1: Did you know we
orbit the sun?
2: You mean the sun
doesn’t rotate around
us?
1: No, but the moon
does.
2: Wow! Tell me
more!
1: Okay, so the sun is
the center of our solar
system that’s in a
galaxy called the Milky
Way.
2: What’s our solar
system?
1: It consists of the
sun and everything
that orbits it. This
includes all eight
planets, satellites,
asteroids, meteors,
and comets.
2: That’s a lot! How do
we stay revolving
around the sun?
1: The same way our
feet stay firmly on the
ground; Gravity!
2: Whoa! So you said
there were eight
planets, what are
they?
1: Well let’s start with
learning about the
sun.
2: But why? I know
everything there is to
know, we orbit it!
1: Yes, but do you
know how hot it is or
anything else about
it?
2: Well no…
1: If you pay attention
you will. Now let’s
take a journey
1: Well the sun is one
of a billion stars and
it’s the closest star to
earth. It completes a
rotation every 27
Earth days. And
although it looks like a
big ball of fire, it’s
really made up mostly
of hydrogen and
helium.
2: Wow, I always
thought it was fire…
How hot is it?
1: Very hot. The
surface Is 10,000°F
with a diameter of
870,000 miles and its
core is 27 million°F.
2: That’s really hot! So
why is the sun so
important?
1: Firstly, it’s the
center of our solar
system and most
importantly to us; it
gives earth the ability
to support life.
2: So I guess we really
do need it…so what
comes next?
1: The planet closest
to the sun is Mercury.
2: Like the red stuff in
the bottom of a
thermometer?
1: That’s right, since
it’s so close to the sun
it’s very hot. It’s also
too far away from the
earth to see without
the use of a telescope.
What little of an
atmosphere that it
does have consists of
1: It takes 88 earth
days and has a
cratered surface.
2: That’s neat! It’s like
the moon’s surface!
What’s the next
planet?
1: Venus is the second
planet closest to the
sun and it’s also the
closest planet to
earth.
2: Can people live
there?
1: No, it’s extremely
hot with a deadly
atmosphere made
entirely of Carbon
Dioxide.
Astronauts can’t even
get near it. It’s also
the earth’s twin sister
because of how
similar in size they are
and takes 224 days to
orbit the sun.
It even has taller
mountains than earth.
2: Really? Higher
mountains!? Does
that mean Earth is
next?
1: Yes, earth is the
third planet and the
one we live on. It’s the
5th largest planet in
our solar system and
takes 365 days to
orbit.
It’s the only planet
that tilts on a 23 ½ °
axis which is the
reason that we have 4
seasons.
2: So are we the only
planet with people on
it?
1: Yes, that would be
correct.
2: What comes after
earth?
1: Mars, it’s the only
planet whose surface
you can see from
Earth even though it’s
the second smallest
planet.
2: Why is it colored
that way?
1: It is red and “rusty”
looking because it has
a lot of iron in the soil.
. It is very similar to
earth in that it has
valleys, canyons and
volcanoes which
suggest there was a
lot of water there.
Also, its poles are
covered in ice like
Earth’s.
2: I really like its color,
but what’s next?
1: Jupiter, which is the
largest planet and has
the biggest moon.
It also has a great big
red spot that is over a
300 year old storm.
And takes 12 years to
orbit.
2: Doesn’t it have a
ring around it?
1: Yes, just like the
next planet: Saturn.
2: The second largest
planet!
1: That’s right. And it
has over 30 moons.
2: Wow! That’s way
more than we have!
1: The 7th planet is
Uranus which is also
known as the Ice
Giant.
2: How big is it?
1: It’s 14 times larger
than earth and takes
30.685 earth days to
orbit the sun.
2: Wow that’s a long
time.
1: One unique fact
about it is that is spins
completely on its side
which is why it has
nights that can last up
to 40 days.
2: If it’s on its side
does that mean that
its north and south
poles face the sun?
1: Yes, that’s why the
nights can last so long.
Now just one more
planet left. Do you
know what it is?
2: No, what is it?
1: Neptune. It’s the
stormiest planet that
has up to 1,240 mile
winds.
2: How does it get any
sunlight if it’s so far
away?
1: It barely does. It
receives 1/900 of the
earth’s solar energy
which is why its rocky
core creates its own
heat source.
2: Anything else?
1: Yes, it has eight
known moons and has
2: Wow there is so
much to know about
planets! Thank you for
teaching me!