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THE SOLAR SYSTEM

THE SOLAR SYSTEM. The solar system is all of the planets and their moons, asteroids, planetoids, and comets that orbit the Sun. Solar Nebula Theory – the theory that the solar system formed from a swirling mass of gas and dust. . THE SUN. The Sun is the star at the center of our solar system.

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THE SOLAR SYSTEM

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  1. THE SOLAR SYSTEM The solar system is all of the planets and their moons, asteroids, planetoids, and comets that orbit the Sun. Solar Nebula Theory – the theory that the solar system formed from a swirling mass of gas and dust.

  2. THE SUN • The Sun is the star at the center of our solar system. • It is the only star in our solar system • The energy from the Sun is created by fusion.

  3. Measurement • The distances in space are so great that the numbers would be too difficult to deal with if we used miles or Kilometers. • So distance is measured in Astronomical Units (AU) within our solar system and Light Years in the Universe. • Scientists used the approximate distance from the Earth to the Sun as 1 AU (150 million Km)

  4. Orbits • Orbit – the path of an object around another object. • The orbits of all the planets in our solar system are ellipses (ovals) • However the orbits of most of the planets in our solar system are very close to circular. • The further a planet is from the Sun, the longer the orbit because it has a greater distance to travel.

  5. The Inner Planets • There are four inner planets. • They are the ones closest to the Sun. • They are small and made of rock. • Have few or no moons. • In order from the Sun: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars.

  6. MERCURY • Less than 0.5 AU from the Sun. • No atmosphere. • The core is cool. • Heavily cratered.

  7. VENUS • 0.7 AU from the Sun. • Thick CO atmosphere traps heat causing a greenhouse effect. • Called Earth's twin because it is similar is size.

  8. EARTH • 1 AU from the Sun • Only planet known to sustain life. • Water exists in all three states

  9. MARS • 1.5 AU from the Sun. • CO² atmosphere • Called the Red planet because of the rusting of iron in the soil. • Global wind storms

  10. ASTEROID BELT • An area between Mars and Jupiter in which asteroids orbit the Sun. • The largest asteroid is Ceres Asteroid 951 Gaspra

  11. THE OUTER PLANETS . cat • Large planets made mostly of gas. • Each has many moons

  12. JUPITER • 5.2 AU from the Sun • Largest planet. • Great Red Spot is a storm that is twice as wide as Earth and has lasted at least 100 years.

  13. SATURN • 9.5 AU from the Sun • First planet known to have rings. • Rings made of ice and rock chunks.

  14. URANUS • 19 AU from the Sun • Methane makes it look blue-green. • Rotates on its side.

  15. NEPTUNE • 30 AU from the Sun • Methane makes it appear dark blue. • Can have storms that look like dark spots.

  16. PLUTO • 30 to 50 AU from the Sun. • No longer considered a planet. • Classified as a dwarf planet. • Is small and rocky unlike the outer planets.

  17. Comets • Made of ice and dust • Comets are invisible except when they near the Sun. • Proximity to the Sun creates the comet’s tail, which always points away from the Sun as it orbits.

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