The Planets of the Solar The Planets of the Solar SystemSystem

Information about the Sun, Information about the Sun, the planets, and the dwarf the planets, and the dwarf

planets.planets.

Mercury The smallest planet in the solar system Surface temperature can range from –280°F (–171°C) to

800°F (420°C) Makes one complete revolution in 88 Earth days. Distance from the sun (average) 35,900,000 miles

(57,800,000 kilometers) Has no satellites Has no rings Closest planet to the sun Named after the messenger of the Roman gods. Has a craggy and mountainous surface.

Venus Third smallest planet in the solar system. Hottest planet, with a steady surface temperature of about

850°F (458°C) One year on Venus lasts approximately 224.7 Earth days. Has a surface covered in volcanic lava. Has no satellites. Has no rings. Distance from the sun (average) 67,200,000 miles

(108,200,000 kilometers) Named after the Roman god of beauty. Sometimes called Earth’s twin do to their very similar size.

Earth 4th smallest planet in the solar system Average surface temperature of 14 degrees Celsius Only celestial object that we know of with water As far as we’re concerned, Earth is the only planet

that can support life. The only planet not named after a god. Has 1 satellite, the Moon. Takes about 365 days to make one revolution.

Mars Nicknamed the “Red Planet” for the color of the surface

due to iron in the sand. 2nd smallest planet of the solar system. Takes 686.971 days to make one revolution around the

sun. There is speculation about life on Mars, but this is

impossible. Mars’ atmosphere is 95.72% carbon dioxide, which is toxic to humans. Mars also has a chilly average surface temperature of −46 °C.

Has 2 moons, Phobos and Deimos.

Jupiter The largest planet in our solar system. The first of the gas giants. Takes 4,331.572 days to make 1 complete revolution. Has 63 satellites. Named after the chief Roman god. Has a permanent storm on the surface called the Great Red

Spot. This spot is larger than Earth. Has 1 small ring.

Saturn 2nd largest planet in the solar system. We actually don’t know exactly how many moons

Saturn has, but there are 61 that we know of, with many “moonlets” in the planet’s rings.

Takes 10,759.22 days to make one revolution around the Sun.

Named after the Roman god Saturn, father of Jupiter. Has thousands of very famous rings, composed of

mostly ice and carbon.

Uranus 3rd largest planet in the solar system. Unique because it’s axis is tilted, making the planet seem to

lean on its side. Takes 30,799.095 days to complete one revolution around the

Sun. Could possibly contain water, but it is impossible to live on

Uranus do to it being composed of gases. It also contains harsh chemicals such as ammonia.

Named after the Greek god of the sky, Ouranos. Has 27 known satellites.

Neptune 4th largest planet in the solar system. Takes 60,190 days to make one full revolution. Named after the Roman god of the sea. Depending on how you classify Pluto, Neptune can either be

the 8th planet from the sun or the 9th planet of the Sun do to Pluto’s elliptical orbit. However, for the purposes of this PowerPoint, Pluto is a dwarf planet.

Has a Great Dark Spot similar to Jupiter’s Great Red Spot.

Ceres The first and smallest of the dwarf planets. Only dwarf planet in the asteroid belt. Average surface temperature of Ceres is

unknown do to lack of knowledge about this dwarf planet. As such, I cannot provide a picture for Ceres.

Named for the Roman goddess of growing plants and motherly love.

Pluto Once was a planet, however a group of

astronomers demoted Pluto to a dwarf planet in 2006.

Pluto takes 90,613.305 days to make one full revolution around the Sun.

Like Ceres, a picture is unavailable for Pluto. Pluto has 3 satellites.

Other dwarf planets Haumea Makemake

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Grolier Online for informationGrolier Online for informationZachary KnechtZachary KnechtA Mrs. Hill production.A Mrs. Hill production.