Activity Sheet # 2
World Wide Telescope
1. Launch WWT
2. Go to search and in the search box type in the name of your assigned planet OR go to explore Solar system and then move to the
assigned planet
3. A series of photos would emerge at the top of the screen
4. Click on the first one and your planet should emerge in front of you
5. Use the mouse to bring the planet close to you or to take it further from you
6. Right click on the planet and go to research using Wikipedia, if you encounter problems to get on to Wikipedia just type in the name of
your assigned planet in the search box when the webpage opens up
7. A new window will open up with all the information on the planet
8. Read and extract information about the Physical Properties, chemical composition, internal structure, Atmosphere, distinguishing
features like rings moons,magnetic belts,orbit, rotation history and exploration.
9. If for some reason the WWT is not working you could go to http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/index.cfm to locate your planet and get the
required information.
10. Create a podcast to represent your planet
11. Present your planet to the class
12. Upload table on class wiki
13. Upload podcast on the wiki
Name of Planet : MERCURY
Physical Properties:
colour,mass, planet
before, planer after




Smallest
One of four
terrestrial
planets
First planet after
the sun and
before venus
Found in the
constellation
Ophiuchus
Chemical
Composition
and Internal
Structure




Large
iron
core
No
gravity
Temp
range
90-700K
Strong
magneti
c field
Distinguishing
Features : rings,
moons,magnetic
belts



Heavily
crated
No natural
satellites
Largest
crater has
diameter of
1550km
:Caloris
Basin
Orbit and
rotation and
distance from
the sun
88 days to
make one
revolution
Distance from
the sun is 169
ly
Atmosphere
Hydrogen,Helium and small
traces of Nitrogen, Oxygen
and Potassium
History and
exploration
First spacecraft
to visit was
NASA’S Mariner
10 1974-1975
Name of Planet : VENUS
Physical Properties:
colour,mass, planet
before, planer after





Belongs to the
constellation
Orion
Sometimes
called twin earth
Covered by
Volcanic Plains,
mountains and
valleys
After Mercury an
before Mars
Mass : 4.9
×108kg
Chemical
Composition
and Internal
Structure

Distinguishing
Features : rings,
moons,magnetic
belts

Orbit and
rotation and
distance from
the sun
It takes 225
days to orbit
Atmosphere
Carbon dioxide and small
amounts of nitrogen
History and
exploration
Name after an
Egyptian God
Atm temp of 460C
Rains sulphuric acid
First visit from
robotic
spacecraft was
12/02/1961
Name of Planet : MARS
Physical Properties:
colour,mass, planet
before, planer after







After venus an
before Jupiter
It is the forth
planet
Has craters
Has two polar
ice caps
Terrestrial
planets
Almost the mass
of earth
6.4×1023kg
Belongs to the
Leo
constellation
Chemical
Composition
and Internal
Structure




Soil is
alkaline
Good to
grow
plants
No
water
due to
low atm
pressur
e
Iron
oxide
surface
Distinguishing
Features : rings,
moons,magnetic
belts

2 natural
moons
Orbit and
rotation and
distance from
the sun
686 days to
orbit
Almost half the
radius of the
earth
Atmosphere
95% carbon dioxide small
traces of argon and oxygen
History and
exploration
Dozens of
aircraft have
visited Mars
from the Soviet
and the Us
Name of Planet : Jupiter
Physical Properties:
colour,mass, planet
before, planer after







After Mars and
before Saturn
It is the 5th
planet
One of the four
Gas Giants
Largest planet in
the Solar System
Strong magnetic
field: 14 times
the strength of
earth
1.9×1027kg
Found in the
Pieces
Constellation
Chemical
Composition
and Internal
Structure

Dense
core
Distinguishing
Features : rings,
moons,magnetic
belts



4 faint
planetary
rings
63 natural
satellites
Known for
the great
red spot
(Storm
system
which
circulates
the planet)
Orbit and
rotation and
distance from
the sun
Atmosphere
4331 days to
orbit
90% hydrogen
8% Helium
778 million km
away from the
sun: 5.2 AU
Perpetually covered by
clouds
Lightning
History and
exploration
In 1973 an
automated
spacecraft
visited Jupiter
Romans named
it after the
Prinicipal Greek
God
Name of Planet : Saturn
Physical Properties:
colour,mass, planet
before, planer after






Found in the
Virgo
Constellation
It is the 6th
planet
Comes before
Uranus and after
Jupiter
2nd largest
planet
Mass of 5.6×1024
Flattened at the
poles buldged at
the equator
Chemical
Composition
and Internal
Structure
Unsure of the
internal
structure
Distinguishing
Features : rings,
moons,magnetic
belts


Intrinsic
Magnetic

62 natural
moons
Bands which
are
planetary
rings and
wider at the
equator
9AU from
the sun
Orbit and
rotation and
distance from
the sun
Atmosphere
96% Hydrogen
3% Helium
History and
exploration
Name of Planet : Uranus
Physical Properties:
colour,mass, planet
before, planer after



Belongs to
Pieces
Blue in colour
8.6×1025kg
Chemical
Composition
and Internal
Structure

Rocky
core
Distinguishing
Features : rings,
moons,magnetic
belts


27 moons
Complicated
Planetary
Ring
Orbit and
rotation and
distance from
the sun
84 earth years
20 AU
Atmosphere
History and
exploration
Hydrogen and Helium
1986 NASA
Voyager 2
visited
Name of Planet : Neptune
Physical Properties:
colour,mass, planet
before, planer after


1.02×1026kg
17 times the
mass of earth
Chemical
Composition
and Internal
Structure

Strong
magneti
c field
Distinguishing
Features : rings,
moons,magnetic
belts



Ice giants
13 moons
Planetary
ring system
Orbit and
rotation and
distance from
the sun
60 days
30.1 AU
Atmosphere
80% Hydrogen
19% Helium
Small amounts of Methane
History and
exploration
Roman God of
the Sea
Voyager 2nd visit
25/08/89
Name of Planet :
Physical Properties:
colour,mass, planet
before, planer after
Chemical
Composition
and Internal
Structure
Distinguishing
Features : rings,
moons, magnetic
belts
Orbit and
rotation and
distance from
the sun
Atmosphere
History and
exploration
Name of Planet :
Physical Properties:
colour,mass, planet
before, planer after

Chemical
Composition
and Internal
Structure

Distinguishing
Features : rings,
moons,magnetic
belts

Orbit and
rotation and
distance from
the sun
Atmosphere
History and
exploration