Distances in SpaceDistances in Space

Astronomical Unit (AU)Astronomical Unit (AU)

The average distance between The average distance between the sun and the earth.the sun and the earth.

1 AU is equal to 93 million miles 1 AU is equal to 93 million miles or 150 million kilometersor 150 million kilometers

An AU is a standard of distance An AU is a standard of distance used within the solar systemused within the solar system

Example: Jupiter 5.2 AUExample: Jupiter 5.2 AU

Light travels 1 AU in eight Light travels 1 AU in eight minutes. minutes.

Sound travels 1 AU in 14 yearsSound travels 1 AU in 14 years

Mercury Venus Earth and Moon Mars

The Planets of Our Solar SystemThe Inner Planets

Sizes to Scale

The Planets of Our Solar SystemThe Planets of Our Solar System

Jupiter

Saturn

Uranus

NeptunePluto

The Outer Planets

Earth Included for Scale.

SIZES AND DISTANCES IN THE SOLAR SYSTEMSIZES AND DISTANCES IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM

SizesSizesDiameters of Solar System MembersDiameters of Solar System Members::

Sun = Sun = 1,392,000 km1,392,000 kmMercury = Mercury = 4,878 km4,878 km

Venus = Venus = 12,104 km12,104 km

Earth = Earth = 12,756 km12,756 km

Mars = Mars = 6,794 km6,794 km

Jupiter = Jupiter = 142,984 km142,984 km

Saturn = Saturn = 120,536 km120,536 km

Uranus = Uranus = 51,118 km51,118 km

Neptune = Neptune = 49,530 km49,530 km

Pluto =Pluto = 2,304 km2,304 km

Mean Distance from Sun

57,900,000 km = 0.387 AU

108,200,000 km = 0.723 AU

149,600,000 km = 1.000 AU

227,900,000 km = 1.524 AU

778,300,000 km = 5.203 AU

1,427,000,000 km = 10.07 AU

2,871,000,000 km = 19.19 AU

4,497,000,000 km = 30.06 AU

5,914,000,000 km = 39.53 AU

Earth’s Moon = 3,476 km Mean Distance from Earth = 384,400 km

Fun Facts About the Planets 18 Mercury’s would fit inside the Earth.

Venus is always cloudy.

Earth is the only planet we know with life.

Mars is red because it is covered with rust.

A storm (hurricane) on Jupiter can swallow 2 Earths.

Each season on Saturn is more than seven years long.

By the time you get to Uranus, you are only halfway to Pluto.

Neptune is the windiest planet, with winds blowing over 1,000 miles-per-hour.

Pluto is a ball of ice and rock and is a dwarf planet.

Light Year (LY) Light Year (LY)

The distance a ray of light The distance a ray of light travels in one yeartravels in one year

The speed of the ray of light The speed of the ray of light would be equal to: would be equal to:

7.2 AU per hour or7.2 AU per hour or 300,000 km/sec or 300,000 km/sec or 186,000 miles/sec.186,000 miles/sec.

A Light Year is a standard unit of measurement A Light Year is a standard unit of measurement for interstellar distances beyond the solar for interstellar distances beyond the solar system.system.

Milky Way Galaxy is approx. 100,000 LY across in Milky Way Galaxy is approx. 100,000 LY across in distancedistance

http://planetquest.jpl.nasa.gov/SIMGuide2Galaxy_508.html

Nearest star to the sun is Nearest star to the sun is Proxima or Alpha Centauri C Proxima or Alpha Centauri C

approx 4.22 LYapprox 4.22 LY

Proxima (or Alpha Centauri C) is a red dwarfAlpha Centauri A is a yellow starAlpha Centuari B is an orange star

ParsecParsec

One parsec is equal to 3.26 light One parsec is equal to 3.26 light yearsyears

A parsec is a unit of measurement A parsec is a unit of measurement used for distances between used for distances between very very farfar structures in the universe. structures in the universe.

Example: Example:

distances between galaxies distances between galaxies

Andromeda and Milky WayAndromeda and Milky Way

The The Andromeda Galaxy ( (M31) is ) is slightly less than 800 kpc orslightly less than 800 kpc or

800,000 parsecs away from 800,000 parsecs away from Earth.Earth.