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The Ordered Solar System

A comprehensive overview of the Solar System, including information on planets, dwarf planets, and small solar system bodies. Learn about their characteristics, differences, and their place within the Milky Way Galaxy.

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The Ordered Solar System

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  1. The Ordered Solar System

  2. Warm Up Questions • Which planet is bigger, Mercury or Jupiter ? • Are the gas giant planets closer to the Sun than the rocky planets (yes/no)? • How many planets are in the Solar System? • Is the Sun bigger, smaller, or the same size as the Moon? • What is the difference between the Solar System and the Milky Way Galaxy (just one sentence) ?

  3. Why are there only 8 planets now? Three types of objects orbit our Sun: • Planets • Dwarf Planets • Plutoids • Small solar system bodies

  4. What is a planet? • In August of 2007 the International Astronomical Union redefined what a planet is (no official scientific definition of a "planet" existed before). A planet: • Is a body that orbits the sun (this definition only applies to our Solar System) • Is large enough for its own gravity to make it round • And has "cleared its neighborhood" of smaller objects • So a new the category of dwarf planet was created, which currently includes Pluto, Eris*, and Ceres**. *Eris is the largest known dwarf planet in the Solar System and the ninth largest body known to orbit the Sun. Its distance from the Sun is 97 AU. **Ceres is the smallest identified dwarf planet in the Solar System and, because it’s the largest asteroid, the only dwarf planet in the asteroid belt.

  5. What is a Dwarf Planet? • Celestial body orbiting the Sun • Massive enough to be rounded by its own gravity • BUT has NOT cleared its neighboring region of planetesimals • Is not a satellite A plutoid is a dwarf planet beyond the orbit of Neptune

  6. Only 5 Dwarf Planets recognized so far but there may be as many as 200 Pluto, approximate true color Makemake, (Artist’s conception) Eris, seen through (Hubble telescope) Ceres, seen through (Hubble telescope) Haumea, with its 2 moons, Hi‘iaka and Namaka (Artist’s conception)

  7. Haumea is the Hawaiian goddess of childbirth and fertility. The the moons "Hiʻiaka" and "Namaka” are named after after two of Haumea's daughters. Pacific Island Names for Planetary Objects

  8. Pacific Island Names for Planetary Objects • Makemake is the creator of humanity in the mythos of the Rapanui, the native people of Easter Island. The name choice preserves the planetary object's connection with Easter.

  9. 3. What are Small Solar System Bodies? • Neither a planet nor a dwarf planet • All other objects orbiting the Sun • All minor planets except dwarf planets • Asteroids (except Ceres, the largest) • Comets • Not massive enough to be rounded by its own gravity

  10. Terrestrial vs. Gaseous Planets Terrestrial Gaseous Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune Gaseous, has more He and H Less dense (Saturn would float) Larger Spaced farther apart Farther from the Sun • Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars • Rocky • More dense • Smaller • More closely spaced • Closer to the Sun

  11. Terrestrial Planets Mars Venus Mercury From Nick Strobel’s Astronomy Notes at www.astronomynotes.com

  12. Jovian Planets, or Gas Giants Uranus Neptune Saturn Jupiter From Nick Strobel’s Astronomy Notes at www.astronomynotes.com

  13. Do you see patterns or anomalies in these data?

  14. On which planet would you weigh the most?

  15. The Milky Way Galaxy 100,000 light years across 1,000 light years thick 200 billion stars You are here

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