Planet Notes

Pictures from Space

Is there life on other planets???

1. How big do you think space is?

2. Write a short story on your journey in space. You have to start at Earth. Explain what you might see and where you would go.

Inner Planets

• Since the inner planets have similar characteristics such as:

• They are all Earth like

• They all contain rocky surfaces

• They all have evidence of volcanic activity

• Since the inner planets are closely alike, they are called the terrestrial planets.

Mercury

Dis. From Sun: 36,039,529 mi

Dis. From Earth: 57,166,149 mi

Diameter: 3,303 mi

Length of Day: 175 Earth Days

Length of Year: 88 Earth Days

Surface Gravity: 3.7 m/s

Interesting Facts

• Mercury is known for it’s many craters

• Has the greatest difference between night and day temperatures.

• All this is due to no atmosphere

• Avg. High is 806 degrees F

• Avg. Low is -297 degrees F

• That’s a difference of 1103 degrees a day

Venus



Diameter: 7,521 mi

Length of Day: 116 Earth Days



Interesting Facts

• Venus has a retrograde rotation. This means that it spins on its axis in the opposite direction of all the other planets.

• Venus has a very thick dense atmosphere made of carbon dioxide.

• Hottest planet of the solar system, 900 F

• It rains acid rain and the pressure is so great lightning never hits the ground.

Earth

Dis. From Sun: 92,957,130.4 mi

Dis. From Earth: 0 mi

Diameter: 7,926.2 mi

Length of Day: 24 hours



Mars



Diameter: 4220 mi

Length of Day: 24.6 hours



Interesting Facts

• Mars has one of the biggest volcanoes called Olympus Mons. It’s the size of Missouri.

• Possible water and life was once on this planet

Daily Science

• Name the Planets in order starting with the one closest to the sun.

Outer Planets

• The outer planets are called gas giants or the Jovian Planets (Jupiter like).

• All these planets are made out of gas.

• They have thick atmospheres

• They are much larger than the terrestrial planets.

• The planets included are: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune

Jupiter

Dis. From Sun: 484,048,159 miles

Dis. From Earth: 390,842,480

Diameter: 88,846 miles


Length of Year:4331 days


Interesting Facts

• Largest planet in our solar system

• Jupiter has over 60 moons

• Has a giant storm called the Giant Red Spot

• Made mostly of hydrogen and helium.

Saturn

Dis. From Sun: 891,046,290 miles

Dis. From Earth: 797,840,611 miles



Length of Year: 10,747 days


Interesting Facts

• Saturn has the most spectacular rings of any planet

• Saturn’s moon Titan is larger than Mercury, and it has an atmosphere

• Saturn is less dense than water. This means that it can float on water.

Uranus

Dis. From Sun: 1,785,199,440 miles

Dis. From Earth: 1,691,993,760 miles



Length of Year: 30,589 Earth Days


Interesting Facts

• Spins on its axis at a 98 degree angle. Meaning that one hemisphere is pointed at the sun for half the year.

Neptune



Diameter: 30775 miles




Interesting Facts

• Has a hexagonal shape in northern pole

• Moon Triton, has a thin atmosphere

• Contains visible clouds and has a reappearing storm, similar to the giant red spot.

Pluto







Interesting Facts

• Considered a dwarf planet

• Has one moon named Charon

Beyond the Outer Planets

• Pluto has been thrown out as a planet because it doesn’t support a characteristic of a planet.

• Here is why:• A planet is a celestial body that

a) Is in orbit around the Sun

b) Has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a hydrostatic equilibrium, (round shape)

c) Has cleared the neighborhood around its orbit


• A “dwarf planet” is celestial body that

a) Is in orbit around the Sun

b) Has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a hydrostatic equilibrium, (round shape)

c) Has not cleared the neighborhood around its orbit

d) Is not a satellite.


• All other objects, except satellites, orbiting the Sun shall be referred to collectively as “Small Solar System Bodies.”

• Such as asteroids and comets.