SOLAR SYSTEM: PLANETS AND OTHER CELESTIAL BODIES

• Sun


  The only in the solar system.

  • a ball of hot plasma that serves as the source of heat and light
  • holds 99.8% of the mass and solar system

  PARTS:

  • Core - heart of the sun
  • Radiative Zone - radiates energy to the surface
  • Convective Zone - weak energy waves
  • Photosphere - highly irregular waves
  • Chromosphere - highly agitated zone
  • Corona - outer portion
  • Sun Spots - dark areas
  • Prominence - tongue-like flames
• Mercury


  It is the smallest planet and closest planet to the sun.

  • 88 days revolution
  • closest to the sun
  • no atmosphere
  • no moons or rings
  • Iron and Nickel core
• Venus


  Hottest planet in the solar system due to greenhouse effect

  • slowest rotation among the solar system's planets
  • Earth's "twin sister"
  • similar to mercury
  • retrograde motion (westward)
• Earth


  Only known planet in the universe that supports life

  • within the "Goldilocks Zone" maintaining the water to remain liquid
  • 4 subsystems
  • 365 days revolution
  • one moon
  • 23.5 axial tilt
• Mars


  It is called the "red planet"; reddishness resulting fromm abundant presence of iron oxide (Ferrous Oxide).

  MOONS - Phobos and Deimos

  LARGEST VOLCANO - Olympus Mons

  LARGEST CANYON - Valles Marineri
• Jupiter


  A Gas giant and Jovian Planet.

  • largest planet in the solar system
  • known for the storm "Great red spot"
  • mainly composed of hydrogen and helium

  GALILEAN MOONS:

  • Io - most volcanically active body in the solar system
  • Europa - mostly water ice
  • Ganymede - largest moon in the solar system
  • Callisto - very few craters shown
• Saturn


  Also a gas giant and known for its "ring system"

  • 53 moons (e.g. Titan)
  • similar to Jupiter
  • observed using Cassini Huygens Space Probe
  • Most rings
• Uranus


  Also a gas giant which was discovered by William Herschel

  • methane ice responsible for bluish color
  • coldest planet
  • Retrograde Motion (westward motion)
  • 27 moons
  • 13 rings
  • 90 tilt
  • observed by Voyager 2, contains H, HE, CH4, and NH4
• Neptune


  Also a gas giant

  • farthest planet from the sun
  • only planet not visible to the naked eye
  • similar to Uranus
  • 14 known moons

  STRANGEST MOONS:

  Nereid - Highly Elliptical Orbit

  Triton - Retrogade Motion (westward)
• Pluto

  A dwarf planet with no clear path in its orbit

  • round shaped
  • orbits sun
• Kuiper Belt

  A doughnut shaped region with a lot of celestial objects.
• Earth's Moon


  Earth's only natural satellite

  • brightest object in the night sky
  • Tidally-locked (non-rotating)
  • Apogee - farthest/longest away
  • Perigee - nearest/shortest away

  Spring Tide

  • Moon, Sun, and Earth in a straight line
  • high volume tide

  Neap Tide

  • Moon, Sun, and Earth in 90 degree angle
  • low volume tide