Inner vs Outer Planets Inner planets are spaced

Inner vs. Outer Planets Inner planets are spaced more closely than outer planets Gas giants tend to have a massive atmosphere compared to the inner planets Astronomical unit is the average distance between Earth and the Sun (8. 3 lights minutes)

Mercury • Closest to the Sun • 88 Earth days or 1. 5 Mercurian days is one year/one revolution around sun, but has a slow rotation.

Venus • High Temperature the greenhouse effect of the dense atmosphere of carbon dioxide

Earth • One of the major factors that makes life possible on Earth is that it has liquid water on the surface • 3 rd planet from the sun

Mars • Thin atmosphere and cold. • Water may have existed on the surface at one time when the atmosphere was thicker. Also has volcanoes.

Jupiter • Largest, gaseous planet made up of mostly Hydrogen and Helium. • Very hot with a great red spot that may be a massive storm system

Saturn • Has largest rings of the gaseous giants • Rings made up of icy materials

Uranus • Titled almost 90 degree during the rotation • Blue green color due to gases hydrogen and methane that made up the composition of the planet

Neptune • Belts of clouds that allow the planet to be visible caused by the release of energy to its outer layers

Pluto • Dwarf “Planet” has a thin atmosphere of methane made up of rock and ice. • Small and crosses orbit of Neptune so currently not considered a “planet”