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Exploring the Unique Characteristics of Our Solar System

The Solar System, dominated by the Sun, contains various celestial bodies, including eight major planets categorized into terrestrial and Jovian types. The inner planets—Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars—are rocky and smaller, while the outer planets—Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune—are gas giants with thick atmospheres. Pluto, now classified as a dwarf planet, showcases unique features that differentiate it from others. Understanding orbital mechanics, gravity, and the environments of celestial bodies deepens our knowledge of these fascinating worlds.

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Exploring the Unique Characteristics of Our Solar System

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  1. Ch. 17: The Solar System

  2. 17-1: What is the Solar System • The Sun contains 99.85% of all the matter in the Solar System. • The planets revolve around the Sun in orbits • Most planets orbit the sun in a counter-clockwise fashion

  3. Nebula spinning cloud of gas and dust in space • One theory to explain how the solar system formed is a nebula • http://www.picturethecosmos.com/

  4. Inner Planets: Small Rocky Worlds • Terrestrial Planets – are small, dense, rocky worlds with less atmosphere than the other type of planet. • They have craters, no rings, very few moons, very small. • Mercury • Venus • Earth • Mars

  5. Outer Planets: Gas Giants • Jovian Planets – are large, gaseous, low density worlds. Thick gaseous mostly hydrogen atmospheres, rings, lots of moons, and very large in comparison to terrestrial planets. • Jupiter • Saturn • Neptune • Uranus

  6. Pluto • Pluto – doesn’t fit either category. Pluto is a small icy world clearly different from either the Jovian and Terrestrial worlds.

  7. Sun’s Family • Sun’s family consists of 8 planets, > 162 moons, & at least 3 dwarf planets

  8. 17-2 Orbits • Gravity force of attraction btw 2 objects with mass • Gravity keeps the planets in orbits flying around the Sun • All planets travel in elliptical orbits • Planets travel fastest at perihelion (closest to Sun) & slower at aphelion (farthest from Sun

  9. 17-3 Our Moon • American landed on the Moon on July 20,1969 • The Moon’s gravity is 1/6 that of Earth • The Moon has no liquid water • Temp. ranges from 100°C to below -200°C (100°C is boiling)

  10. 17-3 Features of Our Moon • Maria smooth, dark areas on the Moon that are broad, flat plains; maria means “seas” • Light areas that are mountains or highlands; some are higher than on Earth • Craters caused by large objects striking the surface or erupting volcanoes

  11. 17-4 Other Moons • Satellite an object that orbits another body in space • Moons are natural satellites • All planets except Mercury & Venus have 1 or more moons

  12. Moons of the Inner Planets • Mercury has 0 moons • Venus has 0 moons • Earth has 1 moon • Mars has 2 moons; Deimos & Phobos

  13. Moons of the Outer Planets • Jupiter has at least 63 moons; Ganymede,Callisto, Io, & Europa are the 4 largest • Saturn has 59 moons; Titan is the largest • Uranus has 27 moons; Titania & Oberon are the largest • Neptune has 13 moons; Triton & Nereid are visible

  14. 17-5 Mercury • Mercury closest planet to the Sun • Dry • Rocky • No atmosphere • Temp. ranges from 430°C to -170°C • Covered with craters

  15. 17-5 Venus • Venus similar to Earth in size, mass, & density Very hostile environment Highest temp. of all planets 90 times more air pressure than Earth Carbon dioxide atmosphere & clouds of sulfuric acid cause a runaway Greenhouse Effect Retrograde rotation (east to west) Has smooth plains, mountains, valleys

  16. 17-5 Earth • Third planet from Sun • Only planet with oceans of liquid water • Only planet with life because it has moderate temp., liquid water, & atmosphere w/ O2

  17. 17-6 Mars • Fourth planet from Sun • Orbit period687 days; rotation24 hr. 37 min. • ½ diameter of Earth • Has volcanoes, polar icecaps, craters, river channels • Thin CO2 atmosphere • No visible water

  18. 17-6 Mars cont. • Cold, dry world; colder than Antarctica in winter, as warm as the Midwest in spring • Winds up to 100 km/h cause dust storms • Volcanoes bigger than Earth Mars has less gravity • Canyon bigger than U.S.

  19. 17-7 Asteroids & Meteoroids • Asteroid belt btw. Mars & Jupiter • Asteroids leftover debris from the formation of solar system that orbit the Sun • Pieces of rock and metal

  20. 17-7 cont. • Meteoroids small chunks of asteroids that travel in space • Meteor rock or metal that enters a planet’s atmosphere • Meteorite rock that hits a planet’s surface

  21. 17-8 Jupiter • Largest planet • 5th planet from Sun and 1st gas giant • Made up mostly of Hydrogen and Helium • Has faint rings of ice and dust • Best known feature is Great Red Spot raging hurricane

  22. 17-8 Saturn • 2nd largest planet • 6th planet from Sun & 2nd gas giant • Made mostly of Hydrogen & Helium • Least dense of all planets; would float in water • Best known for its rings

  23. 17-9 Uranus • 3rd largest planet • 7th planet from Sun & 3rd gas giant • Made mostly of Hydrogen and Helium • Atmosphere contains methane • Appears to lie on its side • Has faint rings

  24. 17-9 Neptune • 4th largest planet • 8th from Sun & last gas giant • Made mostly of Hydrogen & Helium • Upper atmosphere is methane • Has Great Dark Spot similar to Jupiter’s Great Red Spot • Winds blow east to west @1500 km/h

  25. 17-9 Dwarf Planets • In 2006 Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet • Dwarf planet small, planetlike object that orbit the Sun, but share their orbits with other objects • Pluto, Ceres, Eris

  26. 17-9 Kuiper Belt • Kuiper belt is btw Neptune & outer regions of solar system • 100 million fragments of ice & rock • Includes dwarf planets & their moons

  27. 17-10 Comets • Comet lump of ice, frozen gas, & dust • Orbit the Sun in long, ellipses that go beyond Pluto • Has 3 parts: • Nucleus dirty ice ball • Coma cloud of gas surrounds • Tail(s) melting particles that point away from the Sun

  28. 17-10 Comets cont. • Comets come from the Oort Cloud • Far beyond Neptune’s orbit • May contain trillions of inactive comets

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