Solar System PDF

THE DESIGN LADDER A Step-way to your Dream Design College. Our Solar System The Solar System is the gravitationally bound system of the Sun and the objects that orbit it. It formed 4.6 billion years ago from the gravitational collapse of a giant interstellar molecul...

THE DESIGN LADDER A Step-way to your Dream Design College. Our Solar System The Solar System is the gravitationally bound system of the Sun and the objects that orbit it. It formed 4.6 billion years ago from the gravitational collapse of a giant interstellar molecular cloud. The vast majority of the system's mass is in the Sun, with most of the remaining mass contained in the planet Jupiter. www.thedesignladder.com 1. MERCURY 2. VENUS 3. EARTH 4. MARS 5. JUPITER 6. SATURN 7. URANUS 8. NEPTUNE www.thedesignladder.com  Our Solar System Our solar system is located in the Milky Way galaxy. It consists of the sun and eight planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. The four inner planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars) are rocky and small, while the outer planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune) are gas giants. The asteroid belt lies between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter and contains numerous asteroids and minor planets. The Oort Cloud is a hypothetical cloud of icy bodies that may exist in the outermost reaches of the solar system. The Sun is the largest object in our solar system, accounting for more than 99% of its total mass. www.thedesignladder.com  MERCURY The Closest planet to the sun in our solar system. Has a very thin atmosphere composed mostly of helium and hydrogen. Extreme temperatures due to its proximity to the sun up to 800 degrees Fahrenheit on the sunny side and as low as -290 degrees Fahrenheit on the dark side. No moons or rings. The Smallest planet in our solar system, but the second densest after Earth. Named after the Roman God Mercury, who was known for his speed and agility. www.thedesignladder.com  VENUS The second planet from the sun in our solar system. Similar in size and composition to Earth, often referred to as Earth's "sister planet". Has a thick and toxic atmosphere mostly composed of carbon dioxide with sulfuric acid clouds. Has the hottest surface temperature of any planet in our solar system, reaching up to 900 degrees Fahrenheit. Has no moons or rings Named after the Roman Goddess of love and beauty. www.thedesignladder.com  EARTH The third planet from the sun in our solar system. Only known planet to support life with a diverse range of ecosystems and organisms. Has a nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere that supports life and protects the planet from harmful radiation. Has a dynamic surface with tectonic plates, mountains, oceans and a variety of natural resources. Has one large natural satellite, the moon, which affects the tides and other natural processes. Named after the Old English word "ertha," meaning ground or soil. www.thedesignladder.com  MARS The fourth planet from the sun in our solar system. Also known as the "Red Planet" due to its reddish appearance caused by iron oxide on its surface. Has a thin atmosphere mostly composed of carbon dioxide with some nitrogen and argon. Has the largest volcano, the tallest mountain and the deepest canyon in our solar system. Has two small irregularly shaped moons, Phobos and Deimos. Named after the Roman God of War, Mars, because of its reddish hue, which was associated with bloodshed. www.thedesignladder.com  JUPITER The fifth planet from the sun in our solar system. The largest planet in our solar system with a diameter of about 86,881 miles. Composed mostly of hydrogen and helium, with a small rocky core. Has a complex system of colourful bands, zones and storms, including the Great Red Spot, a giant storm that has been raging for over 300 years. Has at least 79 moons, including the four largest known as the Galilean moons: Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto. Named after the King of the Gods in Roman mythology. www.thedesignladder.com  SATURN The sixth planet from the sun in our solar system. Second-largest planet after Jupiter with a diameter of about 72,367 miles. Composed mostly of hydrogen and helium, with a small rocky core. Has a complex and beautiful system of rings made up of ice particles, rocks and dust. Has at least 82 moons, including the second largest moon in our solar system, Titan, which has a thick atmosphere and surface features such as lakes and rivers made of liquid methane and ethane. Named after the Roman God of Agriculture and wealth, Saturn. www.thedesignladder.com  URANUS The seventh planet from the sun in our solar system. Third largest planet after Jupiter and Saturn with a diameter of about 31,518 miles. Composed mostly of hydrogen, helium and methane gas, giving it a blue-green colour. Has a tilted axis of rotation, which causes its seasons to last longer than on other planets. Has at least 27 moons, including the five largest: Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania and Oberon. Named after the Greek God of the Sky, Uranus. www.thedesignladder.com  NEPTUNE The eighth planet from the sun in our solar system. Fourth largest planet after Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus with a diameter of about 30,599 miles. Composed mostly of hydrogen, helium and methane gas, giving it a blue colour. Has a very strong and active weather system with the fastest winds in our solar system, reaching up to 1,200 miles per hour. Has at least 14 moons, including the largest, Triton, which orbits the planet in a direction opposite to Neptune's rotation. Named after the Roman God of the Sea, Neptune. www.thedesignladder.com  Important Terms Galaxy: A system of stars, gas, dust and dark matter held together by gravity. Nebula: A cloud of gas and dust in space, where new stars are often born. NOTE: Pluto is not considered a planet anymore because in 2006 the International Astronomical Union (IAU) redefined the criteria for what constitutes a planet. 1. The planet must be in orbit around the sun. 2. The planet must have sufficient mass to assume a nearly round shape. 3. The planet must have "cleared" its orbit of other debris. Pluto did not meet the 3rd criteria, so it was reclassified as a "Dwarf Planet". www.thedesignladder.com  Important Terms White dwarf: A small, dense star that has exhausted its nuclear fuel and has collapsed to about the size of the Earth. Supernova: An explosion of a star that can briefly outshine an entire galaxy. Black hole: A region in space where the gravitational pull is so strong that nothing, including light, can escape. Red giant: A star that has exhausted the fuel in its core and has expanded to become much larger and cooler. Planetary nebula: A glowing shell of gas and dust ejected by a dying star, which resembles a planet in a telescope. www.thedesignladder.com  Important Terms Asteroid: A rocky object that orbits the sun, mostly found in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Comet: A small, icy object that orbits the sun, often with a visible tail due to the sublimation of its icy materials. Hubble Space Telescope: A space telescope launched in 1990 that has captured stunning images of the universe. Light-year: The distance light travels in one year, used as a measure of astronomical distances. Magnitude: The brightness of a star, measured on a logarithmic scale where each increment of 1 corresponds to a 2.5-fold change in brightness. www.thedesignladder.com