Solar System NotesSolar System Notes

Solar System - An area that normally Solar System - An area that normally has one star with planets, moons, has one star with planets, moons, asteroids and comets orbiting the star. asteroids and comets orbiting the star. Our solar system has 8 planets, dwarf Our solar system has 8 planets, dwarf planets, hundreds of moons, countless planets, hundreds of moons, countless asteroids and cometsasteroids and comets

Solar System Solar System FormationFormation

1. Was a giant Nebula (cloud of gas 1. Was a giant Nebula (cloud of gas and dust)and dust)

2. Nearby explosion caused it to start 2. Nearby explosion caused it to start spinningspinning

3. Most of the stuff pulled to center 3. Most of the stuff pulled to center (the sun)(the sun)

4. Remaining stuff continued spinning 4. Remaining stuff continued spinning around sun – planets, comet, around sun – planets, comet, asteroidsasteroids

The Order of the PlanetsThe Order of the Planets

►1. Mercury1. Mercury►2. Venus2. Venus►3. Earth3. Earth►4. Mars4. Mars►5. Jupiter5. Jupiter►6. Saturn6. Saturn►7. Uranus7. Uranus►8. Neptune8. Neptune

1. 1. MMyy2. 2. VVeryery3. 3. EEducatedducated4. 4. MMotherother5. 5. JJustust6. 6. SServederved7. 7. UUss8. 8. NNachosachos

Compare the size of the SunCompare the size of the Sunto all 8 Planets!to all 8 Planets!

Compare the sizes of the Compare the sizes of the Terrestrial Planets:Terrestrial Planets:

Mercury:Mercury:

►Closest to the SunClosest to the Sun►Shortest RevolutionShortest Revolution►Terrestrial Planet –Rocky SurfaceTerrestrial Planet –Rocky Surface► Inner PlanetInner Planet►No MoonsNo Moons►1 day = 58 Earth days 1 day = 58 Earth days ►1 year = 88 Earth days – shortest year1 year = 88 Earth days – shortest year

Venus:Venus:

► Close in size, mass and density to EarthClose in size, mass and density to Earth► ““Earth’s Twin”Earth’s Twin”►Hottest Average Temp.Hottest Average Temp.►No MoonNo Moon► Retrograde Rotation – Spins backwardsRetrograde Rotation – Spins backwards► Inner planetInner planet► Terrestrial PlanetTerrestrial Planet► 1 day = 243 days – longest day – longer than 1 day = 243 days – longest day – longer than

yearyear► 1 year = 224 days1 year = 224 days

Earth:Earth:

►1 moon (Luna)1 moon (Luna)►Has liquid waterHas liquid water►Has the only known lifeHas the only known life► Inner planetInner planet►Terrestrial planetTerrestrial planet►Revolution = 365.25 daysRevolution = 365.25 days►Rotation = 24 hoursRotation = 24 hours►Prograde RotationPrograde Rotation

Mars:Mars:

►2 Moons2 Moons►Thin AtmosphereThin Atmosphere►The “Red Planet”The “Red Planet”►Smaller than EarthSmaller than Earth►Terrestrial planet (inner planet)Terrestrial planet (inner planet)►1 day = 24.5 hours1 day = 24.5 hours►1 year = 687 days1 year = 687 days

Compare the sizes of the Gas Compare the sizes of the Gas GiantsGiants

JupiterJupiter

►Largest PlanetLargest Planet►Made mostly of H and HeMade mostly of H and He►Many moons (about 66)Many moons (about 66)►Has a red spot (1.5 X the diameter of Earth)Has a red spot (1.5 X the diameter of Earth)►Gas Giant – No Solid SurfaceGas Giant – No Solid Surface►Has a few rings.Has a few rings.►1 day = 10 hours – shortest day1 day = 10 hours – shortest day►1 year = 12 Earth years1 year = 12 Earth years

Saturn:Saturn:

►Made mostly of H and HeMade mostly of H and He►Many moons (about 62)Many moons (about 62)►Less dense than water would float in a Less dense than water would float in a

tub.tub.►Largest ringsLargest rings►Gas Giant – no Solid surfaceGas Giant – no Solid surface►1 day = 10.5 hours1 day = 10.5 hours►1 year = 29.5 years1 year = 29.5 years

Uranus:Uranus:

►Much smaller than Jupiter and SaturnMuch smaller than Jupiter and Saturn►Tilted at a 90 degree angleTilted at a 90 degree angle►Has many moons (27)Has many moons (27)►Retrograde rotation – spins backwardsRetrograde rotation – spins backwards►Gas Giant – No Solid SurfaceGas Giant – No Solid Surface►Has RingsHas Rings►1 day = 18 hours1 day = 18 hours►1 year = 84 years1 year = 84 years

Neptune:Neptune:

►Much smaller than Jupiter and SaturnMuch smaller than Jupiter and Saturn►Many moons (13)Many moons (13)►Gas Giant – No Solid SurfaceGas Giant – No Solid Surface►Has a few ringsHas a few rings►1 day = 19 hours1 day = 19 hours►1 year = 168.8 years – longest year1 year = 168.8 years – longest year

Pluto (No longer a “planet”)Pluto (No longer a “planet”)►Dwarf PlanetDwarf Planet►1 moon which is more than half the size 1 moon which is more than half the size

of Pluto (they orbit around each other).of Pluto (they orbit around each other).►Orbit is so elliptical that it’s path is Orbit is so elliptical that it’s path is

inside Neptune’s for 20 yearsinside Neptune’s for 20 years► It just became last again in 2005.It just became last again in 2005.A dwarf planet is a celestial body that:

1. Orbits the sun. 2. Has enough mass to assume a nearly round shape. 3. Has not cleared the neighborhood around its orbit. 4. Is not a moon.

The main distinction between a dwarf planet and a planet is that planets have cleared their path around the sun while dwarf planets tend to orbit in elliptical paths that cross each other.

Ceres is in Asteroid Belt between Mars and Ceres is in Asteroid Belt between Mars and Jupiter.Jupiter.

“Plutoids” are Dwarf Planets that orbit out “Plutoids” are Dwarf Planets that orbit out beyond Pluto.beyond Pluto.

Smaller ObjectsSmaller ObjectsAsteroids - Rocky, metallic objects that orbit Asteroids - Rocky, metallic objects that orbit

the sun, normally in an orbit similar to a the sun, normally in an orbit similar to a planetplanet

Comet – Made of ice and rock. It’s orbit takes Comet – Made of ice and rock. It’s orbit takes it close to the sun and then very far. As it it close to the sun and then very far. As it gets close, comet starts to melt creating a gets close, comet starts to melt creating a tailtail

Asteroid Belt

Comet

’s

Path

Not to Scale

Smaller ObjectsSmaller ObjectsMeteor - A piece of rock from space that enters Meteor - A piece of rock from space that enters

Earth’s atmosphere and burns, creating a Earth’s atmosphere and burns, creating a bright streak of light across the sky. (shooting bright streak of light across the sky. (shooting star)star)

Meteoroid – A small, broken up pieces of Meteoroid – A small, broken up pieces of asteroids or comets.asteroids or comets.

Meteorite – A piece of rock that lands on the Meteorite – A piece of rock that lands on the Earth.Earth.