The Planets of the Solar System

The Planets of the Solar System

A Trip Through the Solar System

Mercury - named after the speedy messenger of the Roman gods

• Closest planet to the sun• Revolution around the sun = 88 Earth days• Rotation on its axis = 59 Earth days• Crater-covered surface with steep cliffs• Almost no atmosphere• Temperature range

– as high as 427 degrees C– as low as -170 degrees C

Mercury - named after the speedy messenger of the Roman gods

http://pds.jpl.nasa.gov/planets/welcome/mercury.htm

Venus - named after the Roman goddess of beauty and love

• Second planet from the sun• About the same size as Earth• Thick, cloudy atmosphere

– sulfuric acid– carbon dioxide

• Temperature range– as high as 480 degrees C

Venus - named after the Roman goddess of beauty and love

• Surface pressure = 91 times more than Earth’s• Surface has…

– deep canyons and tall mountains– craters– vast plains

• Revolution around the sun = 224 Earth days• Rotation on its axis = 243 Earth days

Venus - named after the Roman goddess of beauty and love

• Greenhouse effect– heat becomes trapped beneath the clouds– results in little or no water on Venus’ surface

Venus - named after the Roman goddess of beauty and love

http://pds.jpl.nasa.gov/planets/welcome/venus.htm

Earth

• Third planet from the sun• Revolution around the sun = 365 days• Rotation on its axis = 24 hours• Because the axis of the Earth is tilted, this

creates distinct “seasons” throughout the year

Earth

• Temperature range depends on the location, altitude and season

• Gravitation pull of the moon creates tide changes (rise and fall of the ocean levels)

• Surface -– Mountains– Plains– Deserts– Heavy vegetation

Earth

http://pds.jpl.nasa.gov/planets/welcome/earth.htm

Mars - named after the Roman god of war

• Fourth planet from the sun• Surface

– rocky– large craters– soils is similar to Earth’s soil in many ways– four large volcanoes (dormant)

Mars - named after the Roman god of war

– northern ice cap• frozen water

– southern ice cap• frozen carbon dioxide

• Very thin atmosphere• High winds often create dust storms• Temperate falls well below 0 degrees C all

the time

Mars - named after the Roman god of war

http://pds.jpl.nasa.gov/planets/welcome/mars.htm

Jupiter - named after the king of the Roman gods

• Fifth planet from the sun• Largest planet• Made of mainly

– hydrogen– helium

• Temperature range -– very cold at the cloud tops– as high as 30,000 degree C at the core

Jupiter - named after the king of the Roman gods

• Atmosphere – hydrogen– helium– ammonia– methane

• Great Red Spot– hurricane-like storm (as much as 20,000 years

old)

Jupiter - named after the king of the Roman gods

• Very high atmospheric pressure• Giant magnetic field

– created by the liquid metallic layer– called magnetosphere

Jupiter - named after the king of the Roman gods

http://pds.jpl.nasa.gov/planets/welcome/mars.htm

Saturn - named after the Roman god

• Sixth planet from the sun• Surrounded by rings

– made of icy particles– has at least seven major rings

• Made of mainly– hydrogen– helium

Saturn - named after the Roman god

• Violent atmospheric storms• Very cold• Has a large magnetic field• Lowest density of all the planets

Saturn - named after the Roman god

http://pds.jpl.nasa.gov/planets/welcome/saturn.htm

Uranus - named after the father of Saturn in Roman mythology

• Seventh planet from the sun• Atmosphere

– hydrogen– helium– methane

• Temperature range– as low as -220 degree C at the cloud tops

Uranus - named after the father of Saturn in Roman mythology

• Extreme atmospheric pressure– atmosphere is 11,000 kilometers thick

• Rotates on its axis at a 90 degree angle– appears laying on its side

• Rings of methane ice surround it

Uranus - named after the father of Saturn in Roman mythology

http://pds.jpl.nasa.gov/planets/welcome/uranus.htm

Neptune - named after the Roman god of the sea

• Eighth planet from the sun• Atmosphere

– hydrogen– helium– methane

• Temperature– as low as -220 degrees C

Neptune - named after the Roman god of the sea

• Surface– ocean of water and liquid methane– rocky core

• Five rings surround Neptune– made of dust particles formed from meteorites

Neptune - named after the Roman god of the sea

http://pds.jpl.nasa.gov/planets/welcome/neptune.htm

Pluto - named after the Roman god of the underworld

• Ninth planet from the sun• Smallest planet• Least dense planet• Seems to be made primarily of methane ice• Thin atmosphere (only on the sunny side)

– methane ice evaporated to form this

Pluto - named after the Roman god of the underworld

http://pds.jpl.nasa.gov/planets/welcome/pluto.htm

Other Websites

Planet Scapes

Views of the Solar System

Interactive Planet Tour

Planetary Paths

Orbital Motions - The Inner Planets