The Planets: A Tour Through the Solar System
The Solar System to Scale by Size
The Solar System to Scale by Distance If the Sun was 2/3 the = size of a golf ball, and placed at the goal line Sun
Guess How Far Mercury Would be Sun
The Solar System to Scale by Distance Mercury would be 1/10 = the size of the tip of a ball point pen, and be placed at the 1 yard line. Sun Mercury
Which is Mercury & Which is the Moon? A OR B
A Answer:
Surface of Mercury Mercury looks like the moon. It has many craters and smooth plains. The Sun never shines on the North Pole, so the negative 370 F temperatures froze 1 trillion tons of ice inside craters
6,200 miles 430 miles 62 miles Mercury: Atmosphere Mercury has an exosphere, a thin region of hydrogen, helium and oxygen molecules that don t behave like gases Mercury does not have an atmosphere like the Earth s 53 miles 31 miles 4-12 miles
Temperature on Mercury Day-time temperatures reach 800 Fahrenheit. Night-time temperatures reach 280 F The temperature never rises above 136 F at the poles.
Moons of Mercury This is how many moons Mercury has Unfortunately, Mercury is all alone, with no moons to keep it company
Mercury: Naked- Eye Viewing Mercury is always close to the sun, so it can only be seen when the Sun is low on the horizon. It is visible soon before sunrise in the southern hemisphere and soon after sunset in the northern hemisphere.
Mercury: Year and Day Mercury revolves quickly: It takes 87.969 Earth days to orbit the Sun. But rotates slowly: Each day on Mercury lasts 58 days, 15 hours, and 30 minutes.
Habitable Zone A habitable zone is a region around a star, like our Sun, in which a planet can have liquid water and possibly support life. All life as we know it needs water to live.
Life on Mercury? Mercury is not within the habitable zone for liquid water, and life probably never existed. Mercury ranges from 280-800 Fahrenheit, Has no atmosphere, and has been bombarded by many asteroid impacts.
Mercury Nevada All Things Mercury! 1955 Mercury Montclair Element: Hg 1940 Mercury Dime USS Mercury Mercury Records
Video What is Mercury?
The Planet Venus
The Solar System to Scale by Size
Guess How Far Venus Would be Mercury = 1 st yard line Sun Mercury
The Solar System to Scale by Distance Venus would be ¼ the size of the tip of a ball point pen, and be placed at the 2 yard line. = Sun Venus Mercury
Radar Image of Venus Surface of Venus Venus has about 1,000 impact craters across its surface. Without plate tectonics, these craters will stay prestine. Venus also has several times more volcanoes than the Earth. The largest volcano on Venus is Maat Mons, a shield volcano. Real image from a Probe Venera 13 Radar Image of Venus
Venus: Atmosphere Venus has a very dense atmosphere of carbon dioxide and clouds of sulfur dioxide. Its pressure is 93 times that of Earth s atmosphere. Venus was named after the Roman goddess of beauty, but what the Romans didn t know was that its filled with deadly gases and sulfuric acid rain that could melt your skin Artist impression of a probe landing on Venus
Temperature on Venus Day-time temperatures reach 864 Fahrenheit. Night-time temperatures are the same due to heat transfer by strong winds. The atmosphere of Venus traps in heat, causing it to have higher temperatures than Mercury even though its farther away from the sun. Artist impression
Moons of Venus Just like Mercury, Venus also does not have any moons.
Venus: Naked-Eye Viewing After the Sun and Moon, Venus is the brightest object in the sky. It is so bright, it can be seen in a mid-day clear sky. It can be seen when the Sun is low on the horizon.
Venus: Year and Day It takes Venus 225 days to orbit the Sun, but takes 243 days to rotate once. In other words, a day on Venus is longer than a year.
Life on Venus? Venus is within the inner boundary of the habitable zone, but its deadly atmosphere and volcanic surface would make life difficult.
Life on Venus? The upper atmosphere of Venus; however, could have life. About 40 miles above the surface, temperature and pressure is similar to Earth; there is also water vapor and oxygen. It is possible due to bacteria being able to live in Earth s clouds. Artist impression of probe entering its atmosphere
Video What is Venus?
Earth
The Solar System to Scale by Size
Guess How Far Earth Would be Mercury = 1 st yard line Venus = 2 nd yard line Sun Venus Mercury
The Solar System to Scale by Distance Earth would be ¼ the = size of the tip of a ball point pen, and be placed at the 3 yard line. Sun Venus Earth Mercury
Surface of Earth About 71% of Earth s surface is covered with water. The oceans hold 96.5% of all Earth s water. Earth has: 1,500 1,000 185 Thousands Active Natural Impact of volcanoes Geysers Craters Mountains
6,200 miles 430 miles Earth: Atmosphere Earth s Atmosphere extends to 6,200 miles above sea level to a layer called the exosphere. Atoms and molecules here are so far apart they don t behave like a gas and escape into space. 62 miles 53 miles 31 miles 4-12 miles Earth s lower atmosphere is 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen
Temperature on Earth Due to the seasons on Earth, climate and temperatures vary greatly: However, the average temperature is about 59 Fahrenheit The highest recorded temperature was 159.26 F in the Lut Desert of Iran in 2005 The lowest recorded temperature was - 128.56 F in Vostok Antarctica
The United States Apollo 11 was the first manned mission to land on the Moon, on July 20 th 1969 Moons of Earth Earth only has one moon and because it is in synchronous rotation with the Earth, it only shows one side of itself.
Question: How many days does it take Earth to Orbit the Sun?
Earth: Year It takes Earth 365.24 days to orbit the sun.
Question: How long does it take earth to make one rotation?
Earth: Day It takes Earth 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4.1 seconds to make one rotation. The 4 minutes each day adds up, causing an extra day added in February which occurs once every 4 years. This is called a leap year.
Video What is Earth?
Mars
The Solar System to Scale by Size
Guess How Far Mars Would be Mercury = 1 st yard line Venus = 2 nd yard line Earth = 3 rd yard line Sun Venus Earth Mercury
The Solar System to Scale by Distance Mars would be 1/10 the = size of the tip of a ball point pen, and be placed at the 5 yard line. Sun Venus Mars Earth Mercury
Surface of Mars Called the Red Planet because of the the iron oxide (rust) on its surface. Has the largest volcano in the Solar System: Olympus Mons Mars has many impact craters, valleys, and deserts across its surface.
Mars: Atmosphere The Atmosphere of Mars is 96% carbon dioxide, and is very dusty, giving the atmosphere an orange-brown color. It is 100 times thinner than Earth s. Mars has the largest dust storms in the Solar System. They can sometimes cover the entire planet and occur when Mars is closest to Sun.
Temperature on Mars The Poles can get as low as 196 F Due to axial tilt, Mars has seasons like Earth. Day-time temperatures reach 70 F in summer, but at night it can drop to -100 F This wide range in temperatures is due to a very thin atmosphere Martian Sunset
Deimos Moons of Mars Asaph Hall discovered each moon of Mars in 1877, & was actually looking for moons of Mars at the time. Deimos Phobos One hypothesis of the origin of the moons is that they are both captured asteroids. Phobos Earth s Moon Relative size & distance between Mars, Phobos, & Deimos
Mars: Naked-Eye Viewing Mars is slightly dimmer than Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky. Depending on the time of the year, Mars can be seen anywhere from directly above you, to the horizon.
Mars: Year and Day Mars revolves slowly: It takes 687 Earth days to orbit the Sun, compared Earth s 365. Rotates similar to Earth: Each day on Venus lasts 1 day, 40 minutes. Only 40 minutes difference
Life on Mars? Mars is within the habitable zone, but no evidence of past or present life has been found, plus it is too cold for liquid water. The surface is not toxic, but its exposed to radiation, and is completely frozen. The curiosity rover is still exploring Mars.
Video What is Mars?
Jupiter
The Solar System to Scale by Size
Guess How Far Jupiter Would be Mercury = 1 st yard line Venus = 2 nd yard line Earth = 3 rd yard line Mars = 5 th yard line Sun Venus Mars Earth Mercury
The Solar System to Scale by Distance Jupiter would be 2/3 the = size of a BB gun pellet, and be placed at the 17 yard line. Sun Venus Mars Earth Jupiter Mercury
Jupiter: Surface Because Jupiter is a gas giant, there is no surface in which to walk, just layers of clouds. However, the surface is defined as when the pressure of its atmosphere reaches that of Earth s surface. There are 3 layers of clouds on Jupiter: one layer is made of ammonia, the other ammonia and sulfur, and one with small amounts of water vapor.
Jupiter: Core to Atmosphere The core of Jupiter is believed to be made of rocky material Outside the core the pressure is so high hydrogen gas exists in liquid form, called metallic hydrogen The outer atmosphere is mostly hydrogen and helium
Jupiter: Atmosphere There are many belts on Jupiter in which the atmosphere moves at 180 miles per hour The Great Red Spot is a massive storm so large that three Earth s could fit inside.
Temperature on Jupiter The average temperature on Jupiter is a frigid -234 F; however, the temperature rises towards the core. The surface of Jupiter, where its atmospheric pressure is equal to Earth s is a very hot 152 F. About the same temperature as the hottest Ever recorded temperature on earth.
Jupiter Moons of Jupiter Europa Io Callisto Jupiter has 67 moons, the largest amount of any planet in the Solar System Ganymede The largest moons: Io, Europa, Ganymede & Callisto are the Galilean moons; named after Galileo Galilei, who discovered them in 1610. Ganymede is the largest moon of Jupiter, and the largest moon in the Solar System.
Jupiter: Naked-Eye Viewing Jupiter is the second brightest planet, after Venus in the night sky. Jupiter is even brighter than Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky. Depending on the time of the year, Jupiter can be seen directly above, or low on the horizon.
Jupiter: Year and Day Jupiter takes 11.86 Earth years to orbit the Sun, compared Earth s 365. A day on Jupiter lasts 9 hours and 50 minutes. It is also the fastest spinning planet, moving at a rate of 28,273 miles per hour.
No life is known to exist on Jupiter; however, if life were to exist, it would be unlike any life on Earth. Organisms would have to be able to withstand extreme temperatures, breath hydrogen or helium, and eat chemicals like methane or ammonia. Life on Jupiter?
Video What is Jupiter?
Saturn
The Solar System to Scale by Size
Sun Guess How Far Saturn Would be Mercury = 1 st yard line Venus = 2 nd yard line Earth = 3 rd yard line Mars = 5 th yard line Jupiter = 17 th yard line Venus Mars Earth Jupiter Mercury
The Solar System to Scale by Distance Saturn would be ½ the = the size of a BB gun pellet, and be placed at the 32 yard line. Sun Venus Mars Earth Jupiter Mercury Saturn
Saturn: Surface Just like Jupiter, Saturn is a gas giant and there is no surface in which to walk. Saturn also has clouds with the same composition as Jupiter.
Saturn: Atmosphere Saturn has colorful layers below the surface, but they can t be seen because the upper atmosphere is too thick to see them. This is due to its weaker gravity allowing The atmosphere to stretch out farther. Wind speeds on Saturn are very high, measuring slightly more than 1,000 mph
Temperature on Saturn Saturn is colder than Jupiter with an average temperature of -288 F. Most of Saturn s heat comes from its interior (due to high pressures), rather than from the Sun.
Moons of Saturn Titan Saturn s largest moon is Titan, the only moon in the Solar System that has an atmosphere of its own. Jupiter has 62 moons, 53 of which have names and only 13 are larger than 30 miles
Saturn: Naked-Eye Viewing Saturn, even at maximum brightness (closest to the Earth) is not as bright as Sirius, the brightest star. Depending on the time of the year, Saturn can be seen anywhere from directly above you, to the horizon.
Saturn: Year and Day Saturn revolves very slowly: It takes 29.7 Earth years to orbit the Sun. Saturn rotates so quickly that one day lasts 10 hours, 45 minutes, and 45 seconds.
Life on Saturn? No life is known to exist on Saturn. Just like Jupiter, life would have to find a way to exist in clouds of hydrogen, helium, ammonia, and extreme pressures that would crush it.
Video What is Saturn?
Uranus
The Solar System to Scale by Size
Guess How Far Uranus Would be Mercury = 1 st yard line Venus = 2 nd yard line Earth = 3 rd yard line Mars = 5 th yard line Jupiter = 17 th yard line Sun Venus Saturn = 32 nd yard line Mars Earth Jupiter Mercury Saturn
The Solar System to Scale by Distance Uranus would be ¼ the = the size of a BB gun pellet, and be placed at the 64 yard line. Sun Venus Mars Earth Jupiter Mercury Saturn Uranus
Uranus: Surface Just like Jupiter & Saturn, Uranus is a gas giant and there is no surface in which to walk. Uranus also has clouds with the same composition as Jupiter and Saturn.
Uranus: Atmosphere Uranus gets its blue-green color from methane gas in its atmosphere. Like the other gas giants, Uranus is primarily composed of hydrogen and helium.
Temperature on Uranus Uranus is the coldest planet in the solar system with an average temperature of -404 F. Uranus is the coldest planet even though it is not the most distant because its core is not as hot from pressure as the other planets.
Moons of Uranus Uranus has 27 known moons, all of which are named from the works of William Shakespeare & Alexander Pope. Puck Titania is the largest moon of Uranus, and is made out of rock and ice. It is named after the queen of the fairies in Shakespeare s A Midsummer Night s Dream. Uranus and its 6 largest moons compared at their relative positions & sizes Titania Oberon Ariel Umbriel Miranda
Uranus: Naked-Eye Viewing Uranus can be seen with the naked eyes; but most people will never see it. A person with very good eyes, under no light pollution, and knowledge of exactly where to look would see it as a faint star in the sky. Amateur Photograph of Uranus through a telescope under dark skies
Uranus: Year and Day Uranus revolves very slowly: It takes 84.3 Earth years to orbit the Sun. Many people would never experience their first birthday on Uranus. Uranus rotates quickly: One day lasts 17 hours, 14 minutes, and 24 seconds
Life on Uranus? No life is known to exist on Uranus. Just like Jupiter and Saturn, life would have to find a way to exist in clouds of hydrogen and helium with ices such as methane and ammonia.
Video What is Uranus?
Neptune
The Solar System to Scale by Size
Guess How Far Neptune Would be Mercury = 1 st yard line Venus = 2 nd yard line Earth = 3 rd yard line Mars = 5 th yard line Jupiter = 17 th yard line Sun Venus Saturn = 32 nd yard line Uranus = 64 th yard line Mars Earth Jupiter Mercury Saturn Uranus
The Solar System to Scale by Distance Neptune would be ¼ the = the size of a BB gun pellet, and be placed at the 100 yard line. Sun Venus Mars Earth Jupiter Mercury Saturn Uranus Neptune
Neptune: Surface Just like Jupiter, Saturn & Uranus, Neptune is a gas giant and there is no surface in which to walk. Neptune also has clouds with the same composition as Jupiter.
Neptune: Atmosphere Neptune gets its blue color from methane gas in its atmosphere. NASA is uncertain as to why Neptune is bluer than Uranus, but it must be due to some unknown component. Uranus Neptune
Temperature on Neptune Neptune has a tilt similar to that of Earth s, so Neptune goes through seasons. Since Neptune is very far from Earth, each season is very cold. The average temperature on Neptune is 328 F.
Moons of Neptune Triton is the largest moon of Neptune, and is the only moon in the Solar System that orbits its planet in the opposite direction. It s surface is mostly frozen nitrogen with a crust of ice water. Neptune has 14 known moons, all of which are named for water deities in Greek mythology. Triton was pictured next to Neptune during the Voyager 2 mission in 1989
Neptune: Naked-Eye Viewing Neptune at maximum brightness is just barely within the range capable of being viewed by humans under the darkest of skies. Because Neptune is so close to being out of range of human eyesight, nobody has ever seen it with their naked eyes. Amateur Photograph of Neptune through a telescope under dark skies
Neptune: Year and Day Uranus revolves very slowly: It takes 164.79 years to orbit the Sun. Even Jeanne Calment, the oldest person to ever live (122 years) wouldn t have made it to her first birthday. Neptune rotates quickly: One day lasts 16 hours, 6 minutes, and 36 seconds
Life on Neptune? No life is known to exist on Neptune. Just like Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus, life would have to find a way to exist in clouds of hydrogen and helium with ices such as methane and ammonia.
Video What is Neptune?
26.74 The Sun 12.92 Full Moon: Maximum brightness 7.50 The supernova of 1006 AD, the brightest stellar event in recorded history 6.50 The total brightness of the entire night sky as seen from Earth 6.00 The Crab Supernova of 1054 AD 5.9 International Space Station (when the ISS is fully lit by the Sun) 4.89 Maximum brightness of Venus 3.82 Minimum brightness of Venus 2.94 Maximum brightness of Jupiter 2.91 Maximum brightness of Mars 2.50 Minimum brightness of the moon (New Moon) 2.45 Maximum brightness of Mercury 1.61 Minimum brightness of Jupiter 1.47 Sirius: The brightest star (except for the Sun) 0.72 Canpous: Second-brightest star 0.49 Maximum brightness of Saturn 0.27 Alpha Centauri AB star system: Third-brightest star 0.04 Arcturus: Fourth-brightest star (No more stars are listed after this point) 1.47 Minimum brightness of Saturn 1.84 Minimum brightness of Mars 3 to 4 Faintest stars visible in an urban neighborhood with naked eye 3.44 The Andromeda Galaxy 4.38 Maximum brightness of Ganymede (moon of Jupiter & the largest moon) 5.32 Maximum brightness of Uranus 5.73 Minimum brightness of Mercury 5.95 Minimum brightness of Uranus 6.64 Maximum brightness of dwarf planet Ceres in the asteroid belt 6.75 Maximum brightness of asteroid Iris List of the Brightest Naked-Eye Celestial Objects 7 to 8 Extreme naked eye limit: (person with extremely good eyes) in a class 1 Bortle Sky (best night skies on Earth) 7.78 Maximum brightness of Neptune 8.02 Minimum brightness of Neptune 8.10 Maximum brightness of Titan (largest moon of Saturn) 9.50 Faintest objects visible using common 7x50 binoculars under typical conditions 13.42 Maximum brightness of Triton (moon of Neptune) 13.65 Maximum brightness of Pluto