THE UNIVERSE AND SOLAR SYSTEM

Prepared by: Jan Camille TongcoS.Y. 2016 - 2017

The Universe is all of time and space and its contents. It includes planets,

moons, minor planets, stars, galaxies, the contents of intergalactic space,

and all matter and energy.

What is the Universe?

Scientific Models of the Universe

Nicolaus Copernicus(February 1473 – 24 May

1543)

Heliocentric Model- Sun is the center of the

Solar SystemLaw of Planetary Motion

- elliptical planet orbits

Johannes Kepler (December 27, 1571 – November 15, 1630)

Galileo Galilei (February 15,1564 –

January 8, 1642)

Father of Observational Astronomy

What can we see in the Solar System?

THE SOLAR SYSTEM

Sun

Planets & its Satellites

Dwarf Planets

Other Objects

THE SOLAR SYSTEM

• Consists of the Sun and the celestial objects bound by gravity: 8 planets, 5 dwarf planets, 173 known moons / satellite and billions of small bodies

• The dimension of the Solar System are specified in terms if the mean distance from Earth to the Sun called “Astronomical Unit” (AU)

• 1 AU = 150 km• Diameter: 1.41 x 1010 meters of 13 light hours

- Origin of name: SOL – Latin for “sun”

- Discovered: Known since antiquity

- Surface Temperature: 5,500◦C (9,932 ◦ F)

- Core Temperature: 15 million◦ C (27 million ◦ F)

Sun

1. Photosphere – surface of the Sun covered by 2 layers of atmosphere:– Chromosphere – made of hot gases (mainly hydrogen) that swirl

around the surface of the Sun– Corona – outermost layer of the Sun and stretches towards

planets as far as Mercury2. Core – light is created by nuclear reactions between

hydrogen and helium3. Radiative Zone – heat created by the core moves outward

through the gases4. Convective Zone – energy is transported by the convection5. Sunspots – dark spots appearing at the surface of the

Earth

Sun

Sun

- Greek word meaning “wanderer”- According to AIU: it is a celestial body

that: a. orbits around the Sunb. has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that t assumes a hydrostatic (nearly round) shapec. has cleared the neighborhood around its orbit

Planets

- Revolve counterclockwise around the sun together with the satellite systems except for Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune

- 2 Groups separated by the Asteroid Belt: Inner / Terrestrial Planets Outer / Jovian (Jupiter-Like) Planets

Planets

Inner Planets- Small and composed primarily of

rock and iron, and have compact and rocky surfaces

MercuryVenusEarthMars

Outer / Jovian Planets

- Much larger and have gaseous nature consists mainly of hydrogen, helium, ice

JupiterSaturnUranusNeptune

http://www.webtoons.com/en/comedy/safely-endangered/ep-13/viewer?title_no=352&episode_no=13

Dwarf Planets- A celestial body that:

a. is in orbit around the Sunb. has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a hydrostatic equilibrium (nearly round) shapec. has not cleared the neighbor around its orbitd. is not a satellite

Dwarf Planets

Pluto Ceres Eris Makemake

Other ObjectsAsteroids- Celestial bodies of various

sizes that move in orbit primarily between Mars and Jupiter

Meteors- Inner and outer regions of the

Solar System- Shooting stars- smallest bodies in the Solar

System that can be observed by the naked eye

Comets- Ball of ice and rock that

orbits the Sun- - comes from the outer

fringes of the Solar System

Resources:

The New Solar System. Nexlight Corporation. Philippine Copyright 2015

Science: A Closer Look. The McGnaw-Hill Companies Inc. Phoenix Publishing House. 2011. pp 318 - 344

Let’s Find Out:How did the Universe form?

Library Work:Look for a folklore / story / essay that discusses how the Universe

started