Transcript Document

The Sun is the largest
object in the solar
system. It contains more
than 99.8% of the total
mass of the solar system.
Mercury is the
closest planet to the
Sun and it is the
eighth largest. It
received it’s name
because it moves so
quickly across the
sky.
Venus is the second planet
from the Sun and the sixth
largest. Venus' orbit is the
most nearly circular of that
of any planet, with an
eccentricity of less than 1%.
Earth is the third
planet from the Sun
and the fifth largest.
The Earth is the
densest major body
in the solar system.
Mars is the fourth
planet from the Sun
and the seventh
largest.
The planet probably
got this name due to
its red color; Mars is
sometimes referred
to as the Red Planet.
It appears that there
may be liquid water
on Mars after all!
Jupiter is the fifth planet
from the Sun and by far the
largest. Jupiter is more than
twice as massive as all the
other planets combined
(318 times Earth).
Saturn is the sixth
planet from the Sun and
the second largest.
Saturn's rings, unlike
the rings of the other
planets, are very bright.
Though they look
continuous from the
Earth, the rings are
actually composed of
innumerable small
particles each in an
independent orbit. They
range in size from a
centimeter or so to
several meters.
Uranus is the seventh
planet from the Sun
and the third
largest. It was the first
planet discovered in
modern times, by
William Herschell while
systematically
searching the sky with
his telescope on
March 13, 1781.
Neptune is the eighth planet
from the Sun and the fourth
largest.
Neptune's blue color is
largely the result of
absorption of red light by
methane in the atmosphere
but there is some additional
as-yet-unidentified
chromophore which gives the
clouds their rich, blue tint.
.
Pluto is the farthest planet
from the Sun (usually) and
by far the smallest. Pluto is
smaller than seven of the
solar system's moons .