Earth ScienceEarth Science

An overview of theAn overview of the

Solar SystemSolar System

Earth ScienceEarth Science

An overview of theAn overview of the

Solar SystemSolar System In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.  The earth was  without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters (Genesis 1:1-2).

 And God  made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars.  And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth (Genesis 1:16-17)

The Solar System

to  rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.   And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day (Genesis 1:18-19)

Our Solar System

The Order of the Planets

The Order of the Planets in our Solar System are:• Mercury• Venus• Earth• Mars• Jupiter• Saturn• Uranus &• Neptune

The Inner & The Outer PlanetsAn asteroid belt stretches in-between Mars and Jupiter,

separating the Solar System into two.The Inner planets are:• Mercury• Venus• Earth &• MarsThe Outer planets are:• Jupiter • Saturn• Uranus &• Neptune

The SunThe Sun

The sun is the The sun is the biggest, brightest, and biggest, brightest, and hottest object in the hottest object in the solar system.solar system.

The sun is an The sun is an ordinary star.ordinary star.

The sun is made of The sun is made of about 70% hydrogen about 70% hydrogen and 28% helium.and 28% helium.

The SunThe Sun Sunlight is Earth's primary source of energy.Sunlight is Earth's primary source of energy. Sunlight at the top of Earth's atmosphere is Sunlight at the top of Earth's atmosphere is

composed (by total energy) of about 50% infrared composed (by total energy) of about 50% infrared light, 40% visible light, and 10% ultraviolet light. light, 40% visible light, and 10% ultraviolet light. The atmosphere in particular filters out over 70% of The atmosphere in particular filters out over 70% of solar ultraviolet, especially at the shorter solar ultraviolet, especially at the shorter wavelengths.wavelengths.

The visible surface of the Sun, the photosphere, is The visible surface of the Sun, the photosphere, is the layer below which the Sun becomes opaque to the layer below which the Sun becomes opaque to visible light.visible light.

MercuryMercury

Mercury is solid and Mercury is solid and is covered with is covered with craters.craters.

Mercury has almost Mercury has almost no atmosphere.no atmosphere.

Mercury is the eighth Mercury is the eighth largest planet.largest planet.

Mer

cury

Mer

cury

It takes 87,969 days for Mercury to orbit It takes 87,969 days for Mercury to orbit the Sun one time.the Sun one time.

Since it is smaller than Earth, it has less Since it is smaller than Earth, it has less gravity which means if you weighed 70 gravity which means if you weighed 70 pounds on Earth, you would weigh 27 pounds on Earth, you would weigh 27 pounds on Mercury.pounds on Mercury.

Mercury is so hot that you could burn to Mercury is so hot that you could burn to death during the day, but spins so slowly death during the day, but spins so slowly that you could freeze to death at night.that you could freeze to death at night.

It has no moons.It has no moons. It is 36 million miles away from the Sun.It is 36 million miles away from the Sun.

VenusVenus

Venus is the sixth Venus is the sixth largest planet. It’s largest planet. It’s about three-fourths about three-fourths the size of earth.the size of earth.

The surface is rocky The surface is rocky and very hot. The and very hot. The atmosphere atmosphere completely hides the completely hides the surface and traps the surface and traps the heat.heat.

VenusVenus Venus is the brightest object in the sky . It has clouds of sulfuric acid in it’s atmosphere, reflecting most of the sun’s light and obscuring the view of the actual planet. Venus is one of four rocky planets in the Solar System. Venus’s atmosphere is full of carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide which generates an extremely strong greenhouse effect. This in turn raises the surface temperature of Venus to over 460°c.

EarthEarth

Earth is the fifth largest planet and the third from Earth is the fifth largest planet and the third from the sun.the sun.

Liquid covers 75 percent of the Earth’s surface.Liquid covers 75 percent of the Earth’s surface. The Earth has one moon.The Earth has one moon.

Earth (Isaiah 45 Earth (Isaiah 45 12 I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, 12 I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands,

have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded..commanded..

18 For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that 18 For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else.else.

EarthEarth It takes Earth 365.3 days to orbit the Sun.It takes Earth 365.3 days to orbit the Sun. We are 93 million miles away from the SunWe are 93 million miles away from the Sun It contains the only human life we know of.It contains the only human life we know of. Earth has one moon, Luna.Earth has one moon, Luna. Earth has just the perfect combination of weather, temperature, Earth has just the perfect combination of weather, temperature,

and atmosphere to keep us alive.and atmosphere to keep us alive.

MoonMoon

MarsMars

Mars is the fourth Mars is the fourth planet from the sun.planet from the sun.

Mars has a thin Mars has a thin atmosphere that atmosphere that contains mostly contains mostly carbon dioxide.carbon dioxide.

Mars has two small Mars has two small moons.moons.

MarsMars It takes 686.98 days to orbit the Sun.It takes 686.98 days to orbit the Sun. Mars is 142 million miles away from the Sun.Mars is 142 million miles away from the Sun. Weighing 70 pounds on Earth, you would Weighing 70 pounds on Earth, you would

weigh 27 on Mars.weigh 27 on Mars. Scientists have found that Mars once had Scientists have found that Mars once had

streams, rivers, lakes, and an ocean.streams, rivers, lakes, and an ocean. Mars has two moons, Deimos and Phobos.Mars has two moons, Deimos and Phobos. Mars has the highest mountains and deepest Mars has the highest mountains and deepest

canyons in the whole Solar System. The canyons in the whole Solar System. The largest canyon on Mars would stretch from largest canyon on Mars would stretch from New York to California here on Earth.New York to California here on Earth.

Moons of MarsMoons of Mars

PhobosPhobos

DeimosDeimos

JupiterJupiterJupiter is the biggest planet in the Solar System. It’s mass is approximately 317 times the mass of Earth, yet it is 1,317 times the volume of Earth. Jupiter's atmosphere is made of about 90% hydrogen and 10% helium by volume. Jupiter has the most moons of any planet in the Solar System, 63 to be exact. The four main moons are Io, Europa, Ganymede

Jupiter’s Red SpotJupiter’s Red Spot

The Great Red Spot, The Great Red Spot, a huge storm of a huge storm of swirling gas that has swirling gas that has lasted for hundreds of lasted for hundreds of years.years.

Jupiter does not have Jupiter does not have a solid surface. The a solid surface. The planet is a ball of planet is a ball of liquid surrounded by liquid surrounded by gas.gas.

Moons of JupiterMoons of Jupiter

Jupiter has four large Galilean moons, Jupiter has four large Galilean moons, twelve smaller named moons and twenty-twelve smaller named moons and twenty-three more recently discovered but not three more recently discovered but not named moons.named moons.

We’ll take a look at the four large Galilean We’ll take a look at the four large Galilean moons which were first observed by moons which were first observed by Galileo in 1610.Galileo in 1610.

IoIo

Io is the fifth moon of Io is the fifth moon of Jupiter. It’s the third Jupiter. It’s the third largest of Jupiter’s largest of Jupiter’s moons.moons.

Io has hundreds of Io has hundreds of volcanic calderas. volcanic calderas. Some of the volcanoes Some of the volcanoes are active.are active.

EuropaEuropa Europa is the sixth of Europa is the sixth of

Jupiter’s moons and is Jupiter’s moons and is the fourth largest.the fourth largest.

It is slightly smaller than It is slightly smaller than the Earth’s moon.the Earth’s moon.

The surface strongly The surface strongly resembles images of sea resembles images of sea ice on Earth. There may ice on Earth. There may be a liquid water sea be a liquid water sea under the crust.under the crust.

Europa is one of the five Europa is one of the five known moons in the solar known moons in the solar system to have an system to have an atmosphere.atmosphere.

GanymedeGanymede

Ganymede is the Ganymede is the seventh and largest of seventh and largest of Jupiter’s known Jupiter’s known satellites.satellites.

Ganymede has Ganymede has extensive cratering extensive cratering and an icy crust.and an icy crust.

CallistoCallisto

Callisto is the eighth of Jupiter’s known satellites Callisto is the eighth of Jupiter’s known satellites and the second largest.and the second largest.

Callisto has the oldest, most cratered surface of Callisto has the oldest, most cratered surface of any body yet observed in the solar system.any body yet observed in the solar system.

SaturnSaturn

Saturn is the second largest planet and the sixth Saturn is the second largest planet and the sixth from the sun.from the sun.

Saturn is made of materials that are lighter than Saturn is made of materials that are lighter than water. If you could fit Saturn in a lake, it would water. If you could fit Saturn in a lake, it would float!float!

Rings of SaturnRings of Saturn

Saturn’s rings are not Saturn’s rings are not solid; they are solid; they are composed of small composed of small countless particles.countless particles.

The rings are very The rings are very thin. Though they’re thin. Though they’re 250,000km or more in 250,000km or more in diameter, they’re less diameter, they’re less than one kilometer than one kilometer thick.thick.

UranusUranus

Uranus is the third Uranus is the third largest planet and the largest planet and the seventh from the sun.seventh from the sun.

Uranus is one of the Uranus is one of the giant gas planets.giant gas planets.

Uranus is blue-green Uranus is blue-green because of the because of the methane in its methane in its atmosphere.atmosphere.

NeptuneNeptune

Neptune is the fourth Neptune is the fourth largest planet and the largest planet and the eight from the sun.eight from the sun.

Because of the orbits, Because of the orbits, from 1979 to 1999, from 1979 to 1999, Neptune was the Neptune was the ninth planet.ninth planet.

Like Uranus, the Like Uranus, the methane gives methane gives Neptune its color.Neptune its color.

NeptuneNeptune

Neptune is the Neptune is the eighth and eighth and farthest planet farthest planet from the Sun in from the Sun in the Solar System. the Solar System. Furthermore, Furthermore, Neptune is 17 Neptune is 17 times the masstimes the mass

of Earthof Earth