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Solar System Vocab

The document summarizes key information about our solar system. It describes the nine planets, distinguishing inner rocky planets like Earth from outer gas giants like Jupiter. It provides details on the characteristics and properties of each planet, such as their composition, size, orbital period, and atmospheric conditions. The document also explains other components of our solar system including the Sun, moons, asteroids, comets, and defines additional astronomical vocabulary.

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37 views25 pages

Solar System Vocab

The document summarizes key information about our solar system. It describes the nine planets, distinguishing inner rocky planets like Earth from outer gas giants like Jupiter. It provides details on the characteristics and properties of each planet, such as their composition, size, orbital period, and atmospheric conditions. The document also explains other components of our solar system including the Sun, moons, asteroids, comets, and defines additional astronomical vocabulary.

Uploaded by

56w26v9nx8
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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THE SOLAR

SYSTEM
WHAT’S IN OUR SOLAR
SYSTEM?
Our Solar System consists of:
• a central star (the Sun)
• the nine planets orbiting the sun

• moons
• asteroids, comets and meteors
• interplanetary gas and dust
• all the “space” in between them
Inner and Outer Planets
The nine planets of the Solar System are named for
Greek and Roman Gods and Goddesses

OUTER
INNER PLANETS PLANETS
• MERCURY • JUPITER
• VENUS • SATURN
• EARTH • URANUS
• MARS • NEPTUNE
• PLUTO
THE RELATIVE SIZE OF THE
PLANETS IN THE SOLAR
SYSTEM
THE SUN
• THE SUN’S ENERGY = NUCLEAR
FUSION (HYDROGEN IS CONVERTED
TO HELIUM)

• THIS ENERGY IS RELEASED FROM


THE SUN IN THE FORM OF HEAT AND
LIGHT.

• REMEMBER: STARS PRODUCE


LIGHT. PLANETS REFLECT LIGHT.

• A STAR’S TEMPERATURE
DETERMINES ITS “COLOR.”
– THE COLDEST STARS ARE RED.
– THE HOTTEST STARS ARE BLUE.
THE 9 PLANETS OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM

Planets are categorized according to composition and size, with two main
categories :
SMALL ROCKY GAS GIANT
PLANETS PLANETS
• Mercury • Jupiter
• Venus • Saturn
• Earth • Uranus
• Mars • Neptune
• Pluto
CHARACTERISTICS OF SMALL
ROCKY PLANETS

• They are made up mostly of rock and metal.


• They are very heavy.
• They move slowly in space.
• They have no rings and few moons (if any).
• They have a diameter of less than 13,000 km.
MERCURY
• a revolution period of 88 days
• extreme temperature
fluctuations, from 800°F (day)
to -270°F (night)
• Even though it is the closest
planet to the sun, Scientists
believe there is ICE on
Mercury! It is protected from
the sun’s heat by crater
shadows.
VENUS
• the brightest planet in the sky
• atmosphere reflects sunlight
so well.
• often mistaken for a star.

• Its maximum surface


temperature may reach 900°F

• has no moons

• Takes 225 days to complete


an orbit around the sun.
EARTH
• the only planet known to
support living organisms.
• surface is composed of 71%
water.
– Water is necessary for life on
Earth.
– The oceans help maintain
Earth’s stable temperatures.
• Earth has one moon and an
oxygen rich atmosphere.
EARTH’S MOON

• It takes the moon approximately 29 days to


complete one rotation around earth.
• The same side always faces us.
• The surface is covered in dust and rocky debris from
meteor impacts.
• It has no water or atmosphere.
• light is reflected from the sun onto the earth’s
surface.
MARS
• Like Earth, Mars has ice caps
at its poles.
• Mars has the largest volcano in
our solar system
• Olympus Mons approximately
24 km high.
• appears red because of iron
oxide, or rust, in its soil.
• has two moons and takes about
two years to complete an orbit.
PLUTO
• Pluto has only one moon and
takes about 249 years to orbit
the sun.
• Part of its orbit passes inside
that of Neptune, so at times
Neptune is the planet farthest
from the sun.
• Pluto was located and named in
1930, but today Pluto is no
longer considered a
planet.
CHARACTERISTICS OF GAS
GIANTS

• They are made up mostly of gases (primarily


hydrogen & helium).
• They are very light for their size.
• They move quickly in space.
• They have rings and many moons.
• They have a diameter of less than 48,000 km
JUPITER
• the largest and most massive
planet.
• It’s diameter is 11 times
bigger than that of the
Earth’s.
• takes about 12 years for
Jupiter to orbit the sun.
• has 16 known moons.
• composed almost entirely of
SATURN hydrogen and helium.
• has many wide rings made of
ice.
• Rings extend outward to
about 260,000 miles from
the surface
• less than 1.6 km thick.
• has 18 known moons
• some orbit inside the rings!
• It takes about 30 years to
orbit the sun.
URANUS
• blue in color due to
methane gas in its
atmosphere.
• has 11 dark rings
surrounding it.
• has 21 known moons
• takes 84 years to
complete one orbit of the
sun
NEPTUNE
• HAS THE FASTEST
WINDS IN THE
SOLAR SYSTEM: UP
TO 2,000 KM/HR.
• IS ALSO BLUE IN
COLOR DUE TO
METHANE GAS IN
ITS ATMOSPHERE.
• TAKES 165 YEARS TO
ORBIT THE SUN
• HAS 8 MOONS.
ADDITIONAL
VOCABULARY
COMET

AN OBJECT THAT
MOVES AROUND THE
SUN, USUALLY AT A
GREAT DISTANCE FROM
IT, THAT IS SEEN ON
RARE OCCASIONS FROM
EARTH AS A BRIGHT
LINE IN THE SKY
GALAXY

THE VERY LARGE


GROUP OF STARS
THAT CONTAINS THE
SOLAR SYSTEM (THE
SUN AND ALL THE
PLANETS,
INCLUDING THE
EARTH, THAT GO
ROUND IT)
ASTEROIDS

ONE OF MANY LARGE


ROCKS THAT CIRCLE THE
SUN
CRATER
A ROUND HOLE IN THE TOP OF A VOLCANO,
OR A HOLE IN THE GROUND

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