THE SOLAR THE SOLAR SYSTEMSYSTEM

The Solar System consists of:The Solar System consists of:

PlanetsPlanets MoonsMoons AsteroidsAsteroids CometsComets

PLANETSPLANETS

A planet is a large, round heavenly body that orbits a star and shines with light reflected from the star. We know of nine planets that orbit the sun in our solar system. Since 1992, astronomers have also discovered many planets orbiting other stars. World book

What are the nine planets?What are the nine planets?

HINT: My Very Educated Mother Just Sent Us HINT: My Very Educated Mother Just Sent Us Nine PizzasNine Pizzas

MercuryMercury

VenusVenus

EarthEarth

MarsMars

JupiterJupiter

SaturnSaturn

UranusUranus

NeptuneNeptune

PlutoPluto

MERCURYMERCURY

Mer|cu|ry «MUR kyuhr ee», noun.

  The smallest planet in the solar system, after Pluto, and the one nearest to the sun. Its orbit about the sun takes 88 days to complete, at a

mean distance of almost 36,000,000 miles. Mercury goes around the sun about four times while the

earth is going around once.

[< Latin Mercurius]World Book

VENUSVENUS

 Venus is the sixth largest planet in the solar system and the second in distance from the sun. Venus is the brightest planet in the solar system and the one that comes closest to the earth. World Book

EARTHEARTH Age:Age: At least 4 1/2 billion years At least 4 1/2 billion years Mass:Mass: 6,600,000,000,000,000,000,000 (6.6 sextillion) 6,600,000,000,000,000,000,000 (6.6 sextillion)

tons (6.0 sextillion metric tons).tons (6.0 sextillion metric tons). Surface features:Surface features: Highest landHighest land—Mount Everest, 29,035 —Mount Everest, 29,035

feet (8,850 meters) above sea level. feet (8,850 meters) above sea level. Lowest landLowest land—shore —shore of Dead Sea, about 1,310 feet (399 meters) below sea).of Dead Sea, about 1,310 feet (399 meters) below sea).

Temperature:Temperature: Highest,Highest, 136 °F (58 °C) at Al Aziziyah, 136 °F (58 °C) at Al Aziziyah, Libya. Libya. Lowest,Lowest, -128.6 °F (-89.6 °C) at Vostok Station in -128.6 °F (-89.6 °C) at Vostok Station in Antarctica. Antarctica. Average surface temperature,Average surface temperature, 59 °F (15 °C). 59 °F (15 °C).

Chemical makeup of the earth's crust (in percent of Chemical makeup of the earth's crust (in percent of the crust's weight):the crust's weight): oxygen 46.6, silicon 27.7, oxygen 46.6, silicon 27.7, aluminum 8.1, iron 5.0, calcium 3.6, sodium 2.8, aluminum 8.1, iron 5.0, calcium 3.6, sodium 2.8, potassium 2.6, magnesium 2.0, and other elements potassium 2.6, magnesium 2.0, and other elements totaling 1.6.totaling 1.6.

MARSMARS The Mars Odyssey probe, The Mars Odyssey probe,

shown in this illustration shown in this illustration orbiting Mars, found orbiting Mars, found evidence of water ice evidence of water ice beneath the surface of beneath the surface of Mars in 2002. The probe, Mars in 2002. The probe, launched in 2001, also launched in 2001, also analyzed the chemical analyzed the chemical composition of the composition of the planet's surface. planet's surface. World BookWorld Book

What is this planet called?What is this planet called?

Jupiter

JupiterJupiter

JupiterJupiter is the largest planet in the solar system. is the largest planet in the solar system. Its diameter is 88,846 miles (142,984 Its diameter is 88,846 miles (142,984 kilometers), more than 11 times that of Earth, kilometers), more than 11 times that of Earth, and about one-tenth that of the sun. It would and about one-tenth that of the sun. It would take more than 1,000 Earths to fill up the take more than 1,000 Earths to fill up the volume of the giant planet. When viewed from volume of the giant planet. When viewed from Earth, Jupiter appears brighter than most stars. Earth, Jupiter appears brighter than most stars. It is usually the second brightest planet—after It is usually the second brightest planet—after Venus. Venus.

SATURNSSATURNS

SATURN

URANUSURANUS

one of the larger planets in the solar system and the seventh in distance from the sun.

U|ra|nus «yu RAY nuhs, YUR uh-», noun.

NEPTUNENEPTUNE  Latin Latin , , related related

to to nebulanebula cloud, mistcloud, mist

In Neptune's outermost ring, 39,000 miles (63,000 kilometers) from the planet, material mysteriously clumps into three bright, dense arcs.

NASA

PLUTOPLUTO

Is Pluto a planet? Yes, Pluto is a planet. The body that decides the classification of objects in the solar system, the International Astronomical Union (IAU), has no plans to change Pluto's status as a planet and has decided against assigning it a minor planet number. For more on this decision, see: http://www.iau.org/IAU/FAQ/PlutoPR.html.

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