Solar System Notes

Inner Planets• Terrestrial Planets• Dense & Rocky• Smaller • Closer to the sun• Planets– Mercury– Venus– Earth– Mars

Outer Planets• Gas Giants• Large Planets• Massive atmospheres• Further from the sun• Planets– Jupiter– Saturn– Uranus– Neptune

Rotation v. Revolution• Rotation– 1 Full Turn on Axis– 1 Day

• Revolution– 1 Full Circle Around the Sun– 1 Year

Mercury: Closest to the Sun• 2nd Smallest• No True Atmosphere– Extreme Temperature changes– Hottest Planet

• 1 Day = 59 Earth Days• 1 Year = 88 Days

Venus: Earths Twin?

• 2nd Planet from the Sun• Size and Mass similar to Earth• Retrograde Rotation– Rotates opposite from Earth

• Densest Atmosphere– Mostly carbon dioxide = Toxic

• Slowest period of rotation– 1 day = 243 days– Takes more time to rotate around axis then to

revolve once around the sun

Earth: An Oasis in Space

• 3rd from the Sun• Abundant water and life• Atmosphere causes meteors to burn up

Mars: Red Planet

• 4th planet from the sun• Thinner atmosphere• Iron Oxide gives red color• Polar ice caps– Frozen carbon dioxide & water

Jupiter: Giant

• 5th planet from the sun• Largest planet• Atmosphere– Mostly hydrogen & helium

• Many Moons• Great Red Spot• Rotates the fastest– 1 day = 10 hours– High winds = Storms

Saturn• 6th planet from the sun• Thick outer atmosphere• Large Ring System– Icy particles

• Many Moons

Uranus: Tilted Planet• 7th planet from the Sun• Thin, dark rings• Blue-Green Color– Methane in Atmosphere

• Tipped on its side

Neptune: The Blue World

• 8th planet from the sun• Blue-Green Color• Dark Colored Storms• Layer of Liquid water under atmosphere• Very Narrow Rings• Strongest Winds

Pluto – Mystery “Planet”• Furthest “Planet”• Dwarf Planet• Smallest• Thin Atmosphere• Solid, Icy-Rock

Surface