Transcript Terrestrial Planets

Bell Ringer Assignment
1. List the planets, in order, from the sun.
2. What are the two classifications of
planets? (What are the two groups they
can fit into)?
3. Who is ALF and what planet did he come
from?
•
Types of Planets
• Terrestrial Planets
• Consist of the inner 4
planets
• All are close to the size of
the Earth.
• All have solid/rocky
surface.
• Gas Giants
• Next 4 planets after Mars.
• Seperated by inner
planets by the asteroid
belt.
• Larger, more gaseous,
and lack solid surfaces.
Pluto
•Does not fit into either terrestial or gas giant categories.
SUN
MERCURY
VENUS
EARTH
MARS
JUPITER
SATURN
URANUS
NEPTUNE
PLUTO
SEDNA (?)
MERCURY
•Planet closest to the sun with no moon.
•1/3 the size of the Earth
•In two of Mercury’s years, 3 days (on Mercury) has passed.
•No atmosphere; daytime temp 700K; nighttime temp 100K
•Space Probes: Mariner 10 which collected photos that showed planet being heavily
cratered.
VENUS
•Second planet from the sun with no moons
•One day on Venus is 243 Earth days in length.
•Has a clockwise rotation
•Space Probes: Magellan which mapped out the planet.
•Known as Earths Sister b/c of simiar composition, size, and density.
•Atmosphere consists of CO2, Nitrogen, and Sulfuric Acid which causes a great
greenhouse effect; 737K during day, 288K at night.
EARTH
•Third planet from the sun.
•Liquid water exists in three states: solid, liquid, and gas
•Atmosphere is 78% Nitrogen and 21% Oxygen
•Large abundance of life found on Earth.
•Wobbles as it rotates on its axis (~13000 years, Vega will be our new North Star).
•First planet with a moon.
MARS
•
Atmosphere is thin and has constant windstorms
•
Largest volcano: Olympus Mons that can cover the entire state of Colorado.
•
Largest canyon: Valles Marineris which is located at the equator of Mars.
•
Polar ice caps have been found in addition to dry river beds and channels.
•
Two moons: Phobos and Deimos
•
Probes: Mariner 4, Mariner 9, Viking (landed in 1970’s), and Mars Exploration Rover
Mission which landed in 2004.
JUPITER
•Largest Planet and fifth planet from the sun.
•80 Earth’s can fit inside Jupiter.
•Has a banded appearance
•Has 4 major moons: Europa, Io, Ganymede, Callisto
•Io is known to be volcanic
•Atmosphere: liquid hydrogen and helium.
•Big Red Spot: Atmosphere storm for over 300 years now.
SATURN
•Sixth planet from the sun and second largest of all the planets.
•Only planet that could float in water (if you could find a bathtub big enough)
•Atmosphere: Hydrogen, Helium, and liquid Ammonia at poles
•Rings are composed of ice, rock, and dust
•There are 7 major rings, with several hundred ringlets inbetween them.
•Major moon: Titan
URANUS
•Seventh planet from the sun
•Two major moons: Titania and Oberon
•10 rings (although not visible from Earth)
•Atmosphere consists of methane gas which reflects blue light.
•Each pole spends 42 years in night and 42 years in day.
•Temperature is at a comfortable 58K (below zero in celcius)
NEPTUNE
•Eighth planet from the sun.
•Also composed of methane gas which gives blue appearance.
•Has distinctive clouds and bands
•Great Dark Spot: giant storm that disappeared in 1994.
•Largest moon: Triton (has geysers)
•Has rings
PLUTO
•Now believed to not be a planet after all.
•Would be the ninth planet from the sun.
•Has a solid surface with an atmosphere composed of methane and nitrogen
•Is about 40 astronomical units from the sun.
•Has one moon: Charon
•Thought to be a moon of Neptune or a fixed comet.
ARE THESE REAL PLANETS???
SEDNA
KRYPTON
QUAOAR
Video 1
Video 2
Video 3
Video 4
Video 5