The Planets of the Solar System

1. The Planets of the Solar System A Trip Through the Solar System

2. 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 • as high as 427 degrees C • as low as -170 degrees C

3. Mercury - named after the speedy messenger of the Roman gods http://pds.jpl.nasa.gov/planets/welcome/mercury.htm

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. Venus - named after the Roman goddess of beauty and love http://pds.jpl.nasa.gov/planets/welcome/venus.htm

8. 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 distinct “seasons” throughout the year

9. Earth • Temperature range depends on the location, altitude and season • Gravitation pull of the moon creates tide changes (rise and fall of the ocean levels) • Surface - • Mountains • Plains • Deserts • Heavy vegetation

10. Earth http://pds.jpl.nasa.gov/planets/welcome/earth.htm

11. 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)

12. 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

13. Mars - named after the Roman god of war http://pds.jpl.nasa.gov/planets/welcome/mars.htm

14. 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

15. 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)

16. Jupiter - named after the king of the Roman gods • Very high atmospheric pressure • Giant magnetic field • created by the liquid metallic layer • called magnetosphere

17. Jupiter - named after the king of the Roman gods http://pds.jpl.nasa.gov/planets/welcome/mars.htm

18. 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

19. Saturn - named after the Roman god • Violent atmospheric storms • Very cold • Has a large magnetic field • Lowest density of all the planets

20. Saturn - named after the Roman god http://pds.jpl.nasa.gov/planets/welcome/saturn.htm

21. Uranus - named after the father of Saturn in Roman mythology • Seventh planet from the sun • Atmosphere • hydrogen • helium • methane • Temperature range • as low as -220 degree C at the cloud tops

22. 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

23. Uranus - named after the father of Saturn in Roman mythology http://pds.jpl.nasa.gov/planets/welcome/uranus.htm

24. Neptune - named after the Roman god of the sea • Eighth planet from the sun • Atmosphere • hydrogen • helium • methane • Temperature • as low as -220 degrees C

25. 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

26. Neptune - named after the Roman god of the sea http://pds.jpl.nasa.gov/planets/welcome/neptune.htm

27. Pluto - named after the Roman god of the underworld • Ninth planet from the sun • Smallest planet • Least dense planet • Seems to be made primarily of methane ice • Thin atmosphere (only on the sunny side) • methane ice evaporated to form this

28. Pluto - named after the Roman god of the underworld http://pds.jpl.nasa.gov/planets/welcome/pluto.htm

29. Other Websites Planet Scapes Views of the Solar System Interactive Planet Tour Planetary Paths Orbital Motions - The Inner Planets