The Solar System Early Thoughts of the Solar

Early Thoughts of the Solar System • Greek scientists believed that the planets, the

1. ) Ptolemy (150 AD) - said that the Sun and the planets revolved

2. ) Copernicus (1543 AD) - said that the Earth and the planets revolve

3. ) Galileo (1610 AD) - supported the heliocentric model. * Used HIS telescope

• Our Solar System is believed to be about 5 billion years old.

• Solar System began as a swirling cloud of gas, dust and ice

• Shock waves from a nearby supernova caused the birth of a protosun

• Gases and other matter spinning around the Sun condensed to form protoplanets.

• The cloud eventually produced a Sun and nine planets.

• Planets closest to the Sun. * due to the heat, lightweight gases

1. ) MERCURY 2. ) VENUS 3. ) EARTH 4. ) MARS

• The inner planets are also known as “Terrestrial Planets”.

Terrestrial • Means “Earth - like” * similar in mass, composition, solid and rocky

• The planets farthest away from the Sun. * lightweight gases remained due

1. ) JUPITER 2. ) SATURN 3. ) URANUS 4. ) NEPTUNE

• The outer planets are also known as “Gas Giants”.

The farthest planet, PLUTO. • May be a rogue satellite of Neptune. • Does

Satellites • As the planets cooled, smaller clumps of matter formed around them and

Asteroid Belt • String of rocks that orbits the Sun between Mars and Jupiter.

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The Solar System

Early Thoughts of the Solar System • Greek scientists believed that the planets, the sun, the moon and the stars were stuck in separate spheres that rotated around the Earth. * used the term “planasthai” which means “to wander” to describe it

1. ) Ptolemy (150 AD) - said that the Sun and the planets revolved around the Earth. * known as the “Ptolemaic Model” or “Geocentric” * supported by the church

2. ) Copernicus (1543 AD) - said that the Earth and the planets revolve around the Sun. * known as the “Heliocentric Model” * was persecuted by the church

3. ) Galileo (1610 AD) - supported the heliocentric model. * Used HIS telescope to gather evidence * saw that Venus has phases like the moon

• Our Solar System is believed to be about 5 billion years old.

• Solar System began as a swirling cloud of gas, dust and ice held together by gravity.

• Shock waves from a nearby supernova caused the birth of a protosun (protostar).

• Gases and other matter spinning around the Sun condensed to form protoplanets.

• The cloud eventually produced a Sun and nine planets.

• Planets closest to the Sun. * due to the heat, lightweight gases were boiled away leaving metals and rocky materials

1. ) MERCURY 2. ) VENUS 3. ) EARTH 4. ) MARS

• The inner planets are also known as “Terrestrial Planets”.

Terrestrial • Means “Earth - like” * similar in mass, composition, solid and rocky surface, close to the Sun, no rings, few or no satellites

• The planets farthest away from the Sun. * lightweight gases remained due to the extreme cold so they grew to ENORMOUS sizes

1. ) JUPITER 2. ) SATURN 3. ) URANUS 4. ) NEPTUNE

• The outer planets are also known as “Gas Giants”.

The farthest planet, PLUTO. • May be a rogue satellite of Neptune. • Does not exactly fit the definition of a planet.

Satellites • As the planets cooled, smaller clumps of matter formed around them and became moons.

Asteroid Belt • String of rocks that orbits the Sun between Mars and Jupiter. * made up of planet like matter