The Solar System (and its parts) Aubrey Demming ITC 525 Summer 2011

The Solar SystemThe Solar System(and its parts)(and its parts)

Aubrey DemmingAubrey DemmingITC 525ITC 525

Summer 2011Summer 2011

Table of ContentsTable of Contents What is the Solar System?What is the Solar System? SunSun MercuryMercury VenusVenus EarthEarth MarsMars JupiterJupiter SaturnSaturn UranusUranus NeptuneNeptune PlutoPluto

View a short solarsystem video!

What is the Solar System?What is the Solar System?

Our solar system includes the sun and Our solar system includes the sun and all the objects that orbit around the all the objects that orbit around the sun.sun.

The objects around the sun include The objects around the sun include planets, meteors, moons, asteroids, planets, meteors, moons, asteroids, and comets.and comets.

Click to learn more!Click to learn more!

The SunThe Sun The sun is the center of our solar system and it The sun is the center of our solar system and it

is not a planet, it’s a STAR! Because it’s a star, is not a planet, it’s a STAR! Because it’s a star, that means it’s made of hot gases.that means it’s made of hot gases.

The surface of the sun is called the photosphere The surface of the sun is called the photosphere and it’s 27 million degrees Fahrenheit (your and it’s 27 million degrees Fahrenheit (your body is only 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit).body is only 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit).

We would need 109 Earths to fit inside the sun!We would need 109 Earths to fit inside the sun! Without the sun, we would not have heat or Without the sun, we would not have heat or

light on the Earth. light on the Earth.

Watch a song to learn about oursun!

Quiz Yourself!Quiz Yourself!

What is the sun made out of?What is the sun made out of?

A. A. Golf ballsGolf balls

B. B. LiquidLiquid

C. C. GasGas

D. D. IceIce

Correct Answer!!Correct Answer!!

You are on your way to being a super You are on your way to being a super solarsolar

system expert!system expert!

Oops! That answer is Oops! That answer is incorrect.incorrect.

If you’re not sure, you can go back to If you’re not sure, you can go back to thethe

page about page about the sun.the sun.

Click here …Click here …

MercuryMercury

Mercury appears to be a Mercury appears to be a small, brown, planet made up small, brown, planet made up of rock. of rock.

It looks a lot like the surface It looks a lot like the surface of our moon.of our moon.

It has cliffs and craters It has cliffs and craters because of meteors and because of meteors and comets hitting the surface.comets hitting the surface.

During the day, it can reach During the day, it can reach 800 degrees Fahrenheit and 800 degrees Fahrenheit and at night, it can drop to at night, it can drop to

-280 degrees Fahrenheit!-280 degrees Fahrenheit!

Find out moreabout the closestplanet to the sun!


Mercury looks closest to what other Mercury looks closest to what other object object

in our solar system?in our solar system?

A. A. The sunThe sun

B. B. A meteorA meteor

C. C. EarthEarth

D. D. Our moonOur moon






page about page about MercuryMercury..


VenusVenus Venus is often called “Evening Star” Venus is often called “Evening Star”

because it is so bright.because it is so bright. It is a yellowish color and can be seen It is a yellowish color and can be seen

from Earth.from Earth. It’s the only planet that It’s the only planet that spins backwards!spins backwards! Venus has clouds filled with sulfuric acid Venus has clouds filled with sulfuric acid

and more volcanoes than any other planet.and more volcanoes than any other planet.

EarthEarth Earth is the third Earth is the third

planet from the sun.planet from the sun. It is 4.5 billion years It is 4.5 billion years

old!old! The Earth has land The Earth has land

and water on the and water on the surface. 71% of the surface. 71% of the surface is water!surface is water!

We have one We have one moonmoon that orbits around that orbits around the Earth.the Earth.

Click to download Google Earthand explore the Earth in 3-D!

Quick Activity: Quick Activity:

Turn to a friend Turn to a friend and tell him or her and tell him or her two reasons why two reasons why you think people you think people and animals can and animals can live on Earth.live on Earth.

Want some help?Want some help?

Click here to find out Click here to find out why Earth has life!why Earth has life!

MarsMars Mars is a windy, dusty planet that Mars is a windy, dusty planet that

also has the nickname “Red Planet”.also has the nickname “Red Planet”. It’s very rocky and has many It’s very rocky and has many

features on its surface like craters, features on its surface like craters, canyons, and mountains.canyons, and mountains.

Scientists found evidence that there Scientists found evidence that there once was water on Mars, but it is not once was water on Mars, but it is not there anymore. there anymore.

Quiz Yourself!Quiz Yourself!Why is Mars known as the “Red Why is Mars known as the “Red

Planet”?Planet”?

A. A. It once had water on the surface.It once had water on the surface.

B. B. Mars is red in color.Mars is red in color.

C. C. It is a very rocky planet.It is a very rocky planet.

D. D. The scientist who discovered Mars niThe scientist who discovered Mars nicknamed it that. cknamed it that.






page about page about MarsMars..


JupiterJupiter JupiterJupiter is the largest of is the largest of

the planets. the planets. It is made of gas and has It is made of gas and has

many clouds, some many clouds, some water, and a set of rings water, and a set of rings around it.around it.

The planet appears The planet appears “striped” from clouds “striped” from clouds and gas.and gas.

Jupiter is most known for Jupiter is most known for the Giant Red Spot on its the Giant Red Spot on its surface.surface.

Activity Break!Activity Break!

Click on the Click on the NASANASA solar system game! solar system game! It lets you explore the solar system by It lets you explore the solar system by

clicking on the planets.clicking on the planets. Planets with a red ! on top of them are Planets with a red ! on top of them are

planets where NASA is on a mission. planets where NASA is on a mission. There you can pretend you’re on a There you can pretend you’re on a mission by playing a game!mission by playing a game!

SaturnSaturn Saturn is most known for its rings – Saturn is most known for its rings –

which are the largest in the solar which are the largest in the solar system! They are made out of system! They are made out of mostly ice.mostly ice.

A lot of wind and high temperatures A lot of wind and high temperatures cause the yellow bands on the cause the yellow bands on the surface of the planet.surface of the planet.

Saturn is made mostly of gas and it Saturn is made mostly of gas and it has has 52 moons!52 moons!

UranusUranus Uranus is another planet Uranus is another planet

made mostly of gas.made mostly of gas. Methane gas gives the Methane gas gives the

planet its blue/green planet its blue/green color.color.

The core of the planet is The core of the planet is made of rock and ice.made of rock and ice.

Uranus rotates on its Uranus rotates on its side, probably because of side, probably because of something that ran into something that ran into the planet in the past.the planet in the past.

It has ten dark rings It has ten dark rings around it.around it.

Click to watch a video on Uranus.


What gas gives Uranus its blue color? What gas gives Uranus its blue color?

A. A. OxygenOxygen

B. B. Carbon DioxideCarbon Dioxide

C. C. HeliumHelium

D. D. MethaneMethane






page about page about UranusUranus..


NeptuneNeptune Neptune, like Uranus, has methane gas Neptune, like Uranus, has methane gas

that makes the planet look blue in color.that makes the planet look blue in color. It has water and ice on the surface. It has water and ice on the surface. 6 rings are found around the planet and 6 rings are found around the planet and

Neptune has 13 moons.Neptune has 13 moons. The winds on Neptune are nine times The winds on Neptune are nine times

stronger than winds on Earth!stronger than winds on Earth!

Learn more!

Pluto – Is it a planet or not??Pluto – Is it a planet or not?? PlutoPluto was demoted from a was demoted from a

planet to a “dwarf planet” planet to a “dwarf planet” in 2006. A dwarf planet is in 2006. A dwarf planet is an object that isn’t the an object that isn’t the largest thing in its orbit. largest thing in its orbit. That means there are 8 That means there are 8 planets, not 9 now.planets, not 9 now.

It’s surface is mainly It’s surface is mainly frozen gases.frozen gases.

NASA is currently NASA is currently transporting a space craft transporting a space craft to Pluto (for the first time). to Pluto (for the first time). It should be there in It should be there in 2015.2015.

View NASA’s launching schedule!

Last Quiz!Last Quiz!

How many full sized planets are in our How many full sized planets are in our solarsolar

system?system?

A. A. 88

B. B. 99

Show what you know






page about page about PlutoPluto..


Show What You Know!!Show What You Know!! Click for an interactive Click for an interactive labeling activitylabeling activity. Make . Make

sure you put the planets in the correct order!sure you put the planets in the correct order! Click for a planet Click for a planet matching gamematching game. You need to . You need to

match the planet to its characteristics!match the planet to its characteristics!

Apply What You’ve LearnedApply What You’ve Learned

On your own, visit this link and On your own, visit this link and create your own planetcreate your own planet. Think about . Think about what we’ve learned about planets so what we’ve learned about planets so far. Follow the directions on the far. Follow the directions on the main page. You will share your main page. You will share your planet with the class. planet with the class.

CreditsCredits http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/index.cfmhttp://solarsystem.nasa.gov/index.cfm http://kids.nineplanets.org/http://kids.nineplanets.org/ http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=79323http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=79323 http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/Videos/StarChild/solar_system/venushttp://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/Videos/StarChild/solar_system/venus

_rotating.mov_rotating.mov http://www.google.com/earth/index.htmlhttp://www.google.com/earth/index.html http://www.bobthealien.co.uk/earthlife.htmhttp://www.bobthealien.co.uk/earthlife.htm http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/space/solar-http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/space/solar-

system/mars-article.htmlsystem/mars-article.html http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/solar-system-explorer/en/http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/solar-system-explorer/en/ http://science.discovery.com/videos/space-school-uranus.htmlhttp://science.discovery.com/videos/space-school-uranus.html http://www.neok12.com/Solar-System.htmhttp://www.neok12.com/Solar-System.htm http://planetquest.jpl.nasa.gov/planetMakeover/http://planetquest.jpl.nasa.gov/planetMakeover/

planetMakeover.htmlplanetMakeover.html

Documents

The Solar System (and its parts) Aubrey Demming ITC 525 Summer 2011