Mission to SpaceToday you will

embark upon an exciting journey through space.

Travel to the planets of our solar system as you explore, ponder, and marvel over the

wonders of the universe. Space Mission 5 – year 2011

Inner Planets

Outer Planets

Dwarf Planets

Mercury

Jupiter

Ceres Pluto Eris

References

Ms. Pfeiffenberger

Venus Earth Mars

Click inside box to view Category

Saturn

Uranus

Neptune

Bibliography Page

Col, Jeananda. Enchanted Learning. http://www.EnchantedLearning.com 1996

http://universetoday.com

http://science.nationalgeographic.com

http://aerospaceguide.nethttp://makkcraft.com/solar-system/gas_planet_size_comparisons/

http://makkcraft.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Inner-Planets.png

http://toondoo.com

http://newworldencyclopedia.org

http://edu.glogster.com/media/2/8/27/8/8270840.jpg

http://csep10.phys.utk.edu

http://nasa.govhttp://spaceplace.nasa.gov/menu/solar-system

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/videogallery/index.html?media_id=99706581

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/videogallery/index.html?media_id=21136371

http://www.videopediaworld.com/video/

Daniel, Dr. Lucy H., Dr. Jay Hackett, Dr. Richard H. Moyer, Dr. JoAnne Vasquez. Science. New York: Macmillian/McGraw-Hill, 2005.

Commander PfeiffenbergerName: Beth PfeiffenbergerCall Sign: AuroraLocation: St. Ignatius Loyola SchoolRank: Commander of ClassroomExperience: 10 yearsAge: Not able to revealGender: FemaleEducation: Penn State UniversityLikes: Music, swimming, sportsDislikes: Bugs, germs, Brussels sproutsSpace Motto: “Negative Ghost Rider, Pattern is Full”

The Inner PlanetsWarm and smaller than outer planetsSolid, rocky crustsMore dense than outer planetsGeologically activeFew moons, No ringsFaster period of revolutionLonger period of rotationClosest to the sun

Mercury

Venus

Earth M

ars

Characteristics of the Inner Planets

Click on planet to view

Inner Planet Video

Mercury

Closest planet to the sun.

Experiences extreme hot and cold temperatures (opposite sides)

Venus

Dense cloud cover that traps heatHottest planet (900°F)

Rotates backwardsDay longer than its year

mi

Earth

Able to support life

Two thirds of surface covered with water

Has one moon named Luna

mi

Mars

Red dust and rocks on the surface

Known as the red planet

Largest volcano – Olympus Mons

mi

The Outer PlanetsKnown as the “Gas Giants”Colder and larger than the inner planetsLess dense than inner planetsMany moons, many ringsSlower period of revolutionShorter period of rotationFurthest from the sun

Jupiter

Saturn

Uranus

Neptune

Characteristics of theOuter planets

Click on planet to viewOuter Planet Video

Jupiter

Largest Planet

Fastest Spinner

Giant “Red Spot” is a storm

Saturn

“Lord of the Rings

Less dense than water - it can float!

Thousands of rings

Uranus

The “tilted” planet

Poles on the sides

Pink spots – bright clouds

Neptune

Strong whipping winds

Smallest of the “gas” planets

Surface gravity almost like Earth

Dwarf Planets

Small in sizeShares its orbit with other celestial bodiesNot gravitationally dominate

Pluto

Eris

Ceres

Characteristics of Dwarf Planets

Click on planet to view

Pluto

Cold, icy dwarf planet

Not yet visited by spacecraft

View NASA video clip

Ceres

Found in the Asteroid Belt

Smallest of the Dwarf Planets

Distance from the sun

143 million miles

Length of year (revolution)

1,680 days

Length of day (rotation)

9 hours

Diameter 590 miles

Moons No

Rings No

Eris

Largest of the Dwarf Planets

Distance from the sun

9 billion miles

Length of year (revolution)

557 years

Length of day (rotation)

unknown

Diameter 1645 miles

Moons Yes

Rings No

What is the asteroid belt?

The asteroid belt is a region of space between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter where most of the asteroids in our solar system are found orbiting the sun. The asteroid belt contains millions of asteroids. Astronomers think that the asteroid belt is made up of material that was never able to form into a planet, or of the remains of a planet which broke apart a very long time ago. The asteroids in the asteroid belt come in a variety of sizes. The

largest asteroid is called Ceres. It is about one-quarter the size of our moon.

Luna, Earth’s Moon

The Moon makes 1rotation and completes a revolution around the Earth every 27 days, 7 hours, and 43 minutes.  That's about 28 days.

The dark regions of the moon are called Maria.Huge dents, or craters, are all over the surface of the moon. These were most likely caused by meteors.

The moon is approximately 238,900 miles away from Earth.

Neil Armstrong, from the Apollo 11 Mission, was the first man to step on the moon. (July 1969)

Video

Longer period of rotation

Closest to the sun

Faster period of revolution

Geologically active

No rings

Few moons

More dense than outer planets

Warm and smaller

Known as the “Gas Giants

Less dense than inner planets

Many rings

Many moons

Furthest from the sun

Shorter period of rotation

Slower period of revolution

Colder and larger

Click here for even more fun facts

about our amazing solar system

“Out of this World” Booklist

Our Solar System by Seymour Simon (William Morrow and Company, Inc.; 1992

DK Space Encyclopedia by Nigel Henbest and Heather Couper (Dorling Kindersley Publishing, Inc.; 1999)

Planets by Nigel Henbest (Ladybird Books, 1997)

Postcards From Pluto: A Tour of the Solar System by Loreen Leedy (Holiday House, Inc.; 1993)