Transcript The Solar System

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,
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Used with permission of V.Morris,
Phillips Preparatory School
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.
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B. Modern Calendar
1. 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.
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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.
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The Scale of our Solar System
Earth
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Scale of the Universe
SUN
Mercury
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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.
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•
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C. THE MILKY WAY GALAXY: Spiral
•Each swirling object
Galaxy
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.
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D. Milky Way Galaxy: home to our solar
system. Each point of light in the galaxy
is a star.
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E. Distance in Space
1. 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
2. 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.
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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
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Astronomical Unit (AU) for the
planets- 1AU = 93,000,000 miles
Average Distance from the Sun
Planet
(measured in AU)
Mercury
0.39
Venus
0.723
Earth
1.0
Mars
1.524
Jupiter
5.203
Saturn
9.539
Uranus
19.18
Neptune
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30.06
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.
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Size in the Universe- Largest to
smallest
1.Universe
2.Galaxy
3.Solar system
4.Star
5.Planet
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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?
The Inner Planets
http://science.discovery.com/video-topics/spacevideos
Space Videos
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A. The Inner Planets: the terrestrial
planets; all are dense & rocky
1. Mercury
2. Venus
3. Earth
4. Mars
5. The inner planets have fewer moons than
the outer planets. Less mass = fewer
moons.
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The Inner Planets’ Orbits
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B. Mercury- low mass
1.
2.
3.
4.
No moons
resembles our moon because of all of its craters
no rings
closest to the sun
5.
Big, grey rock made of iron
6.
Smallest planet-fastest revolution in the solar
system
7.
Revolves around the sun in 88 days; Rotates on its
axis every 58 days
8.
Temperature variations on Mercury are the most
extreme in the Used
solar
system.
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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.
http://www.nineplanets.org/mercury.html
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C. Venus- low mass
1.
Earth’s twin—its size is almost as big as Earth
2.
No moons; thick yellow clouds of acid, No rings
3.
Dense nickel & iron planet w/a molten core;
covered by many shield volcanoes (largest one is
Sif Mons)
4.
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
5.
6.
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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
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D. Earth- low mass
2.
“Third rock from the sun,” made completely of
rock; core made of iron & nickel;
1 moon—Luna, NO rings
3.
Temperatures range from -13°C to 37°C
4.
Densest planet in our solar system; has water in all
3 states of matter (solid, liquid,& gas)
5.
5th largest planet in solar system
6.
Revolution around the Sun is 365 days.
7.
Only planet to sustain life.
1.
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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
moons ofisV.Morris,
29.5 days (709 hours).
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with permission
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http://www.nineplanets.org/luna.html
F. Mars- low mass
1.
The red planet
2.
Once had water on it; has polar ice caps that have
both frozen water & carbon dioxide in them
3.
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
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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,
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School
http://www.nineplanets.org/phobos.html
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".
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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.
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http://www.nineplanets.org/mars.html
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.
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http://www.nineplanets.org/mars.html
Quiz Inner Planets
1. Earth’s twin
2. Looks like our moon
3. Red Planet
4. Water in all 3 states
5. 1 moon, Luna
6. Hottest planet
7. 2 moons, Phobos and Diemos
8. Closest to the Sun
9. Largest volcano in the solar system
10.Massive greenhouse effect
11.Only planet to sustain life
12.Smallest planet
13. Greatest temperature difference, hot and cold
14.Revolution is 365 days
15.Fastest revolution around the sun
The Outer Planets
The Gas Giants
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A. The Outer Planets:
The Gas Giants
1. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, & Neptune
2. All are made of gas. They are not solids
like the inner planets. They get denser with
increasing depth.
3. All have rings. Some are barely visible
unlike Saturn’s rings.
4. Since their masses are so much larger,
they have more moons than the inner
planets.
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Distances of the Outer Planets from the
Sun in Astronomical Units
(150 million km = 1 AU)
Jupiter
5.203 AU
Saturn
9.539 AU
Uranus
19.18 AU
Neptune
30.06 AU
Pluto
39 AU
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B. Jupiter- high mass
1.
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.
2.
Made mainly of hydrogen & helium
Outer part is made of layered clouds of water, methane,
& ammon
3.
Cold planet; average temperature = -110°C
4.
Great Red Spot (1.5X the size of the Earth) is a storm
system similar to a hurricane that is > 400 yrs old.
5.
Rotation = 9 hrs, 54 min; Revolution = 11 yrs, 313
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Jupiter continued
1.
Has 66 moons
2.
Jupiter probably has a core of rocky material
amounting to something like 10 to 15 Earth-masses.
3.
Above the core lies the main bulk of the planet in the
form of liquid metallic hydrogen.
4. Has rings like Saturn, but much fainter &
smaller
5. Moon ,Io, has an active volcano.
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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.
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http://www.nineplanets.org/jupiter.html
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
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C. Saturn- high mass
1. 2nd largest planet in the solar system (95 X larger
than Earth)
2. most visible rings
3. Composed mainly of hydrogen & helium w/a small
rocky core
1. Methane, ammonia, & ethane are in upper
atmosphere
4. Average temperature = -140°C
5. least dense planet
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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,
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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“.
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http://www.nineplanets.org/saturn.html
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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
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Saturn;s Moon
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D. Uranus- high mass
1.
Super cold
2.
27 moons; 11 rings
3.
Revolution: 83 yrs, 273 days; Rotation: 17 hrs, 12 min
4.
3rd largest planet
5.
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
6.
-195°C
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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.
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http://www.nineplanets.org/uranus.html
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Uranus’ rings
http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/1996/15/image/a/format/web/
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1.
E. Neptune: Big Blue Worldhigh mass
11 moons
2.
Rotation: 16 hrs, 6 min.
3.
Revolution: 163 yrs, 263 days
4.
Temperature: -200 °C
5.
6.
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
7.
8.
Neptune
The Great Dark Spot
In Roman mythology Neptune (Greek: Poseidon) was the god of the Sea.
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http://www.nineplanets.org/neptune.html
Neptune’s Dark Rings
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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
A. Jupiter B. Saturn
C. Uranus
D. Neptune
1. Borders the Asteroid Belt
2. Most visible rings
3. Big Blue World
4. All 4 outer planets have rings- True or False
5. Great Red Spot
6. Has a Dark Spot
7. Rings made of icy particles
8. Moon, Io, has an active volcano
9. Least dense planet
10.Rotates on its side
11.Largest planet
12.Sometimes orbits farther than Pluto
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13.Protects Earth from asteroids
Pluto
• No longer considered a planet.
• Now called a dwarf planet
• A probe was sent Pluto in 2006 and will
arrive in 2015.
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In Roman mythology, Pluto (Greek: Hades) is the god of the underworld.
Pluto was discovered in 1930 by a fortunate accident. Calculations which later turned out to be
in error had predicted a planet beyond Neptune, based on the motions of Uranus and Neptune.
Not knowing of the error, Clyde W. Tombaugh at Lowell Observatory in Arizona did a very
careful sky survey which turned up Pluto anyway.
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http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/solar_system_level2/pluto_image.html
F.Kupier Belt (pronounced kew p a)
1.
A region in space beyond Neptune where @ least 70,000 small,
icy, slow-moving objects orbit the sun
2.
A region where the planet-building process stopped before any
large objects where formed
3.
Pluto & is moon Charon (pronounced Sharon) are thought to be
large members of it
4.
Short-lived comets like Haley’s comet are also thought to come
from the Kupier Belt
5.
Discovered in 1992 by Dutch-American astronomer Gerard P.
Kupier
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G.Pluto: the dwarf planet that rotates on its side
1.
No longer a planet
Now called a “dwarf planet”—reclassified in 8/2006
2.
Has 3 moons—Charon, Nix, & Hydra
3.
Rotation: 6 days, 10 hrs
4.
Revolution: 248 yrs, 4 days
5.
Temperature: -225°C
6.
Covered by frozen nitrogen
7.
Made of rock & ice
8.
9.
Less than ½ the size of
Mercury
10.
Will be visited in 2015
http://www.nineplanets.org/pluto.html
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Pluto’s largest moon Charon (which is
more than ½ the size of Pluto)
http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/science/ever
ything_pluto/5_looks.php?selectedI
mage=image07.php
Charon is named for the mythological figure who ferried the dead across the
River Acheron into Hades (the underworld).
(Though officially named for the mythological figure, Charon's
discoverer was also naming it in honor of his wife, Charlene.
Thus, those in the know pronounce it with the first syllable
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http://www.nineplanets.org/pluto.html
sounding like 'shard' ("SHAHR Phillips
en"). Preparatory School
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