Planets

Planets are much smaller than Stars

Our planets are held in their orbits by the pull of gravity from the Sun.

The inner planets

The inner planets are the 4 The inner planets are the 4 planets closest to the Sun.planets closest to the Sun.

These planets are: Mercury, These planets are: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars.Venus, Earth, Mars.

Inner Planet Surface

All Four inner planets have All Four inner planets have a hard rocky surface.a hard rocky surface.

These are called the These are called the terrestrial planets because terrestrial planets because terraterra is Latin for earth. is Latin for earth.

They are the smallest of the They are the smallest of the planets in the solar system.planets in the solar system.

Mercury

The closest planet to the The closest planet to the SunSun

The smallest planet in the The smallest planet in the solar system, about the size solar system, about the size of our moon.of our moon.

Mercury

It goes around the sun every It goes around the sun every 88 days and is mainly made 88 days and is mainly made up of iron.up of iron.

Mercury has no natural Mercury has no natural satellites(moons).satellites(moons).

Venus

This is the second planet This is the second planet from the sun and about the from the sun and about the same size as earth.same size as earth.

It is the hottest planet with It is the hottest planet with an average temperature of an average temperature of 460 degrees C.460 degrees C.

Venus has no natural Venus has no natural satellites.satellites.

Venus

Venus rotates so slowly on Venus rotates so slowly on its axis that a day on Venus its axis that a day on Venus is longer than a year on is longer than a year on Venus. It also Venus. It also rotates in rotates in the opposite direction of the opposite direction of Earth, east to west.Earth, east to west.

Venus has a very dense Venus has a very dense atmosphere that is made up atmosphere that is made up of CO2 and Sulfuric Acid of CO2 and Sulfuric Acid and it is so heavy it would and it is so heavy it would crush a human.crush a human.

Earth

Third Planet from the Third Planet from the sun. Only Planet that sun. Only Planet that has a protective has a protective magnetic field and magnetic field and liquid water on its liquid water on its surface and water vapor surface and water vapor in its atmosphere.in its atmosphere.

Earth

Hard surface and moving Hard surface and moving liquid inner core, creating a liquid inner core, creating a protective magnetic field..protective magnetic field..

Has one natural satellite Has one natural satellite {our moon}.{our moon}.

Mars

The fourth planet from the sun and the last terrestrial planet. It is called the Red Planet because it is covered in red dust.

It has two natural satellites and is about ½ the size of the earth.

Mars

Mars once had oceans and rivers but now does not have any liquid water.

Because of its tilted axis, Mars has seasons and frozen CO2 ice fields at its poles.

Mars is the only planet that we have landed a remote controlled rover and explored its surface.

Asteroid Belt

Asteroids are giant pieces of rock that are floating in space.

Most of the asteroids are located between Mars and Jupiter in an area called the Asteroid Belt.

Asteroid Belt

There are two theories There are two theories on why it is here:on why it is here:

1.1. It was a planet that It was a planet that never formednever formed

2.2. It was a planet that has It was a planet that has fallen apart or fallen apart or crumbledcrumbled

Meteors

Meteors are pieces of space debris that enter the earths atmosphere.

When the debris is in space heading to earth it is called a meteoroid.

Meteors

When it is burning up in the earths atmosphere it is a meteor.

When it is on the ground it is a meteorite.