The Planets of the Solar System
A Trip Through the Solar System
Mercury - named after the speedy
messenger of the Roman gods
•
•
•
•
•
•
Closest planet to the sun
Revolution around the sun = 88 Earth days
Rotation on its axis = 59 Earth days
Crater-covered surface with steep cliffs
Almost no atmosphere
Temperature range- HOTT!!
– as high as 427 degrees C
– as low as -170 degrees C
Mercury - named after the speedy
messenger of the Roman gods
http://pds.jpl.nasa.gov/planets/welcome/mercury.htm
Venus - named after the Roman
goddess of beauty and love
• Second planet from the sun
• About the same size as Earth
• Thick, cloudy atmosphere
– sulfuric acid
– carbon dioxide
• Temperature range
– as high as 480 degrees C
Venus - named after the Roman
goddess of beauty and love
• Surface pressure = 91 times more than
Earth’s
• Surface has…
– deep canyons and tall mountains
– craters
– vast plains
• Revolution around the sun = 224 Earth days
• Rotation on its axis = 243 Earth days
Venus - named after the Roman
goddess of beauty and love
• Greenhouse effect
– heat becomes trapped beneath the clouds
– results in little or no water on Venus’ surface
Venus - named after the Roman
goddess of beauty and love
http://pds.jpl.nasa.gov/planets/welcome/venus.htm
Earth
•
•
•
•
Third planet from the sun
Revolution around the sun = 365 days
Rotation on its axis = 24 hours
Because the axis of the Earth is tilted, this
creates “seasons” throughout the year
Earth
• Temperature range depends on the location,
altitude and season
• Only planet to have life exist with water and
oxygen
• Surface –
–
–
–
Mountains
Plains
Deserts
Heavy vegetation
Earth
http://pds.jpl.nasa.gov/planets/welcome/earth.htm
Mars - named after the Roman
god of war
• Fourth planet from the sun
• Surface
–
–
–
–
rocky
large craters
soils is similar to Earth’s soil in many ways
four large volcanoes (dormant)
Mars - named after the Roman
god of war
– northern ice cap
• frozen water
– southern ice cap
• frozen carbon dioxide
• Very thin atmosphere
• High winds often create dust storms
• Temperate falls well below 0 degrees C all
the time
Mars - named after the Roman
god of war
http://pds.jpl.nasa.gov/planets/welcome/mars.htm
Jupiter - named after the king of
the Roman gods
• Fifth planet from the sun
• Largest planet
• Made of mainly
– hydrogen
– helium
• Temperature range – very cold at the cloud tops
– as high as 30,000 degree C at the core
Jupiter - named after the king of
the Roman gods
• Atmosphere
–
–
–
–
hydrogen
helium
ammonia
methane
• Great Red Spot
– hurricane-like storm (as much as 20,000 years
old)
Jupiter - named after the king of
the Roman gods
• Very high atmospheric pressure
• Giant magnetic field
– created by the liquid metallic layer
– called magnetosphere
Jupiter - named after the king of
the Roman gods
http://pds.jpl.nasa.gov/planets/welcome/mars.htm
Saturn - named after the Roman
god
• Sixth planet from the sun
• Surrounded by rings
– made of icy particles
– has at least seven major rings
• Made of mainly
– hydrogen
– helium
Saturn - named after the Roman
god
•
•
•
•
Violent atmospheric storms
Very cold
Has a large magnetic field
Lowest density of all the planets
Saturn - named after the Roman
god
http://pds.jpl.nasa.gov/planets/welcome/saturn.htm
Uranus - named after the father
of Saturn in Roman mythology
• Seventh planet from the sun
• Atmosphere: made of gas
– hydrogen
– helium
– methane
• Temperature range
– as low as -220 degree C at the cloud tops
Uranus - named after the father
of Saturn in Roman mythology
• Extreme atmospheric pressure
– atmosphere is 11,000 kilometers thick
• Rotates on its axis at a 90 degree angle
– appears laying on its side
• Rings of methane ice surround it
Uranus - named after the father
of Saturn in Roman mythology
http://pds.jpl.nasa.gov/planets/welcome/uranus.htm
Neptune - named after the Roman
god of the sea
• Eighth planet from the sun
• Atmosphere- made of gas
– hydrogen
– helium
– methane
• Temperature
– as low as -220 degrees C
Neptune - named after the Roman
god of the sea
• Surface
– ocean of water and liquid methane
– rocky core
• Five rings surround Neptune
– made of dust particles formed from meteorites
Neptune - named after the Roman
god of the sea
http://pds.jpl.nasa.gov/planets/welcome/neptune.htm
Pluto - named after the Roman
god of the underworld
• No longer considered a planet!!
• Made mostly of methane ice
• Thin atmosphere (only on the sunny side)
– methane ice evaporated to form this
Pluto - named after the Roman
god of the underworld
http://pds.jpl.nasa.gov/planets/welcome/pluto.htm
Other Websites
Planet Scapes
Views of the Solar System
Interactive Planet Tour
Planetary Paths
Orbital Motions - The Inner Planets