What’s in Our Solar System?
Our solar system consists of a central
star (the Sun), planets, dwarf planets,
moons, asteroids, comets, meteors,
interplanetary gas, dust, and all the
“space” in between.
• OUR SOLAR SYSTEM HAS THE FOLLOWING:
• 1) SUN {STARS}
• 2) PLANETS
• 3) SATELLITES
• 4) ASTEROIDS
• 5)METEOROIDS
• 6) DUST
• 7) COMETS
• 8) DWARF PLANETS
• THE SUN IS THE STAR IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM. {STAR IS A VERY LARGE BALL OF BRIGHT
GLOWING HOT MATTER IN SPACE}
• THE SUN PROVIDES HEAT AND LIGHT THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE SOLAR SYSTEM
• A PLANET IS A LARGE OBJECT THAT ORBITS A STAR. IT IS SMALLER THAN A STAR, AND IT DOES
NOT MAKE LIGHT.
• PLANETS ARE SHAPED LIKE A SLIGHTLY SQUASHED BALL (A SPHEROID).
• THERE ARE 8 PLANETS IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM.
• SATELLITES ARE SMALLER THAN PLANETS THAT ORBITS OR REVOLVES AROUND LARGER
CELESTIAL OBJECTS (PLANETS)
• SATELLITES ARE COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS MOONS.
• ASTEROIDS ARE SMALL, ROCKY OBJECTS THAT ORBIT THE SUN. ALTHOUGH ASTEROIDS ORBIT
THE SUN LIKE PLANETS, THEY ARE MUCH SMALLER THAN PLANETS.
• MOST ASTEROIDS CAN BE FOUND BETWEEN THE PLANETS OF MARS AND JUPITER. THIS AREA IS
CALLED THE ASTEROID BELT.
• A METEOROID IS A SMALL ROCKY OR METALLIC BODY IN OUTER SPACE. METEOROIDS ARE
SIGNIFICANTLY SMALLER THAN ASTEROIDS, AND RANGE IN SIZE FROM SMALL GRAINS TO
ONE-METER-WIDE OBJECTS.
• WHEN A METEOROID ENTERS THE EARTHS ATMOSPHERE. IT HEATS UP AND EVAPORATES
LEAVING A STREAK OF LIGHT IT IS KNOWN AS A METEOR
• IF A METEOR REACHES THE GROUND BEFORE EVAPORATING ITS CALLED A METEORITE
• A COMET IS SMALL SOLAR SYSTEM BODY, MADE UP OF ICE, DUST AND ROCKY MATERIAL.
• ALL COMETS IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM ORBIT THE SUN. A SHORT-PERIOD COMET TAKES LESS
THAN 200 YEARS TO COMPLETE AN ORBIT OF OUR SUN.
• A LONG-PERIOD COMET CAN TAKE THOUSANDS TO MILLIONS OF YEARS TO COMPLETE AN
ORBIT OF OUR SUN.
• THE INTERPLANETARY DUST CLOUD, OR ZODIACAL CLOUD, CONSISTS OF COSMIC DUST THAT
PERVADES THE SPACE BETWEEN PLANETS WITHIN PLANETARY SYSTEMS, SUCH AS THE SOLAR
SYSTEM