The Solar System Beyond Chapter 21 Measuring Space

The Solar System & Beyond Chapter 21

Measuring Space Distance Astronomical Units measure distance between the earth and a star • Light Year – the distance that light travels in one year – One light year is about 9. 46 trillion kilometers – Light travels at 300, 000 km/s – The farthest objects we can observe are more than 10 billion light years away

Expanding Universe • Astronomical Units (AU) are a unit of measurement used to calculate the distance between the Earth and the sun as well as other stars • Earth is 1 AU from the sun and Mars is 1. 54 AU from the sun

The Sun • The closest star • Center of our solar system • Made up of hydrogen and helium atoms that produce light and heat through nuclear fusion

Mercury • The closest terrestrial planet to the sun • Has a diameter of 4, 879 km • Its revolution around the sun takes 88 days • 3. 2 light minutes from the sun • Temperature range 127ºC to 427ºC

Venus • 2 nd terrestrial planet from the sun • Spins clockwise on its axis (retrograde) • Has the densest atmosphere • 6. 0 light minutes from the sun • One year revolution is 224 days long • Temperature 464 C

Earth • 3 rd Terrestrial Planet From the Sun • Only one that supports life • 8. 3 light minutes from the sun • 12, 756 km wide • Revolution 365 days

Mars • 4 th planet from the sun • 6, 794 km in diameter • Nicknamed the red planet • Temperatures range from -123 C to 37 C • 12. 7 light minutes from the sun

Jupiter • Largest gas giant • Diameter: 142, 984 km • Revolution 11 ¾ Earth years • Temperature -110 C • Radiates more energy than it receives. Distance from sun 43. 3 light minutes

Saturn • Winds blow at 1000 mph at its equator • Width is 120, 536 km in diameter • Revolution 29 Earth years and 155 days • Temperature -140 C • Has Icy rings • Light from the sun reaches here in 1. 3 light hours

Uranus • Spins on its side, its poles, possibly due to planet collision • Diameter 51, 118 km • Temperature -195º C • One revolution is 83 Earth years and 273 days • 2. 7 light hours from the sun

Neptune • Has belts of visible clouds • Diameter 49, 528 km • 4. 2 light hours from the sun • Has thermal energy center that warms the planet like Jupiter and Neptune • Revolution 163 Earth years • Temperature -200 C

Pluto ? ? ? • Farthest from the sun, Bizarre Orbit • Demoted from planet August 2006 • Diameter 2, 390 km • Temperature -225 C • Revolution every 248 Earth Years • 5. 4 light hours from the sun

The Moon • Our moon is a natural satellite – (a non-made man object that follows in a planets orbit) • Moon is named Luna • Moon revolves and orbits the Earth every 28 days.

Me & My Shadow • Umbra - source of light is completely blocked by the object causing the shadow • Penumbra is a solar shadow where the light source is only partially blocked and there is only a partial shadow.

Solar Eclipse • Happens when the moon comes between Earth and the sun • The shadow of the moon falls on part of the Earth • A total eclipse of the sun doesn’t happen over the whole Earth

Lunar Eclipse • Happens when Earth comes between the sun and the moon • The shadow of the Earth falls on the moon

Meteors