Monday October 3, 2011

1. MondayOctober 3, 2011 (Mercury; Venus; Video – Journey to the Edge of the Universe – Part4)

2. The Launch Pad Monday, 10/3/11 No Bell Ringer Today

4. Latest News Watching the Sky in October, 2011

5. The Planets - A Brief Tour

6. Mercury • The innermost planet – 36 million miles from the Sun • The smallest planet – 3 015 miles in diameter • Has no atmosphere • Cratered highlands • Vast, smooth terrains • Very dense – average 5.4 g/cm3 (only Earth is denser) • Revolves quickly – only 88 days to circle the Sun • Rotates slowly – 59 days to turn once on its axis

7. Mercury

8. Venus • Venus is the third most brilliant object in our sky after the Sun and Moon • Its similar to Earth in: • Size - 7 526 miles in diameter • Density – 5.2 g/cm3 • Earth’s closest neighbor after the Moon • Shrouded in thick clouds that are Impenetrable by visible light • Venus’ atmosphere is 97% carbon dioxide • The surface atmospheric pressure is 90 times that of Earth

9. Venus • Venus’ Surface • Mapped by radar, not visual observation • Surface Features • 80% of surface is subdued plains that are mantled by volcanic flows • Low density of impact craters • Tectonic deformation must have been active during the recent geologic past • Thousands of volcanic structures

10. Venus

11. Venus Radar Map of Surface

12. Venus

13. Video (Part 4)