Planets 6 th grade Science The Inner Planets

Planets 6 th grade Science

The Inner Planets terrestrial planets- small, dense, and rocky, like earth.

Mercury • closest to sun • one day on mercury is like 59 earth days. – It spins slower on its axis than earth. • the spin of an object in space is called a rotation. • one year is 88 earth days – revolution- the motion of a body as it orbits another

Venus • very similar to earth – same size, mass, and density • the sun rises in the west and sets in the east – Venus's rotation is opposite of ours. • has the hottest surface temperature of any planet. – the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere traps thermal energy from sunlight…. greenhouse effect.

Earth (if you are confused) This is where we live

Mars • most studied planet, besides earth • Viking 1, Viking 2, and Pathfinder – spacecrafts launched and landed on mars • cold planet (13°c - 77° C) • there is evidence of water on mars in the past, but now there is only ice. • volcanoes- Tharsis and Olympus Mons

The Outer Planets Gas planets- don’t have any known solid surfaces

Jupiter • • largest planet made of hydrogen and helium Great Red Spot- a long-lasting storm five NASA missions – Voyager 1, Voyager 2 - sent back images of a faint line around the planet.

Saturn • • • second largest planet rings of rock and ice is made of hydrogen and helium scientist believe Saturn is still forming! all gas giants have rings, but Saturn's are the largest.

Uranus • is made of hydrogen, and methane gas. • featureless- no strong characteristics • tipped on its side. – Scientist believe that a large object hit Uranus and it tipped the planet over.

Neptune • has belts of clouds • has a dark spot like Jupiter

Pluto • • • smallest planet furthest large moon, Charon made of rock and ice only planet that has not been visited by NASA