Notes 16 – The PlanetsNotes 16 – The Planets

Mrs. GordonMrs. Gordon

Earth ScienceEarth Science

Wednesday, April 19, 2023Wednesday, April 19, 2023

Ha Ha funny!Ha Ha funny!

My very educated mother just served us My very educated mother just served us nine pizzas!nine pizzas!

WHAT?!WHAT?!M, V, E, M, J, S, U, N, PM, V, E, M, J, S, U, N, P

How do we know that Saturn was married How do we know that Saturn was married more than once?more than once?

Because he has a lot of rings!Because he has a lot of rings!

1. Inner Planets1. Inner Planets

Closer to the sunCloser to the sunMore rocky compositions More rocky compositions (most original (most original

gases were burned off)gases were burned off)

Inner PlanetsInner Planets 2. Mercury2. Mercury Has extreme day and night Has extreme day and night

temps due to no atmosphere temps due to no atmosphere and near the Sunand near the Sun

It is the fastest orbiting planet – It is the fastest orbiting planet – at 50 Km per secondat 50 Km per second . .

Both images were taken in 1975 by the Mariner 10 mission.

Inner PlanetsInner Planets 3. Venus3. Venus Greenhouse effect gone wild, temps hot Greenhouse effect gone wild, temps hot

enough to melt lead.enough to melt lead. Has a retrograde rotation Has a retrograde rotation (spins in the (spins in the

opposite direction from its orbit)opposite direction from its orbit) Its day is longer than its year!!! (one Venus Its day is longer than its year!!! (one Venus

day = 243 Earth days, one Venus year = day = 243 Earth days, one Venus year = 225 Earth days)225 Earth days)

This image was computer generated using altimetry data and imaging radar gathered by the Magellan mission in 1990. Sif Mons on the left (1.2 mi high) and Gula Mons on the right (1.8 mi high).

Inner PlanetsInner Planets 4. Earth4. Earth The only known The only known

planet with life, as planet with life, as liquid water covers liquid water covers 70% of the surface.70% of the surface.

Earth’s early Earth’s early atmosphere changed atmosphere changed after the evolution of after the evolution of oxygen-producing oxygen-producing organisms.organisms.

Inner PlanetsInner Planets 5. Mars5. Mars ‘‘Red planet’ - iron rich surfaceRed planet’ - iron rich surface (when iron oxidizes it turns reddish)(when iron oxidizes it turns reddish) Olympus Mons - largest volcanic mountain Olympus Mons - largest volcanic mountain

in solar system in solar system Valles Marineris – canyon stretching the Valles Marineris – canyon stretching the

distance from NY to LA! distance from NY to LA! Evidence that there used to be flowing Evidence that there used to be flowing

water on its surface…….still water on its surface…….still has polar ice has polar ice (CO(CO22) caps) caps

Life?Life?

Mars Global Surveyor took Mars Global Surveyor took this composite of daily global this composite of daily global images during the recent images during the recent southern winter. In this view, southern winter. In this view, water ice clouds are present water ice clouds are present over each of the five largest over each of the five largest Tharsis volcanoes. The Tharsis volcanoes. The summertime north polar summertime north polar residual water ice cap can residual water ice cap can also be seen. also be seen.

6. Asteroid Belt6. Asteroid Belt

Located between Mars and Jupiter Located between Mars and Jupiter Thinly distributed rocky material Thinly distributed rocky material The gravitational influence of Jupiter prevented The gravitational influence of Jupiter prevented

these bodies from forming a planetthese bodies from forming a planet

7. Outer Planets7. Outer Planets

Past the asteroid belt, farther from the sunPast the asteroid belt, farther from the sunComposed of mostly hydrogen and heliumComposed of mostly hydrogen and helium

Outer PlanetsOuter Planets 8. Jupiter8. Jupiter Most massive planet in our solar Most massive planet in our solar

system.system. Jupiter’s ‘Great Red Spot’ is a giant Jupiter’s ‘Great Red Spot’ is a giant

storm, three Earth’s across in storm, three Earth’s across in diameter.diameter.

Its moon Io is the most volcanically Its moon Io is the most volcanically active body in our solar system.active body in our solar system.

Its other Moon - Europa Its other Moon - Europa – poss. liquid water – poss. liquid water below surface – life??below surface – life??

Io w/ an Io w/ an enormous plume, enormous plume, (200 miles) high, (200 miles) high, from the volcano from the volcano Tvashtar.Tvashtar.

This amazing color portrait of Jupiter's "Little Red Spot" combines high-resolution images from the New Horizons spacecraft taken on February 27, 2007, with color images taken nearly simultaneously by the Hubble Space Telescope. The LORRI images provide details as fine as 9 miles across, which is approximately 10 times better than Hubble can provide on its own. The improved resolution is possible because New Horizons was only 1.9 million miles away from Jupiter when it snapped its pictures, while Hubble was more than 500 million miles away from the Gas Giant planet.

Outer PlanetsOuter Planets

9. Saturn9. SaturnExtensive ring Extensive ring

systemsystemSaturn’s density is Saturn’s density is

less than water less than water – so – so technically, it could technically, it could float in your bathtub!float in your bathtub!

Image taken using red, green and blueImage taken using red, green and blue filters were combined to create this natural filters were combined to create this natural color view. The images were obtained by color view. The images were obtained by the the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft April 13, 2007, Cassini-Huygens spacecraft April 13, 2007, at a distance of approximately 1.1 million at a distance of approximately 1.1 million miles. miles.

Saturn's shadow stretches completely across the rings in this view, taken on Jan. 19, Saturn's shadow stretches completely across the rings in this view, taken on Jan. 19, 2007. The view is a mosaic of 36 images -- that is, 12 separate sets of red, green and blue 2007. The view is a mosaic of 36 images -- that is, 12 separate sets of red, green and blue images -- taken over the course of about 2.5 hours, as Cassini scanned across the entire images -- taken over the course of about 2.5 hours, as Cassini scanned across the entire

main ring system.main ring system.

Outer PlanetsOuter Planets

10. Uranus10. UranusGets its blue-green color Gets its blue-green color

from methane gas in its from methane gas in its upper atmosphere.upper atmosphere.

Its axis is tilted nearly Its axis is tilted nearly horizontal to its ecliptic horizontal to its ecliptic plane (82°).plane (82°).

A recent Hubble Space Telescope view reveals Uranus surrounded by its four major rings and by 10 of its 17 known satellites. This false-color image was generated using data taken in 1998 by Hubble.

Outer PlanetsOuter Planets

11. Neptune11. Neptune Existence predicted in 1846, Existence predicted in 1846,

before it was visibly before it was visibly observed. observed.

One orbit = 165 years, One orbit = 165 years, so it so it has, just this year, made has, just this year, made one full orbit since discoveryone full orbit since discovery

Due to Pluto’s extremely Due to Pluto’s extremely elliptical orbit, Neptune was elliptical orbit, Neptune was actually the farthest planet actually the farthest planet from the Sun from 1979 – from the Sun from 1979 – 1999.1999.

Outer PlanetsOuter Planets 12. Pluto12. Pluto No spacecraft have ever visited Pluto – yet. No spacecraft have ever visited Pluto – yet. Is it a planet? Is it a planet? – – Nope.Nope. Lets go ask NASA....Lets go ask NASA....

This is the clearest view yet of the distant planet Pluto and its moon, Charon. Though Pluto was discovered in 1930, Charon wasn't detected until 1978. That is because the moon is so close to Pluto that the two worlds are typically blurred together when viewed through ground-based telescopes. (’94 Hubble)

Cool websites to go explore…..Cool websites to go explore…..

NASA's Solar System ExplorationNASA's Solar System ExplorationSolar System Exploration: PlanetsSolar System Exploration: PlanetsPlanetQuest: Exoplanet ExplorationPlanetQuest: Exoplanet Exploration