped poles km
150 million km
24 hours
365 ¼ Days

13. Mars
Appearance/terrain- Very rocky, red colored soil because of large amount of iron.
Diameter- 6,800 km
Distance from the Sun- 250 million km (142 million miles)
Temperature: varies. 2 polar ice caps
Length of 1 day: 24 Earth hours
Length of 1 year: 687 Earth days (app. 2 Earth years)
# of moons: 2

14. Mars

15. Add to chart: Mars PLANET Appearance/ Terrain Diameter
Distance from Sun
Length of 1 day
Length of 1 year
Mars
Rocky, red soil from iron deposits
6,800 km
250 million km
24 Earth hours
687 Earth days (app. 2 Earth years)

16. Outer Planets Farthest from the sun Much larger
Consist mainly of gases
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune

17. Jupiter
Appearance/terrain- Covered with three thick layers of clouds. Made up of all gasses. No solid surface on planet.
Diameter-142,800 km (largest planet)
Distance from the Sun- 778 million km (483 million miles)
Temperature: -234°F
Length of 1 day: 10 Earth hours
Length of 1 year: 4,331 Earth Days (app. 11 Earth years)
# of moons: 63 known (4 large)

18. Jupiter

19. Add to chart: Jupiter PLANET Appearance/ Terrain Diameter
Distance from Sun
Length of 1 day
Length of 1 year
Jupiter
No solid surface. 3 thick layers of clouds
142,800 km
778 million km
10 Earth Hours
4,331 Earth days (app. 11 Earth years)

20. Saturn Appearance/terrain- Made up of all gasses. No solid surface.
Diameter- 120,000 km (2nd largest)
Distance from the Sun- 1,427 million km (885 million miles)
Temperature: -288°F
Length of 1 day: 10 ½ Earth hours
Length of 1 year: 10,759 Earth days (app. 29 Earth years)
# of moons: 52 named

21. Saturn

22. Add to chart: Saturn PLANET Appearance/ Terrain Diameter
Distance from Sun
Length of 1 day
Length of 1 year
Saturn
No solid surface. All gases
120,000 km
1,427 million km
10 ½ Earth Hours
10,759 Earth days (app. 29 Earth years)

23. Uranus
Appearance/terrain- Made up of all gasses. No solid surface. Appears bluish-green in color.
Diameter- 50,800 km
Distance from the Sun- 2,870 million km (1.7 million miles)
Temperature: -357°F
Length of 1 day: 17 Earth hours
Length of 1 year: 30,687 Earth days (app. 84 Earth years)
# of moons: 27 known

24. Uranus

25. Add to chart: Uranus PLANET Appearance/ Terrain Diameter
Distance from Sun
Length of 1 day
Length of 1 year
Uranus
No solid surface. All gases
50,800 km
2,870 million km
17 Earth Hours
30,687 Earth days (app. 84 Earth years)

26. Neptune
Appearance/terrain- Made up of all gasses. No solid surface. Appears blue.
Diameter- 48,600 km
Distance from the Sun- 4,498 million km (2,795 million miles)
Temperature: -353°F
Length of 1 day: 16 Earth hours
Length of 1 year: 60,190 Earth days (app. 164 Earth years)
# of moons: 13 known

27. Neptune

28. Add to chart: Neptune PLANET Appearance/ Terrain Diameter
Distance from Sun
Length of 1 day
Length of 1 year
Neptune
No solid surface. All gases
48,600 km
4,498 million km
16 Earth Hours
60,190 Earth days (app. 164 Earth years)

29. Compare and Contrast Inner Outer Planets Planets
Mercury orbit the Sun *Jupiter
Venus * Saturn
Earth *Uranus
Mars * Neptune
Small, rocky *large and
Few or no gaseous
moons * many moons

30. Solar System
Brainpop Video

31. http://studyjams. scholastic