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Understanding Our Solar System: Size, Scale, and Distance in Space

Explore the fascinating world of astronomy and learn about the stars, planets, and galaxies that make up our universe. Discover the scale of our solar system and the vast distances between celestial bodies. Delve into the inner planets and gain a deeper understanding of our place in the cosmos.

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Understanding Our Solar System: Size, Scale, and Distance in Space

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  1. The Solar System-Test 1 Chapter 19, 20, & 21 Please write down all the underlined items. Abbreviate to save time. Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School

  2. Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School

  3. A. What is Astronomy? 1. Astronomy is the study of the universe. • This includes planets, stars, galaxies, black holes, moons, meteors, comets, asteroids and all of the matter that exists in space. 2. Astronomers are people who observe & study space. Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School

  4. B. Modern Calendar • Our modern calendar is based on the observations of bodies in our solar system. 2. A year is the time it takes for the Earth to orbit the sun; year = revolution. 3. A month is the time it takes for the moon to orbit the Earth. 4. A day is the time it takes for the Earth to rotate once on its axis; day = rotation. Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School

  5. The Size and Scale of our Universe It is important to consider scale when we think about the universe. Stars appear to be very small when viewed from Earth, but they are actually very large, some, like our sun, are bigger than Earth. Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School

  6. The Scale of our Solar System Earth Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School

  7. Scale of the Universe SUN Mercury Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School

  8. Our Galaxy and Scale • Our Milky Way galaxy is huge. • Let's now pretend that our galaxy is a kid's sandbox, and our sun is a grain of sand in a sandbox. • The Earth is a dust speck near the grain of sand, too small to be seen without a microscope. • If our sun were a grain of sand in this sandbox representing the Milky Way galaxy, the sandbox would be somewhat oval and yet flat, and would be about 20 feet in diameter. • The sand would be about 12 inches thick in the center, and thinner towards the edges. Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School

  9. C. THE MILKY WAY GALAXY: Spiral Galaxy • Each swirling object you see is a galaxy in our universe. 1. We can estimate that there are about 100 billion stars in our galaxy. 2. Andromeda is the nearest major galaxy to our own Milky Way Galaxy. 3. Most scientists believe that Andromeda is about 2 million light years away from the Milky Way. Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School

  10. D. Milky Way Galaxy: home to our solar system. Each point of light in the galaxy is a star. Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School

  11. E. Distance in Space • Distance in space—mainly distance outside of our solar system—is measured in light years. Example: distance to another star; which is a very, very, large distance • A light year is the distance light travels in a year, 5.88 trillion miles. IT IS NOT TIME!!! 3. Light travels at 186,000 miles per second. 4. If light from a star takes 15 years to reach us, the star is 15 light years away. Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School

  12. F. An Astronomical Unit 1. The distance from the Sun to the Earth is 93 million miles. 2. 93 million miles = 1 astronomical unit 3. This is the unit of measurement for distances between planets in our solar system Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School

  13. Astronomical Unit (AU) for the planets- 1AU = 93,000,000 miles Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School

  14. G. The Sun: The STAR at the Center of Our Solar System 1. Wider than 100 Earths 2. 10,000 °F on surface & 27,000,000 °F in its core 3. less bright & massive than the very largest stars 4. Our sun is a medium sized star. Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School

  15. Size in the Universe- Largest to smallest • Universe • Galaxy • Solar system • Star • Planet Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School

  16. Quiz 1. How long does it take for the Earth to revolve around the sun one time? A. 245 days B. 445 days C. 365 days 2. What is the name of our galaxy? A. Milky Way B. Andromeda 3. 93 million miles = A. 1 light year B. 1 astronomical unit 4. 5.88 trillion miles= A.1 light year B. 1 astronomical unit 5. How long is Earth’s rotation? A. 1 day B. 1 month C. 1 year 6. What is at the center of our solar system? 7. What would we use to measure distances between stars in a galaxy? 8. What would we use to measure distances between planets in our solar system? 9. What do we call the study of the universe? 10. What do we call people who study and observe space?

  17. The Inner Planets http://science.discovery.com/video-topics/space-videos Space Videos Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School

  18. A. The Inner Planets: the terrestrial planets; all are dense & rocky • Mercury • Venus • Earth • Mars 5. The inner planets have fewer moons than the outer planets. Less mass = fewer moons. Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School

  19. The Inner Planets’ Orbits Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School

  20. B. Mercury- low mass • No moons • resembles our moon because of all of its craters • no rings • closest to the sun • Big, grey rock made of iron • Smallest planet-fastest revolution in the solar system • Revolves around the sun in 88 days; Rotates on its axis every 58 days • Temperature variations on Mercury are the most extreme in the solar system. Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School

  21. Mercury In Roman mythology Mercury is the god of commerce, travel and thievery, the Roman counterpart of the Greek god Hermes, the messenger of the Gods. The planet probably received this name because it moves so quickly across the sky. Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School http://www.nineplanets.org/mercury.html

  22. C. Venus- low mass • Earth’s twin—its size is almost as big as Earth • No moons; thick yellow clouds of acid, No rings • Dense nickel & iron planet w/a molten core; covered by many shield volcanoes (largest one is Sif Mons) • Hottest planet in solar system at 464°C due to its thick atmosphere • Atmosphere made of carbon dioxide (90%) & sulfuric acid, which creates a monstrous greenhouse effect. • Revolution: 243 days Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School

  23. Venus Venus (Greek: Aphrodite; Babylonian: Ishtar) is the goddess of love and beauty. The planet is so named probably because it is the brightest of the planets known to the ancients. (With a few exceptions, the surface features on Venus are named for female figures.) Venus has been known since prehistoric times. It is the brightest object in the sky except for the Sun and the Moon. http://www.nineplanets.org/venus.html Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School

  24. D. Earth- low mass • “Third rock from the sun,” made completely of rock; core made of iron & nickel; • 1 moon—Luna, NO rings • Temperatures range from -13°C to 37°C • Densest planet in our solar system; has water in all 3 states of matter (solid, liquid,& gas) • 5th largest planet in solar system • Revolution around the Sun is 365 days. • Only planet to sustain life. Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School

  25. E. Earth’s Moon: Luna(384,400 km from Earth) Called Luna by the Romans, Selene and Artemis by the Greeks, and many other names in other mythologies. The Moon, of course, has been known since prehistoric times. It is the second brightest object in the sky after the Sun. As the Moon orbits around the Earth once per month, the angle between the Earth, the Moon and the Sun changes; we see this as the cycle of the Moon's phases. The time between successive new moons is 29.5 days (709 hours). Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School http://www.nineplanets.org/luna.html

  26. F. Mars- low mass • The red planet • Once had water on it; has polar ice caps that have both frozen water & carbon dioxide in them • Has 2 volcanoes—Tharsis (8,000 km wide) & Olympus Mons—an extinct shield volcano the largest volcano in the solar system 4. Temperature ranges: -123°C to 37°C 5. 2 moons: Phobos & Deimos (mean fear & panic) 6. Revolution: 1 year 322 days (687 days) 7. No Rings- borders the asteroid belt Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School

  27. Phobos Phobos ("FOH bus") is the larger and innermost of Mars' two moons. Phobos is Greek for “fear.”Phobos is closer to its primary than any other moon in the solar system, less than 6000 km above the surface of Mars. It is also one of the smallest moons in the solar system. Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School http://www.nineplanets.org/phobos.html

  28. Deimos Deimos ("DEE mos") is the smaller and outermost of Mars' two moons. It is one of the smallest known moons in the solar system. In Greek mythology, Deimos is one of the sons of Ares (Mars) and Aphrodite (Venus); "deimos" is Greek for "panic". Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School

  29. Mars Mars (Greek: Ares) is the god of War. The planet probably got this name due to its red color; Mars is sometimes referred to as the Red Planet. (An interesting side note: the Roman god Mars was a god of agriculture before becoming associated with the Greek Ares; those in favor of colonizing and terraforming Mars may prefer this symbolism.) The name of the month March derives from Mars. Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School http://www.nineplanets.org/mars.html

  30. Mars—Home to the largest volcano in the solar system Olympus Mons is the largest volcano on Mars. This shield volcano, similar to volcanoes in Hawaii, measures 624 km (374 mi) in diameter by 25 km (16 mi) high. It is 100 times larger than Mauna Loa on Earth. Located on the Tharsis Plateau near the equator, Olympus Mons is bordered by an escarpment. The caldera in the center is 80 km (50 mi) wide and contains multiple circular, overlapping collapse craters created by different volcanic events. The radial features on the slopes of the volcano were formed by overflowing lava and debris. Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School http://www.nineplanets.org/mars.html

  31. Quiz Inner Planets • Earth’s twin • Looks like our moon • Red Planet • Water in all 3 states • 1 moon, Luna • Hottest planet • 2 moons, Phobos and Diemos • Closest to the Sun • Largest volcano in the solar system • Massive greenhouse effect • Only planet to sustain life • Smallest planet • Greatest temperature difference, hot and cold • Revolution is 365 days • Fastest revolution around the sun

  32. The Outer Planets The Gas Giants Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School

  33. The Outer Planets: The Gas Giants • Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, & Neptune • All are made of gas. They are not solids like the inner planets. They get denser with increasing depth. • All have rings. Some are barely visible unlike Saturn’s rings. • Since their masses are so much larger, they have more moons than the inner planets. Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School

  34. Distances of the Outer Planets from the Sun in Astronomical Units (150 million km = 1 AU) Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School

  35. B. Jupiter- high mass • The largest planet in our solar system (318 times as large as Earth) Its mass holds the asteroid belt in place & protects Earth from asteroid assault. Borders the asteroid belt. • Made mainly of hydrogen & helium Outer part is made of layered clouds of water, methane, & ammon • Cold planet; average temperature = -110°C • Great Red Spot (1.5X the size of the Earth) is a storm system similar to a hurricane that is > 400 yrs old. • Rotation = 9 hrs, 54 min; Revolution = 11 yrs, 313 days Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School

  36. Jupiter continued • Has 66 moons • Jupiter probably has a core of rocky material amounting to something like 10 to 15 Earth-masses. • Above the core lies the main bulk of the planet in the form of liquid metallic hydrogen. • Has rings like Saturn, but much fainter & smaller • Moon ,Io, has an active volcano. Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School

  37. Jupiter’s Rings http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/callisto/p48188.html Unlike Saturn's, Jupiter's rings are dark. They're probably composed of very small grains of rocky material. Unlike Saturn's rings, they seem to contain no ice. Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School http://www.nineplanets.org/jupiter.html

  38. Jupiter:http://www.nineplanets.org/jupiter.html Jupiter (a.k.a. Jove; Greek Zeus) was the King of the Gods, the ruler of Olympus and the patron of the Roman state. Zeus was the son of Cronus (Saturn). Jupiter is the fourth brightest object in the sky (after the Sun, the Moon and Venus). It has been known since prehistoric times as a bright "wandering star". But in 1610 when Galileo first pointed a telescope at the sky he discovered Jupiter's four large moons Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto (now known as the Galilean moons) and recorded their motions back and forth around Jupiter. Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School

  39. C. Saturn- high mass • 2nd largest planet in the solar system (95 X larger than Earth) • most visible rings • Composed mainly of hydrogen & helium w/a small rocky core • Methane, ammonia, & ethane are in upper atmosphere • Average temperature = -140°C • least dense planet Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School

  40. Saturn 6. Saturn’s rings are the largest of the gas giants. 7.Made of icy particles that range from a few cm to a few m wide 8. Revolution: 29 years, 155 days 9. Rotation: 10 hrs, 42 min 10. 62 moons Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School

  41. Saturn In Roman mythology, Saturn is the god of agriculture. The associated Greek god, Cronus, was the son of Uranus and Gaia and the father of Zeus (Jupiter). Saturn is the root of the English word "Saturday“. http://www.nineplanets.org/saturn.html Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School

  42. Saturn’s Rings Saturn’s rings are 250,000 km or more in diameter & they're less than one kilometer thick . http://www.nineplanets.org/saturn.htm l Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School

  43. Saturn;s Moon Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School

  44. D. Uranus- high mass • Super cold -195°C • 27 moons; 11 rings • Revolution: 83 yrs, 273 days; Rotation: 17 hrs, 12 min • 3rd largest planet • Rotates on its side---planet was probably knocked on its side after a collision w/an asteroid • Made of hydrogen & methane—2 gases that absorb red light, giving Uranus its distinct blue/green color Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School

  45. Uranus Uranus is the ancient Greek deity of the Heavens, the earliest supreme god. Uranus was the son and mate of Gaia the father of Cronus (Saturn) and of the Cyclopes and Titans (predecessors of the Olympian gods). Uranus, the first planet discovered in modern times, was discovered by William Herschel while systematically searching the sky with his telescope on March 13, 1781. Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School http://www.nineplanets.org/uranus.html

  46. Uranus’ rings http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/1996/15/image/a/format/web/ Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School

  47. E. Neptune: Big Blue World- high mass • 11 moons • Rotation: 16 hrs, 6 min. • Revolution: 163 yrs, 263 days • Temperature: -200 °C • Has dark rings and a great Dark Spot, like Jupiter • Neptune & Pluto’s orbits overlap causing Neptune to sometimes orbit beyond Pluto • 7. Gets its blue color from being made of methane gas that absorbs red light, making Neptune appear blue • Called the Big Blue World

  48. Neptune The Great Dark Spot In Roman mythology Neptune (Greek: Poseidon) was the god of the Sea. Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School http://www.nineplanets.org/neptune.html

  49. Neptune’s Dark Rings Used with permission of V.Morris, Phillips Preparatory School

  50. Outer Planets Quiz- Write the LETTER ONLY!!!! • A. Jupiter B. Saturn C. Uranus D. Neptune • 1. Least dense planet • 2. Rotates on its side • 3. Largest planet • 4. Sometimes orbits farther than Pluto • 5. Most visible rings • 6. Big Blue World • 7. Great Red Spot • 8. Has a Dark Spot • 9. Rings made of icy particles • 10. Moon, Io, has an active volcano

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