Chapter 20 Our Solar System Inner Planets Inner

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Chapter 20: Our Solar System

Chapter 20: Our Solar System

Inner Planets • Inner Planets often called Terrestrial Planets • Rock Planets – Mercury

Inner Planets • Inner Planets often called Terrestrial Planets • Rock Planets – Mercury – Venus – Earth – Mars • Asteroid Belt separates inner and outer planets

Outer Planets • Outer Planets known as Giants or Jovian – Jovian means “Jupiter

Outer Planets • Outer Planets known as Giants or Jovian – Jovian means “Jupiter like” • Have rings • Comprised mainly of Gases – Jupiter – Saturn – Uranus – Neptune

Mercury

Mercury

Mercury • • • Smallest terrestrial planet and closest to Sun Mercury day =

Mercury • • • Smallest terrestrial planet and closest to Sun Mercury day = 59 Earth days Mercury year = 88 Earth Days Surface marked by craters Planet of extremes – Day = 700 K – Night = 100 K or -170°C

Venus

Venus

Venus • Density and internal structure similar to Earth – Often called “Earth’s Twin”

Venus • Density and internal structure similar to Earth – Often called “Earth’s Twin” – Also known as the Morning and Evening Star • Venus day = 243 Earth Days • Venus year = 225 Earth Days • Hottest surface of any planet = 740 K – Accelerated greenhouse effect, dense atmosphere • Sun rises in West and sets in the East

Mars

Mars

Mars • • • 4 th planet and last of the inner Mars day

Mars • • • 4 th planet and last of the inner Mars day = 24. 6 Earth Hours Mars year = 1. 88 Earth Years Has Polar Ice caps Axis tilt allows for seasons Contains two Moons – Phobos and Deimos

Jupiter

Jupiter

Jupiter • • • Largest and Most Massive Planet Jupiter Day = 9. 93

Jupiter • • • Largest and Most Massive Planet Jupiter Day = 9. 93 Earth hours Jupiter year = 11. 9 Earth years The “Great Red Spot”, storm within atmosphere Strongest surface gravity of planets Io, Europa, Callisto and Ganymede discovered by Gallileo – Io volcanically active – Europa has icy crust hiding liquid

Saturn

Saturn

Saturn • • • 2 nd largest planet Saturn day = 10. 6 Earth

Saturn • • • 2 nd largest planet Saturn day = 10. 6 Earth hours Saturn year = 29. 4 Earth years Has most spectacular rings of any planet Moon Titan is larger than Mercury

Uranus

Uranus

Uranus • Uranus rotates top to bottom – Thought to have been struck by

Uranus • Uranus rotates top to bottom – Thought to have been struck by an asteroid • Uranus day = 17. 2 Earth hours • Uranus year = 83. 8 Earth years • Discovered in 1781 by William Herschel

Neptune

Neptune

Neptune • • Similar is size and shape to Uranus Neptune day = 16.

Neptune • • Similar is size and shape to Uranus Neptune day = 16. 1 Earth hours Neptune year = 164 Earth years Cold, blue planet containing visible clouds – Scientists think Neptune is shrinking, causing energy to be released into atmosphere creating storms • Moon triton orbits Neptune backwards – Contains erupting geysers

Pluto

Pluto

Pluto and Dwarf Planets Furthest “Planet” from sun Pluto day = 6. 39 Earth

Pluto and Dwarf Planets Furthest “Planet” from sun Pluto day = 6. 39 Earth days Pluto year = 248 Earth years Made mainly of “Ices” Orbits closer to the Sun than Neptune for 20 years • Rotates with its moon Charon • Considered a Kuiper Belt object • • •