Outer Planets Characteristics of Outer Planets Gas planets

Outer Planets

Characteristics of Outer Planets �Gas planets �Higher in mass and size and lower in density than inner planets �None of these planets has a solid surface �All of these planets have a large number of moons and also ring system �Majority of the planetary mass in the

Jupiter �Largest planet in the solar system � 1400 times the volume of Earth �Has continuous storms of swirling high pressure gas. �Has the largest storm, the great Red Spot �Composed of helium, methane, some ammonia and water vapor �Contains liquid hydrogen

Jupiter �Has colorful clouds. �Atmosphere with white, red, tan and brown clouds caused by strong atmospheric currents and accentuated by dense cloud cover

Four Galilean Moons of Jupiter �Europa �Io �Callisto �Ganymede

Saturn �Sixth planet from the sun �Known for its wonderful rings made up of ice and other debris �A division in its rings is called the Cassini division, a division appears to be empty but just less dense �Its moon, Titan is the second largest moon in the solar system and the only moon with an atmosphere

Saturn �Has the lowest density among the planets that it would float on water �Has a thick outer atmosphere composed of hydrogen, helium, ammonia, methane and water vapor �Second largest planet in the solar system �It generates 3 times as much heat it receives from the sun because it continues to contract and settle

Uranus �William Herschel, a German astronomer discovered Uranus on March 13, 1781 �Dark shadings at the right edge of the sphere correspond to the day-night boundary on the planet �Beyond this boundary, Uranus ‘ hemisphere remains in perpetual darkness because of the way the planet rotates

Uranus �Tilted 98° to its plane �Has a system of thin, dark rings �Atmosphere is composed of hydrogen, helium and some methane �Its blue-green color comes from methane gas present in its cold, clear atmosphere. (methane absorbs red and yellow light and the clouds reflect the green and blue)

Neptune �Farthest gas planet from the sun �Although blue unlike Uranus, Neptune shows many more features in its atmosphere �Has a dark-colored storm-like feature, a great dark spot in its atmosphere similar to Jupiter’s Great Red Spot �Has liquid water, methane and ammonia �Triton, one of its moons, orbits in the direction opposite that in which Neptune rotates