The Solar SystemThe Solar SystemThe Solar SystemThe Solar System

By: Aurelne ThianBy: Aurelne Thian

General InformationGeneral InformationGeneral InformationGeneral Information

Revolve: When a smaller object circles a larger one.

Rotate: When an object spins on its own axis.

8 Planets were discovered in our solar system

Inner Planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars

Outer Planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune

Inner planets have more craters because they were constantly hit by asteroids at their first 600 million years.

General InformationGeneral InformationGeneral InformationGeneral InformationOrbit : A path that a celestial body follows

3 Requirements to become a Planet:

• Must orbit the sun

• Have enough mass to become spherical (caused by own gravity)

• Made its orbit path clear of any objects similar in size.

• Dwarf planets are not considered planets because they fulfill the first 2 requirements, but didn’t pass for the third.

• The three dwarf planets are: Pluto, Ceres, Eris

Inner and Outer Inner and Outer planetsplanets

Inner and Outer Inner and Outer planetsplanets

The difference between inner and outer planets is that…

Inner planets are between the sun and asteroid belt and the planets are constantly being hit by asteroids (at the beginning, on their first 600 million years)

Outer planets are outside the asteroid belt

Inner planets were made of sphere shaped rocks while Outer planets are gaseous spheres.

Outer planets have rings.

Our Solar SystemOur Solar System Our Solar SystemOur Solar SystemAsteroid BeltAsteroid Belt

MercuryMercury

VenusVenusEarthEarth

MarsMarsJupiterJupiter

SaturnSaturn

UranusUranus

NeptuneNeptune

SunSun

MercuryMercuryMercuryMercuryMercury’s extra-thin atmosphere of helium and sodium is caused because Mercury is very close to the sun and most of the gases get boiled down. Thin gas will make Mercury cooler since it traps less heat.

Two elemenets in Mercury’s atmosphere are sodium and helium

Mercury’s surface is shaped by:

Other objects crashing into Mercury (causing craters)

Lava flooding on its surface

Crusts moving (tectonic movement)

VenusVenusVenusVenusVenus is also called the Evening Star because it appears very bright in the sky when seen from earth

Its atmosphere contains carbon dioxide and sulfuric acid

Retrograde rotation: Rotating clockwise on axis (opposite to every other planet)

A day in Venus = 225 earth days

A year in Venus = 243 earth days

A day > A year

If you were on Venus, the sun would appear to rise in the west and set in the east. This is because Venus rotates clockwise, so the sun appears from the west side first.

Venus is the hottest planet in our solar system because it’s atmosphere acts like a greenhouse and traps all the heat from the sun.

EarthEarthEarthEarthEarth’s atmosphere is made out of:

78% Nitrogen

21% Oxygen

0.9% Argon

0.1% water vapor, carbon dioxide, neon, sulphur dioxide, hydrogen, helium...

Our atmosphere protects us from harmful radiation from the sun and meteors.

Rotational tilt: 23.5 Degrees

Spinning of Earth’s liquid iron core produces a magnetic field around Earth.

One natural satellite of Earth is the Moon.

Obviously the most beautiful planetObviously the most beautiful planet

MarsMarsMarsMarsSome meteors that crash on Earth are pieces of Mars, and there may have been ancient bacteria on it, signaling life on Mars

Mars’s atmosphere is mostly carbon dioxide.

It appears red because it has soil rich in iron

Olympus Mons is a volcano, 600km wide and 26km tall.

Mars’s two natural satellites are Phobos and Deimos

JupiterJupiterJupiterJupiter Jupiter is bulged at the equator and flattened at the poles like Earth. This is because Jupiter spins so fast.

Hydrogen, Helium, Sulfer and Nitrogen make up Jupiter’s atmosphere.

The Great Red Spot is a circular hurricane wind

Jupiter has about 50 named natural satellites and 13 other ones.

Io, one of Jupiter’s natural satellites happens to be the hottest celestial body in our solar system! It has volcanic eruptions very frequently too.

SaturnSaturnSaturnSaturn

Saturn’s atmosphere is made of helium and Saturn’s atmosphere is made of helium and hydrogen.hydrogen.

Saturn’s rings may have been caused by Saturn’s rings may have been caused by natural satellites breaking downnatural satellites breaking down

The rings are made of water, ice and dust.The rings are made of water, ice and dust.

Saturn could float in water because its Saturn could float in water because its density is so low!density is so low!

Seasons in Saturn last for 7 earth years!Seasons in Saturn last for 7 earth years!

UranusUranusUranusUranus

Uranus’s rotation looks like it is rotating on Uranus’s rotation looks like it is rotating on

its side because its tilt is 98 degrees!its side because its tilt is 98 degrees!

Hydrogen, Helium and Methane make up Hydrogen, Helium and Methane make up

Uranus’s atmosphere (Methane gives it its Uranus’s atmosphere (Methane gives it its

blue-green color)blue-green color)

Uranus has 27 known natural occurring Uranus has 27 known natural occurring

satellites.satellites.

NeptuneNeptuneNeptuneNeptune

Ammonia, Helium and Methane make up Ammonia, Helium and Methane make up

Neptune’s atmosphereNeptune’s atmosphere

Neptune has 13 known natural satellites!Neptune has 13 known natural satellites!

Triton is the largest satellite of Neptune. Triton is the largest satellite of Neptune.

Scientists think that Triton used to be Scientists think that Triton used to be

another body, but it was captured by another body, but it was captured by

Neptune’s gravitational pull and became a Neptune’s gravitational pull and became a

satellite.satellite.

PlutoPlutoPlutoPluto

Pluto’s 3 moons are called :Pluto’s 3 moons are called :

CharonCharon

NixNix

HydraHydra

They have detected that Pluto has methane, They have detected that Pluto has methane, in the form of frost! Also, Charon, a satellite in the form of frost! Also, Charon, a satellite has water frost!has water frost!

Charon is about half the size of Pluto (very Charon is about half the size of Pluto (very big for a moon!)big for a moon!)

CeresCeresCeresCeres

A revolution for Ceres takes 4.6 Earth years!A revolution for Ceres takes 4.6 Earth years!

Ceres used to be considered an asteroid Ceres used to be considered an asteroid

because other objects were also found to be because other objects were also found to be

orbiting near Ceresorbiting near Ceres

Its surface is made of water ice, carbonate Its surface is made of water ice, carbonate

and clay!and clay!

ErisErisErisEris

Eris used to be called “Xena”, following the Eris used to be called “Xena”, following the

show about a warrior princess.show about a warrior princess.

Eris takes 557 Earth years to orbit the sun.Eris takes 557 Earth years to orbit the sun.

Dysnomia is Eris’s moon.Dysnomia is Eris’s moon.

Eris is not considered a planet because it Eris is not considered a planet because it

doesn't fulfill ALL the three requirements to doesn't fulfill ALL the three requirements to

be a planet. It didn’t clear its orbit of any be a planet. It didn’t clear its orbit of any

other celestial bodies.other celestial bodies.

CitationsCitationsCitationsCitations

http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/solar_system_level2/eris.htmlsolar_system_level2/eris.html