Astronomy for Beginners Astronomy for Beginners

Planets Planets By Aashman Vyas By Aashman Vyas

What is a Planet? What is a Planet? -A Planet is a Celestial body that is in orbit around the Sun-A Planet is a Celestial body that is in orbit around the Sun-Has enough mass so it’s own Gravity pulls into a near--Has enough mass so it’s own Gravity pulls into a near-

round shape (Spheroid)round shape (Spheroid)-Is Gravitationally dominant in it’s own orbit-Is Gravitationally dominant in it’s own orbit-There are Eight Planets in the Solar System-There are Eight Planets in the Solar SystemDefinition of a Dwarf Planet:Definition of a Dwarf Planet:-It orbits the Sun-It orbits the Sun-Has enough Gravity so can turn into a Spheroid shape-Has enough Gravity so can turn into a Spheroid shape-Is not Gravitationally dominant in it’s own orbit-Is not Gravitationally dominant in it’s own orbit-Is not a Moon-Is not a Moon

MercuryMercury Mercury is the planet nearest the sunMercury is the planet nearest the sun It has a diameter of 3,032 miles (4,879 It has a diameter of 3,032 miles (4,879

kilometers), about two-fifths of Earth's kilometers), about two-fifths of Earth's diameterdiameter

Mercury orbits the sun at an average Mercury orbits the sun at an average distance of about 36 million miles (58 distance of about 36 million miles (58 million kilometers)million kilometers)

Scans of Mercury made by Earth-Scans of Mercury made by Earth-based radar show that craters at based radar show that craters at Mercury's poles contain water iceMercury's poles contain water ice

The floors of the craters are The floors of the craters are permanently shielded from sunlight, so permanently shielded from sunlight, so the temperature never gets hot enough the temperature never gets hot enough to melt the iceto melt the ice

The temperature on Mercury can The temperature on Mercury can range from 450 degrees °C to -176 range from 450 degrees °C to -176 degrees °C degrees °C

Mercury has an atmosphere! Mercury Mercury has an atmosphere! Mercury is surrounded by an extremely small is surrounded by an extremely small layer of helium, hydrogen, oxygen, and layer of helium, hydrogen, oxygen, and sodium!sodium! * Mercury can’t sustain life because: it gets constantly

bombarded with solar wind, gets too much radiation and of course, it’s too hot.

VenusVenus The diameter of Venus is The diameter of Venus is

about 7,520 miles (12,100 about 7,520 miles (12,100 kilometers), approximately 400 kilometers), approximately 400 miles (644 kilometers) smaller miles (644 kilometers) smaller than that of the Earth than that of the Earth

The surface of Venus is The surface of Venus is extremely hot and dry. There is extremely hot and dry. There is no liquid water on the planet's no liquid water on the planet's surface because the high surface because the high temperature would cause any temperature would cause any liquid to boil away liquid to boil away

Thick clouds of sulfuric acid Thick clouds of sulfuric acid cover Venus cover Venus

The temperature on Venus is The temperature on Venus is almost always somewhere almost always somewhere around 465 degrees°C around 465 degrees°C

*Venus can’t sustain life because the surface is covered with volcanoes, it rains sulphuric acid and it’s the hottest planet in the solar system.

EarthEarth Earth has a diameter of Earth has a diameter of

about 8,000 miles about 8,000 miles (13,000 kilometers) (13,000 kilometers)

Earth is about 93 million Earth is about 93 million miles (150 million miles (150 million kilometers) from the sun kilometers) from the sun

Earth is the Planet we live Earth is the Planet we live onon

It is the only Planet (as It is the only Planet (as far as we know) can far as we know) can sustain lifesustain life

*So far, Earth is the only planet that can sustain life.

MarsMars Viewed from Earth, Mars is a Viewed from Earth, Mars is a

bright reddish-orangebright reddish-orange   It owes its color to iron-rich It owes its color to iron-rich

minerals in its soil. This color is minerals in its soil. This color is also similar to the color of rust, also similar to the color of rust, which is composed of iron and which is composed of iron and oxygen. oxygen.

It’s colour comes from the Iron-It’s colour comes from the Iron-Oxide or rust in it’s soilOxide or rust in it’s soil

Mars is 141,620,000 miles (one Mars is 141,620,000 miles (one hundred forty-one million, six hundred forty-one million, six hundred twenty thousand) hundred twenty thousand)

(227,920,000 kilometers) from the (227,920,000 kilometers) from the SunSun

Mars is 6,792km (4,220 miles) in Mars is 6,792km (4,220 miles) in DiameterDiameter

The temperature on Mars can be The temperature on Mars can be 27 degrees°C to -129 degrees°C27 degrees°C to -129 degrees°C

*Mars may have been able to sustain life, but today it is a barren, desert world. Mars can’t sustain life because it doesn’t have a strong magnetic field so the solar wind will evaporate any water on the surface, and it is very cold.

JupiterJupiter Jupiter has a diameter of 88,846 Jupiter has a diameter of 88,846

miles (142,984 kilometers)miles (142,984 kilometers) Jupiter is mostly made out of Jupiter is mostly made out of

Hydrogen, Helium and NitrogenHydrogen, Helium and Nitrogen Basically it’s a big ball of gasBasically it’s a big ball of gas The temperature at the top of The temperature at the top of

Jupiter's clouds is about -230 Jupiter's clouds is about -230 degrees F (-145 degrees C). degrees F (-145 degrees C).

Measurements made by ground Measurements made by ground instruments and spacecraft show instruments and spacecraft show that Jupiter's temperature that Jupiter's temperature increases with depth below the increases with depth below the cloudsclouds

The temperature reaches 70 The temperature reaches 70 degrees F (21 degrees C)degrees F (21 degrees C)

The diameter of Jupiter is 142 984 The diameter of Jupiter is 142 984 kilometerskilometers

*Jupiter can’t sustain life because it does not have a surface so if you stood on it you would fall away to the core and there you would melt because the temperature is 30,000°C

SaturnSaturn Saturn has seven thin, flat Saturn has seven thin, flat

rings around it rings around it Saturn’s distance from the sun Saturn’s distance from the sun

varies from about 941,070,000 varies from about 941,070,000 miles (nine hundred forty-one miles (nine hundred forty-one million, seventy thousand) at million, seventy thousand) at its farthest point to about its farthest point to about 840,440,000 miles 840,440,000 miles (1,352,550,000 kilometers) at (1,352,550,000 kilometers) at its closest point its closest point

The temperature at the top of The temperature at the top of Saturn's clouds is about -285 Saturn's clouds is about -285 degrees F (-175 degrees C)degrees F (-175 degrees C)

The diameter of Saturn is The diameter of Saturn is about 120 536 kilometers about 120 536 kilometers

If you were to put Saturn in a If you were to put Saturn in a Bathtub, it would float!Bathtub, it would float! Saturn can’t sustain life because it doesn’t have a solid surface.

And it’s too cold.

UranusUranus It’s distance from the sun It’s distance from the sun

is 1,784,860,000 miles is 1,784,860,000 miles (one billion, seven (one billion, seven hundred eighty-four hundred eighty-four million) million)

Uranus’s diameter is Uranus’s diameter is 51 118 kilometers51 118 kilometers

Max. Temperature: Max. Temperature: -200°C -200°C

Min. Temperature: Min. Temperature: -214°C -214°C

Uranus has rings just like Uranus has rings just like all the other outer Planetsall the other outer Planets

Uranus can’t sustain life because it doesn’t have a solid surface. And it’s too cold.

NeptuneNeptune The blue clouds on Neptune The blue clouds on Neptune

are mostly frozen methaneare mostly frozen methane Neptune’s diameter is 30,775 Neptune’s diameter is 30,775

miles (49,528 kilometers)miles (49,528 kilometers) Neptune’s distance from the Neptune’s distance from the

Sun is  279,310,000,0 miles Sun is  279,310,000,0 miles (two billion, seven hundred (two billion, seven hundred ninety-three million, one ninety-three million, one hundred thousand) hundred thousand)

Min. Temperature: -218 Min. Temperature: -218 degrees Celsiusdegrees Celsius

Max. Temperature:-200 Max. Temperature:-200 degrees Celsiusdegrees Celsius

Neptune can’t sustain life because it doesn’t have a solid surface. Also it is too cold.

Bibliography Bibliography Yahoo AnswersYahoo AnswersNASA.govNASA.govGoogle images Google images Ask an AstronomerAsk an Astronomer

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