Surveying the Surveying the Solar SystemSolar SystemThe Grand TourThe Grand Tour

The Solar SystemThe Solar System

As more powerful As more powerful telescopes scanned telescopes scanned the skies the skies astronomers needed astronomers needed to know more about to know more about the celestial bodies the celestial bodies that made up our that made up our Solar System.Solar System.

The Solar SystemThe Solar System

The distances we are The distances we are speaking of are speaking of are astronomical. astronomical.

The diameter of the The diameter of the Solar System (the Solar System (the orbit of Neptune) is 9 orbit of Neptune) is 9 billion kilometers.billion kilometers.

The Solar SystemThe Solar System

On our tour we will visit the following:On our tour we will visit the following: The SunThe Sun The eight major planets of our Solar SystemThe eight major planets of our Solar System The asteroid beltThe asteroid belt The Kuiper BeltThe Kuiper Belt The Oort CloudThe Oort Cloud CometsComets

The SunThe Sun

Made up of mostly Made up of mostly hydrogen (70%) it is hydrogen (70%) it is the largest body in the largest body in our solar system.our solar system.

The SunThe Sun

The Sun creates its The Sun creates its energy by converting energy by converting this hydrogen into this hydrogen into helium through a helium through a process called process called nuclear fusion.nuclear fusion.

The SunThe Sun

At the surface its At the surface its temperature is 5 800 temperature is 5 800 °°Kelvin. (Kelvin. (°K)°K)

At its core it is much At its core it is much hotter, 15 600 000 hotter, 15 600 000 °°K.K.

100 100 °°C = 373 C = 373 °°K.K.

The SunThe Sun

There are cooler There are cooler areas on the surface.areas on the surface.

These are called These are called sunspots.sunspots.

Only 3 800 Only 3 800 °°K.K.

The SunThe Sun

Near the sunspots Near the sunspots massive outbursts of massive outbursts of energy called solar energy called solar flares occur.flares occur.

These flares can These flares can interfere with radio interfere with radio communication and communication and electrical grids here electrical grids here on Earth.on Earth.

Solar Flare VideosSolar Flare Videos

http://images.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://http://images.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://nmazca.com/3142857/10282003_x-nmazca.com/3142857/10282003_x-flare.jpg&imgrefurl=http://nmazca.com/flare.jpg&imgrefurl=http://nmazca.com/3142857/2006/06/sounds-and-sights-of-3142857/2006/06/sounds-and-sights-of-sun.htm&h=539&w=576&sz=59&hl=en&start=3sun.htm&h=539&w=576&sz=59&hl=en&start=3&usg=__ZOzs6zttOSVbhmPnSK5H5H_qXfo=&&usg=__ZOzs6zttOSVbhmPnSK5H5H_qXfo=&tbnid=ld7lC_ruAHaLTM:&tbnh=125&tbnw=134tbnid=ld7lC_ruAHaLTM:&tbnh=125&tbnw=134&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dsolar%2Bflare&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dsolar%2Bflare%2Bvideo%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26safe%2Bvideo%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%3Dactive

Layers of the SunLayers of the Sun

There are three There are three layers of the Sun:layers of the Sun: The PhotosphereThe Photosphere The ChromosphereThe Chromosphere The Corona The Corona

The PhotosphereThe Photosphere

The Photosphere is The Photosphere is the apparent surface the apparent surface of the Sun.of the Sun.

It has a temperature It has a temperature of about 6000 of about 6000 °°C. C.

The ChromosphereThe Chromosphere

Between 6000 and Between 6000 and 50 000 50 000 °°C, it is the C, it is the thick layer of gas just thick layer of gas just above the above the photosphere.photosphere.

The CoronaThe Corona

Only visible during an eclipse, the corona Only visible during an eclipse, the corona is the uppermost layer of the Sun.is the uppermost layer of the Sun.

It is also the hottest layer at 1 000 000 It is also the hottest layer at 1 000 000 °°C, but scientists do not know why.C, but scientists do not know why.

MercuryMercury

Heavily cratered, Heavily cratered, very old and less very old and less than half the size of than half the size of Earth, Mercury is the Earth, Mercury is the closest planet to our closest planet to our sun.sun.

MercuryMercury

It has a very thin It has a very thin atmosphere and atmosphere and experiences huge experiences huge swings in swings in temperature.temperature.

Daytime temperature Daytime temperature can reach 430 can reach 430°C, °C, but at night will drop but at night will drop to -180°C.to -180°C.

VenusVenus

Named for the Named for the goddess of love and goddess of love and beauty, Venus is beauty, Venus is anything but.anything but.

It is enveloped in a It is enveloped in a thick atmosphere thick atmosphere made up mostly of made up mostly of COCO22..

VenusVenus

The atmosphere is so The atmosphere is so thick that pressures are thick that pressures are crushing.crushing.

It also has a cloud cover It also has a cloud cover of sulphuric acid.of sulphuric acid.

These photos were These photos were taken by two Russian taken by two Russian spacecrafts, neither one spacecrafts, neither one of which lasted more of which lasted more than 65 minutes on the than 65 minutes on the surface.surface.

Earth and the MoonEarth and the Moon

Earth, our home, is Earth, our home, is the only planet the only planet capable of capable of supporting intelligent supporting intelligent life.life.

An oxygen rich An oxygen rich atmosphere, water atmosphere, water and liveable climate and liveable climate make it habitable.make it habitable.

Earth and MoonEarth and Moon

The Moon is the only The Moon is the only other celestial body other celestial body visited by humans.visited by humans.

Virtually no Virtually no atmosphere and atmosphere and much smaller than much smaller than Earth, there is some Earth, there is some evidence to suggest evidence to suggest frozen liquid water frozen liquid water under the surface.under the surface.

MarsMars

Reddish-orange in Reddish-orange in colour (because of colour (because of iron-oxide) Mars was iron-oxide) Mars was long thought to long thought to harbour “little green harbour “little green men”.men”.

MarsMars

Visits to the planet Visits to the planet show no intelligent show no intelligent life.life.

Atmosphere is mostly Atmosphere is mostly COCO22 with trace with trace

amounts of Oamounts of O22..

Recent expeditions Recent expeditions have shown frozen have shown frozen water at the poles.water at the poles.

Asteroid BeltAsteroid Belt

Located between Located between Mars and Jupiter, the Mars and Jupiter, the belt consists of large belt consists of large chunks of rock, some chunks of rock, some as big as 950 km as big as 950 km across.across.

Thought to be the Thought to be the remnants of a failed remnants of a failed planet.planet.

JupiterJupiter

The largest planet in The largest planet in our solar system, our solar system, Jupiter is a gas giant.Jupiter is a gas giant.

It is composed of It is composed of mostly hydrogen, mostly hydrogen, much of it in a liquid much of it in a liquid state, but has a rocky state, but has a rocky core.core.

JupiterJupiter

It has an extremely It has an extremely violent atmosphere.violent atmosphere.

The Great Red Spot The Great Red Spot is a giant storm is a giant storm (twice the size of (twice the size of Earth) that has been Earth) that has been churning for over 300 churning for over 300 years.years.

JupiterJupiter

Jupiter has 63 known Jupiter has 63 known moons.moons.

The four largest are The four largest are Io, Ganymede, Io, Ganymede, Europa and Callisto.Europa and Callisto.

SaturnSaturn

Famous for its rings, Famous for its rings, Saturn is smaller but Saturn is smaller but very similar in make-very similar in make-up to Jupiter.up to Jupiter.

SaturnSaturn

The rings are made The rings are made up of countless up of countless particles of rock, ice particles of rock, ice and dust less than 1 and dust less than 1 km thick.km thick.

SaturnSaturn

It’s largest moon, It’s largest moon, Titan, has an Titan, has an atmosphere made up atmosphere made up mostly of nitrogen.mostly of nitrogen.

UranusUranus

Third of the gas Third of the gas giants Uranus is giants Uranus is ringed like Saturn ringed like Saturn and Jupiter.and Jupiter.

It is also unique in It is also unique in that it sits on its side that it sits on its side relative to its orbit.relative to its orbit.

NeptuneNeptune

The last of the gas The last of the gas giants little is known giants little is known about it because it is about it because it is so far away.so far away.

It has a ring system It has a ring system and a huge storm and a huge storm (The Great Dark (The Great Dark Spot) similar to Spot) similar to Jupiter.Jupiter.

Dwarf PlanetsDwarf Planets

A dwarf planet…A dwarf planet… orbits the Sun, orbits the Sun, has sufficient mass for gravity and has a has sufficient mass for gravity and has a

nearly round shape, nearly round shape, has not cleared the neighbourhood around has not cleared the neighbourhood around

its orbit, and its orbit, and is not a satellite. is not a satellite.

Dwarf PlanetDwarf Planet

The former planet The former planet Pluto, the asteroid Pluto, the asteroid Ceres and Eris are Ceres and Eris are all dwarf planets.all dwarf planets.

Kuiper BeltKuiper Belt

The Kuiper Belt is a region of space that exists beyond The Kuiper Belt is a region of space that exists beyond the orbit of Neptune.the orbit of Neptune.

It was discovered in 1992.It was discovered in 1992. Like the asteroid belt (only much larger), it is home to Like the asteroid belt (only much larger), it is home to

many smaller planet like objects.many smaller planet like objects.

Kuiper BeltKuiper Belt

Many of the objects Many of the objects are no bigger than are no bigger than large meteors.large meteors.

Others are as big or Others are as big or bigger than Pluto.bigger than Pluto.

Oort CloudOort Cloud

The Oort Cloud is a The Oort Cloud is a hypothetical region of hypothetical region of space surrounding space surrounding our solar system.our solar system.

It lies nearly a light It lies nearly a light year beyond out of year beyond out of our solar system.our solar system.

The Oort CloudThe Oort Cloud

It is thought that objects It is thought that objects in the cloud are in the cloud are composed primarily of composed primarily of ices (water, ammonia ices (water, ammonia and methane).and methane).

Other celestial bodies’ Other celestial bodies’ gravity can affect these gravity can affect these ices, sending them ices, sending them towards the inner solar towards the inner solar systems as comets.systems as comets.

CometsComets

A comet is a small A comet is a small body in our solar body in our solar system that orbits the system that orbits the Sun.Sun.

They are made up They are made up primarily of ice, dust primarily of ice, dust and small particles of and small particles of rock.rock.

CometsComets

As they get close to As they get close to the sun the ice the sun the ice begins to melt, begins to melt, forming a distinctive forming a distinctive tail of gas.tail of gas.

HomeworkHomework

Please read section 13.4, p.443-445, p.454 Please read section 13.4, p.443-445, p.454 and p.456.and p.456.

Answer questions 1-5 on p.456.Answer questions 1-5 on p.456. VocabularyVocabulary

Solar WindSolar Wind Inner PlanetsInner Planets Outer PlanetsOuter Planets MeteorsMeteors MeteoritesMeteorites