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Solar System Overview

Solar System Overview. Created by the Lunar and Planetary Institute For Educational Use Only LPI is not responsible for the ways in which this powerpoint may be used or altered. FYI … Distance Not To Scale …. Image: Lunar and Planetary Laboratory:

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Solar System Overview

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  1. Solar System Overview Created by the Lunar and Planetary Institute For Educational Use Only LPI is not responsible for the ways in which this powerpoint may be used or altered. FYI … Distance Not To Scale … Image: Lunar and Planetary Laboratory: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/multimedia/display.cfm?IM_ID=178

  2. The Sun • At the Center (and we do go around it …..) • 99.85% mass of Solar System • 92% H / 8% He • Source of solar wind and space weather • Genesis Mission – solar wind • SOHO Image at http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA03149

  3. Inner Planets • “Terrestrial Planets” • Rocky • Dense • Metal cores (iron) Images: Lunar and Planetary Laboratory: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/multimedia/display.cfm?IM_ID=178

  4. Asteroids • “Minor planets” or “planetoids” less than 1000 km across • Asteroid Belt between Mars and Jupiter • Occasionally run into Earth and other planets (oops) Ida Image: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/multimedia/display.cfm?IM_ID=2093

  5. Outer Planets • Large! • Gases and liquids • No solid surface • May have a small solid core • Tumultuous atmospheres - rapid winds, large storms • Rotate relatively quickly Image: Lunar and Planetary Laboratory: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/multimedia/display.cfm?IM_ID=178

  6. Kuiper Belt • Disk of debris at the edge of our Solar System • Pluto is a KB Object (sorry!) • Source of short-period comets

  7. Oort Cloud • Sphere of widely spaced comets, dust • 30 trillion km from Sun • Long-period comets (random time and direction) Relative position of Sedna to Kuiper Belt: NASA/JPL-Caltech/R. Hurt (SSC-Caltech) http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/Media/releases/ssc2004-05/ssc2004-05d.shtml Artist’s conception of Sedna: NASA/JPL-Caltech/R. Hurt (SSC-Caltech) http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/Media/releases/ssc2004-05/ssc2004-05b.shtml

  8. Inner Planets! Image: Lunar and Planetary Laboratory: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/multimedia/display.cfm?IM_ID=178

  9. Mercury • Smallest planet (0.4 Earth diam) • Closest to Sun, moves around fastest (88 days) • Surface -173 to 427 ºC (-280 to 800 ºF) • Very large core relative to the size of the planet Image by NASA STEREO: http://stereo.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/3dshowcase.shtml

  10. MESSENGER Mission at Mercury Images from http://messenger.jhuapl.edu/

  11. Models of its formation –impact model no longer in favor, from MESSENGER’s evidence.

  12. vents Volcanism • From DPS slide set http://dps.aas.org/files/mercuryvolcanism.ppt The MESSENGER mission studying Mercury recently discovered shield volcanos and volcanic vents on Mercury.

  13. Graphic from http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/multimedia/display.cfm?IM_ID=788

  14. Mariner image at http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA02444

  15. Mercury Dense! 5.43 g/cc Surface is made of lighter stuff (spectrum similar to Moon) 75% iron and nickel – large core – size of moon Why so large? Magnetic field Image by LPI: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/multimedia/display.cfm?IM_ID=168

  16. NASA Image: http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/photo_gallery/photogallery-venus.html

  17. Venus • Nearly the same size as Earth (.95) • Slowest rotation of any planet (243 days) • Spins backwards • Surface temp 377 to 487 C • 710 to 908 F … hotter than Mercury • Cloud covered – radar observations • Dry! • Very thick atmosphere mostly CO2 • Surface pressure is 100 times higher than Earth’s • Runaway greenhouse Can see it in the night sky without a telescope! Magellan image from http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/magellan/image5.html

  18. Where Do Atmospheres Come From? Image from LPI: http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/timeline/gallery/slide_33.html

  19. All Planets with Volcanism – Including Earth! Only Earth (As far as we know …) NOTE: Not required for life! Images from LPI: http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/timeline/gallery/slide_17.html and http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/timeline/gallery/slide_47.html

  20. Venera Images - 1982 Mariner 2 Fly-by in 1962; 20 “visits” since, including Venera landers and Magellan Orbiter Image: http://www.lpi.usra.edu/publications/slidesets/ss_tour/slide_5.html

  21. Sapas Mons – 1.5 km (0.9 mi) high, 400 km (248 mi) across Atla Regio Volcanic flood plains cover 85% of surface 1100 volcanic centers identified Magellan image at http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/magellan/image28.html

  22. Maat Mons – 8 km (5 mi) high, Aphrodite Terra Region NASA Image: http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/photo_gallery/photogallery-venus.html

  23. Alpha Regio—Pancake Domes NASA Image from LPI: http://www.lpi.usra.edu/publications/slidesets/venus/slide_24.html

  24. What’s missing on Venus? Few impact craters – what does this tell us? No craters less than 3 km (meteoroid ~ 30 m across) Atmospheric filter

  25. No interior data, density similar to earth; so probably a core Surface 300-500 million years old Few, random craters, sharp edges Basalts No magnetic field; solid core Probably geologically active – convection in mantle Image from LPI: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/multimedia/display.cfm?IM_ID=168

  26. Earth 7900 mile (12756 km) diameter 23 degree axis tilt (seasons!) Surface temps –73 to 48 C (-100 to 120F) Thick atmosphere, mild greenhouse effect Liquid water – lots! - at surface Can see it without a telescope!

  27. Geologically active? Core, mantle, crust Magnetic field? Image from LPI: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/multimedia/display.cfm?IM_ID=168

  28. Who Cares About a Magnetic Field? We do! National Geophysical Data Center, Artist: E. Endo http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/seg/geomag/icons/solarexp.jpg

  29. Mars Can see it in the night sky without a telescope! 6794 km diameter (4,220 miles) – about ½ of Earth’s 25 degree axis tilt (seasons!) Rotates once every ~24 hours and orbits the Sun once every 687 days Very cold -83 to -33 C (-117 to -27 F) Thin atmosphere, 95% CO2, & 3% N No liquid water at surface; ice in poles and regolith? Two small moons - Phobos (Fear) and Deimos (Terror) NASA image from http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/multimedia/display.cfm?IM_ID=2050

  30. Mars Surface gravity: 38% About like Mercury’s, because of Mars’ low density Core Crust – thick – supports huge volcanoes No magnetic field – had one because meteorites do; solid core? Meteorites – 180 million year old basalts Image from LPI: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/multimedia/display.cfm?IM_ID=168

  31. Image available at http://www.lpi.usra.edu/science/treiman/greatdesert/workshop/marsmaps1/

  32. Western edge of Tharsis Region • Tharsis Bulge: • 2,500 miles across • 6 miles high MGS images at: http://www.msss.com/mars_images/moc/6_10_99_tharsis/

  33. Dune Fields, Wind Streaks, Dust Storms MGS image at http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/sanddunes/20020418b.html MGS image at http://www.msss.com/mars_images/moc/2003/11/03/ Hubble image of Mars at http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/newsroom/pressreleases/20070108a.html

  34. Water ice and dust • CO2 layer – winter • Caps expand and contract during seasonal changes MGS image of ice cap: http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/polaricecaps/PIA02393.html Viking image at http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/imgcat/html/object_page/vl2_p21873.html Viking Image at http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00407

  35. Liquid Water in the Past? M-01 10 km Viking image from: http://www.lpi.usra.edu/publications/slidesets/redplanet2/slide_26.html

  36. Mars Science Lab Launches next week—Nov. 25! Lands August 2012.

  37. Asteroids • “Minor planets” or “planetoids” less than 1000 km across • Many in the asteroid Belt between Mars and Jupiter • Leftovers from the formation of the solar system • Can tell us more about the conditions, and how the planets formed and changed—including the Earth Image from Lunar and Planetary Institute: 3D Tour of the Solar System/

  38. Dawn Mission at Vesta Dawn mission arrived in July. Mountain discovered on Vesta is 3 X taller than Mt. Everest.

  39. Grooves? Maybe from giant impact

  40. The Gas Giants Image: Lunar and Planetary Laboratory: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/multimedia/display.cfm?IM_ID=178

  41. Small rocky cores – hot? cold? • Mostly hydrogen and helium • Where’s the surface? LPI Image, from: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/multimedia/display.cfm?IM_ID=166

  42. Jupiter • 89,000 miles (143,000 km) diameter – 11x Earth • 2x mass of all other planets combined (318 x Earth); 100 pounds on Earth = 254 on Jupiter • 90% H and 10% He (75/25% by mass) • Methane, water, ammonia, rock • Rocky core – liquid metallic hydrogen – electrical conductor, generates magnetic field • Similar to Solar Nebula Image at http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA02873

  43. Juno is on its way! • Launched in August 2011 • Will arrive in orbit July 2016 • Juno will improve our understanding of the solar system’s beginnings by revealing the origin and evolution of Jupiter.

  44. Jupiter • Cloud-tops average = -153°C = -244°F. • 10 hour rotation / 12 year orbit • Fly-bys: Pioneer 10, 11, Voyager 1, 2, Ulysses (2/04), Cassini • Orbiter: Galileo – 8 years (recently “visited” the planet), Probe Can see it in the night sky without a telescope! Image at http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA02873

  45. Jupiter Moons Image from http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/multimedia/display.cfm?IM_ID=2099 Galileo – 1610 – Four “Galilean” Moons of Jupiter (Io behind Jupiter) 63 moons … and counting Rings! Rocky particles, no ice Image from http://pds-rings.seti.org/jupiter/galileo/PIA00657.html

  46. Storms on Jupiter Giant Red Spot – at least 300 years old 3 x size of Earth Winds up to 400 km / hr “Jr” Hubble images of Great Red Spot at http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/solar%20system/jupiter/1999/29/image/a/results/20/

  47. Aurora Hubble image from http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/multimedia/display.cfm?IM_ID=1866

  48. Io NASA Gallileo Image at: http://www.lpi.usra.edu/publications/slidesets/ss_tour/slide_23.html

  49. Europa NASA Galileo image at: http://www.lpi.usra.edu/publications/slidesets/ss_tour/slide_24.html

  50. Europa Galileo Image at http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA03878

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