WARM UP • Can you list the planets in order?

Our Solar System

Space DistancesSpace Distances

• To measure distances in space, we use the astronomical unit (AU).

• 1 AU = 150 million kilometers

• 1 AU = the average distance between the Earth and the Sun.

1 AU

Solar System TourSolar System Tour

• Going on a tour through our solar system, we’ll visit 9 planets and some other things too!

CometsComets

• Comets are made up of dust and frozen gases such as ice.

• Sometimes, a comet swings too close to the sun. The suns radiation vaporizes some of the material, spurting gas and dust…this looks like a tail.

MercuryMercury

• Mercury is 0.4 AU from the Sun.

• Like our moon, it’s surface is marked with craters from meteorite impacts.

• 88 days to orbit the Sun

(1)

VenusVenus

• Venus is 0.7 AU from the Sun.

• It is surrounded by thick clouds.

• The clouds create an extreme greenhouse making it the hotest planet at 470 *C (880*F)

• 225 days to orbit the Sun

EarthEarth

• Earth is 150 million km from the Sun (1 AU).

• Earth is the only planet in the solar system with life!

• Here, surface temperatures allow H2O to exist as solid, liquid and gas.

• 365 days to orbit the Sun

MarsMars

• Mars is the 1.5 AU from the Sun.

• It has seasons and polar ice caps.

• Evidence that there was once liquid water on Mars.

• Mars gets its red color from iron oxide

• 687 days to orbit the Sun

Asteroid BeltAsteroid Belt

• The asteroid belt is a band of rocks that lies between the outer planets (the gas giants) and inner planets (the terrestrial planets).– It lies between Mars and

Jupiter

JupiterJupiter

• Jupiter is 5.2 AU from the Sun.

• It is the largest planet in the solar system with many moons.

• It has a Great Red Spot; a giant storm that’s larger than Pluto.

• 12 years to orbit the Sun

Great Red Spot

SaturnSaturn

• Saturn is 9.5 AU from the Sun.

• It is large and has a ring system.

• The rings are made up of millions of particles of dust, ice, and rock.

• 29.5 years to orbit the Sun

UranusUranus

• Uranus is 19.2 AU from the Sun.

• It has a ring system and many moons (27 that we know of).

• Uranus spins horizontal on it’s plane of orbit. (like it is laying down)

• 84 years to orbit the Sun

NeptuneNeptune

• Neptune is 30.6 AU from the Sun.

• Its atmosphere is made of methane gas which give s the planet a blue-green color.

• Sometimes, Neptune’s orbit crosses with Pluto’s and therefore switches places with Pluto.

• 165 years to orbit the Sun

PlutoPluto

• Pluto is usually 39.5 AU from the Sun.

• It is a small, rocky “dwarf planet” with a frozen crust.

• Pluto is smaller than the Moon.

• 248 years to orbit the Sun