A quick trip around our Solar System

A quick trip around our Solar System

The SunThe Sun

• Closest Star to the Earth

• Primary Source of energy for the solar system

• Mostly hydrogen

• Closest Star to the Earth

• Primary Source of energy for the solar system

• Mostly hydrogen

The SunThe Sun• Very large, Very

Hot• More than a million

times the size of the Earth

• Earth is the little blue dot in the upper right hand corner

• Very large, Very Hot

• More than a million times the size of the Earth

• Earth is the little blue dot in the upper right hand corner

MercuryMercury

• First planet from the Sun

• Very hot, Very small

• No liquid Water

• First planet from the Sun

• Very hot, Very small

• No liquid Water

MercuryMercury

• One side boils while the other side freezes

• Most difficult planet for humans to visit

• One side boils while the other side freezes

• Most difficult planet for humans to visit

VenusVenus

• Second planet from the Sun

• Very hot, Very thick atmosphere

• Similar in size to Earth

• Second planet from the Sun

• Very hot, Very thick atmosphere

• Similar in size to Earth

VenusVenus• Rotates on axis

in the opposite direction of the other planets

• Run away greenhouse effect

• No liquid water

• Rotates on axis in the opposite direction of the other planets

• Run away greenhouse effect

• No liquid water

EarthEarth• Third planet

from the Sun• Liquid water on

the surface• Only known

place in universe with intelligent life

• Third planet from the Sun

• Liquid water on the surface

• Only known place in universe with intelligent life

EarthEarth

• First planet from the Sun with a moon

• Largest moon vs. planet size in solar system

• First planet from the Sun with a moon

• Largest moon vs. planet size in solar system

MarsMars

• Forth planet from the Sun

• Very cold, Very dry

• No liquid water on surface

• Forth planet from the Sun

• Very cold, Very dry

• No liquid water on surface

MarsMars

• Has two small moons

• Sizes that some liquid flowed over surface in recent geological past

• Has two small moons

• Sizes that some liquid flowed over surface in recent geological past

Asteroid BeltAsteroid Belt• Possible remains

of another planet

• Or leftovers that never finish forming into another inner planet

• Possible remains of another planet

• Or leftovers that never finish forming into another inner planet

Asteroid BeltAsteroid Belt• Smaller

asteroids collide together to form larger asteroids

• After a great period of time a new planet can form

• Smaller asteroids collide together to form larger asteroids

• After a great period of time a new planet can form

JupiterJupiter

• Fifth planet from the Sun

• Largest planet in the solar system

• Famous for the great red spot

• Fifth planet from the Sun

• Largest planet in the solar system

• Famous for the great red spot

JupiterJupiter• About 17 moons• Galilean

satellites are the four largest moons

• Three of those four might have liquid water and maybe life

• About 17 moons• Galilean

satellites are the four largest moons

• Three of those four might have liquid water and maybe life

SaturnSaturn

• Sixth planet from the Sun

• Second largest planet in the solar system

• Famous for the great rings

• Sixth planet from the Sun

• Second largest planet in the solar system

• Famous for the great rings

SaturnSaturn• About 26 moons• Largest moon

Titan is very similar to a very young Earth

• Huygens probe landed on Titan in January 2005

• About 26 moons• Largest moon

Titan is very similar to a very young Earth

• Huygens probe landed on Titan in January 2005

UranusUranus

• Seventh planet from the Sun

• Very cold, Very dark

• Frozen gas giant

• Seventh planet from the Sun

• Very cold, Very dark

• Frozen gas giant

UranusUranus

• About 22 moons• Rotates about

its axis on its side compared to the other planets

• No liquid water

• About 22 moons• Rotates about

its axis on its side compared to the other planets

• No liquid water

NeptuneNeptune

• Eighth planet from the Sun

• Frozen gas giant• Very cold, Very

Blue

• Eighth planet from the Sun

• Frozen gas giant• Very cold, Very

Blue

NeptuneNeptune• About 8 moons• Any future missions

to Neptune will include probes that will float in the high winds of Neptune and land on the surface of its largest moon Triton

• About 8 moons• Any future missions

to Neptune will include probes that will float in the high winds of Neptune and land on the surface of its largest moon Triton

PlutoPluto

• Former ninth planet and now a dwarf planet

• Very cold, very dark, and very far away

• Former ninth planet and now a dwarf planet

• Very cold, very dark, and very far away

PlutoPluto

• If you could stand on the surface of Pluto and look back at the Sun, it would look like any other star in the sky

• If you could stand on the surface of Pluto and look back at the Sun, it would look like any other star in the sky

Kuiper BeltKuiper Belt

• Object out around Pluto are called Kuiper Belt Objects or KBO’s

• They are small icy objects

• Object out around Pluto are called Kuiper Belt Objects or KBO’s

• They are small icy objects

Kuiper BeltKuiper Belt• Over 900 KBO’s

have been discovered since 1990

• Most of the larger ones are about the size of Pluto

• Over 900 KBO’s have been discovered since 1990

• Most of the larger ones are about the size of Pluto

And Beyond….And Beyond….• Beyond the KBO’s is

another region called the Oort cloud

• Anything beyond 50 AU is in the Oort Cloud

• 1 AU is equal to the distance between the Earth and the Sun

• Beyond the KBO’s is another region called the Oort cloud

• Anything beyond 50 AU is in the Oort Cloud

• 1 AU is equal to the distance between the Earth and the Sun

Helpful websitesHelpful websites

• http://www.solarviews.com• http://www.space.com• http://www.nasa.gov/home/inde

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• http://www.solarviews.com• http://www.space.com• http://www.nasa.gov/home/inde

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