Name: _____________________________________Date: ________________
Earth Science
Mr. Herman
Exeter SHS
Chapter 23.3 The Outer Planets
Vocabulary
Jovian planets
Draw and label the outer planets of our solar system (remember to include the asteroid
belt and the major moons of the planets) color if you would like. Hint: Jupiter (4), Saturn
(1) , Neptune (1) and Uranus (0) moons.
1. Which of the outer planets is the smallest (diameter)?
2. What planet has a “Great Red Spot”?
3. What is the Great Red spot?
4. How big is the Great Red Spot?
5. Could have Jupiter become a star?
6. Why didn’t Jupiter become a star?
7. What is Jupiter’s atmosphere made up of?
8. Does Jupiter have rings?
9. How many moons where discovered around Saturn?
10. Why is Saturn’s atmosphere considered very active? Give at least 2 examples
11. What are Saturn’s rings made of?
12. Why is Uranus called the ”Sideways Planet”?
13. Does Uranus have a ring system?
14. Why is Neptune considered the “Windy Planet”?
15. What is the “Great Dark Spot” on Neptune?
16. Why was this planet named Neptune?
17. Why is Pluto not considered a planet?
Fill in the general information table below. List 5 characteristics for each
Inner Planets
1
2
3
4
5
Outer Planets
1
2
3
4
5
Objective
Jupiter: Giant Among Planets
 Jupiter has a mass that is 2 1/2 times greater than the mass of all the other planets
and moons combined.
Structure of Jupiter
 Jupiter’s hydrogen-helium atmosphere also contains small amounts of methane,
ammonia, water, and sulfur compounds.
Jupiter and the Great Red Spot
Jupiter’s Moons
 Jupiter’s satellite system, including the 28 moons discovered so far, resembles a
miniature solar system.
Jupiter’s Rings
• Jupiter’s ring system was one of the most unexpected discoveries made by Voyager 1.
Jupiter’s Largest Moons
Saturn: The Elegant Planet
 The most prominent feature of Saturn is its system of rings.
Features of Saturn
 Saturn’s atmosphere is very active, with winds roaring at up to 1500 kilometers
per hour.
 Large cyclonic “storms” similar to Jupiter’s Great Red Spot, although smaller,
occur in Saturn’s atmosphere.
Cassini Approaching Saturn
Saturn’s Rings


Until the discovery that Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune have ring systems, this
phenomenon was thought to be unique to Saturn.
Most rings fall into one of two categories based on particle density.
Saturn’s Moons
 Saturn’s satellite system consists of 31 moons
 Titan is the largest moon, and it is bigger than Mercury.
Rings of Saturn
Uranus: The Sideways Planet
 Instead of being generally perpendicular to the plane of its orbit like the other
planets, Uranus’s axis of rotation lies nearly parallel with the plane of its orbit.
Uranus
Neptune: The Windy Planet
 Winds exceeding 1000 kilometers per hour encircle Neptune, making it one of the
windiest places in the solar system.
Neptune
Pluto: Planet X
 Pluto’s orbit is highly eccentric, causing it to occasionally travel inside the orbit
of Neptune, where it resided from 1979 through February 1999.