Transcript Outer Planets Powerpoint

Astronomy
Outer Planets
Objectives
-Explain how gas giants are different from terrestrial planets
-Describe the individual characteristics of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and
Neptune
-Describe the characteristics of a Dwarf Planet
Did You Know???
• The moons of Saturn are called Sheppard
moons because they help keep Saturn’s rings
in place, like a Sheppard does with sheep
– Source - http://www.factscollection.com/Cosmic%20Space-1.html
The Inner Planets
• Gas Giants – A larger planet composed
entirely of gas
• The gas giants are Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and
Neptune
The difference between terrestrial
planets and gas giants
Jupiter
Jupiter
Jupiter
• Jupiter is the 5th planet from the sun
• It is also the largest planet in our solar system
• Jupiter is made of Hydrogen and Helium, the
same gases as our sun
• The Temp in the clouds is -230o F
– Below it is 70oF
Jupiter
142,984 km
63
Yes - 3
Size
Moons
Rings
Symbol
Rotation (Day)
Revolution (Year)
10 EH
11 EY 313 ED
Jupiter
• Jupiter’s axis is at an angle
of 3o
– Jupiter has hardly and
seasons because of its tilt
on its axis
Jupiter vs Earth
• 1000 Earths
could fit
inside of
Jupiter
Jupiter’s Moons
• Jupiter has 63 moons
– Below are its 4th largest moons that were
discovered by Galileo along with Jupiter
Io
Europa
Ganymede
Callysto
Shoemaker-Levy 9 Comet Impact
• On July 1994, an asteroid named ShoemakerLevy 9 broke into 21 pieces and slammed into
Jupiter
The Great Red Spot
• The Great Red Spot is a hurricane type storm on
Jupiter
• It is over 400 years old and 1 ½ times larger than
Earth
Jupiter’s Atmosphere and
The Great Red Spot
• This image shows the bands of winds on Jupiters
atmosphere
Jupiter’s Ring
• Jupiter has a small ring system made up of rock
material
– (unlike Saturn’s rings system which is made of ice)
A volcanoe erupts on the
moon of Io. The smoke shoots
201 miles in the air
Saturn
Saturn
Saturn
• Saturn is the 6th planet farthest from the sun
• It is also the second largest planet in our solar
system
• Just like Jupiter, Saturn gives off more energy
than it receives from the sun
Size
Moons
Rings
Symbol
Rotation (Day)
Revolution (Year)
Saturn
120,536 km
61
Yes
11 EH
29 EY 155ED
Saturn
• Saturn’s axis is at an angle
of 27o
– Saturn sees' big changes in
its seasons due to its tilt
Saturn’s Moons
Saturn’s Moons
• Titan is the second largest
moon on our solar system
– It is bigger than Mercury
• It has a very thick
atmosphere which makes
it a candidate for life
Saturn’s Moons
• Hyperion has a spongylooking surface that is
thought to result from
thermal erosion, a process
through which dark
materials accumulating on
crater floors are warmed by
sunlight and melt deeper
into the surface
Saturn’s Moons
• Enceladus is the shinest
object in the solar
system, and scientists
have long though that it
was a cold still place.
• Recently they learned
that it is geologically
active, has an
atmosphere and has a
warm south pole
– This makes is a candidate
for supporting life
Saturn’s Moons
• Rhea is heavily
cratered, has
faults in many
orientations and
shows evidence of
volcanism
Saturn’s Moons
• Dione is also heavily
cratered. Scientists
speculate that the whispy
appearance is caused by
material of high albedo
that is thin enough to
allow surface features to
be unobscured. This
material might have been
ejected from fractures in
Dione's surface and fell
back to the surface as
snow or ash.
Saturn’s Moons
• Mimis has a nickname the
“Death Star” because it
looks like the Death Star
from Star Wars
• Its large crater is named
Herschel
Saturn’s Moons
Saturns Rings
• All of the gas giants have rings, however Saturn’s
rings are the largest.
• They are made of ice particles that can be from a few
centimeters small to a few meters wide
Saturn
• Saturn is also made out of helium and
hydrogen.
• The upper atmosphere is made up of
methane, ammonia and ethane
• Because the helium is still falling towards the
core, Saturn is still forming
Saturn’s Hexagonal Storm
• Scientists have recently discovered a strange
hexagonal shaped storm at the north pole of
Saturn
Uranus
Uranus
• Uranus is the 7th planet from the sun
– It was discovered by William Herschel in 1781
• Uranus is the brightest and coldest planet
Uranus
51,118 km
21
Yes - 9
Size
Moons
Rings
Symbol
Rotation (Day)
Revolution (Year)
17 EH
83 EY 273 ED
Uranus
• Uranus axis is at an
angle of 98o
– Uranus spins on its side
which means that its
poles receive more
energy for the sun that
its equator
Uranus
• Uranus spins very fast and because of this
winds on Uranus can reach speeds of up to
600 miles per hour
– However, because Uranus spins on its side, the
winds go in the opposite direction they would
travel on Earth
Neptune
Neptune
• Neptune is the 8th planet in our solar system
– Although it is bright blue, it is not a water world it is
made of hydrogen and helium
Neptune
49,528 km
13
Yes
Size
Moons
Rings
Symbol
Rotation (Day)
Revolution (Year)
16 EH
163 EY 263ED
Neptune
• Neptune’s axis is at an
angle of 30o
– Neptune has seasons
similar to ours
Neptune’s Winds
• Neptune’s winds are the fastest in the Solar
System and can reach speeds of up to 1,200
miles per hour
Neptune’s Winds
• Neptune’s winds are the fastest in the Solar
System and can reach speeds of up to 1,200
miles per hour
Neptune’s Spots
• Just like Jupiter, Neptune has a Great Dark
Spot
• It also has a smaller spot named “Scooter”
which travels around the planet once every 16
days
A Dwarf Planet has the following characteristics -
Dwarf Planets
1) Large enough to have a strong enough gravitational pull that
gives it a round shape
2) However it is not large enough to clear other objects out of its
area
3) Large enough to have moons of their own, however will not
become moons to other planets
4) Orbits around the sun
Pluto
Pluto
• Pluto was discovered in 1930 by Clyde W.
Tombaugh
• From 1930 until 2005 Pluto was the 9th planet of
our solar system
– In 2006 Pluto was redefined as a dwarf planet
Size
Moons
Rings
Symbol
Rotation (Day)
Revolution (Year)
Pluto
2.390 km
3
No
EH
248 EY 4ED
Pluto
• Because of its strange orbit, Pluto is sometimes
closer to us than Neptune
Dwarf Planets
• Ceres – The closest dwarf
planet to the sun. It has
water which makes it a
candidate for life
Dwarf Planets
• Eris – The discovery of Eris
is what led to Pluto and
other small “planets” being
labeled as dwarf planets
Dwarf Planets
• Quaoar – Takes about 287
years to orbit the sun
Dwarf Planets
• Sedna – Takes abot 1,200
years to orbit the sun. Is
the reddest object in our
solar system.
Dwarf Planets
• Makemake – Makemake’s
atmosphere is frozen to its
surface, making it useless.
Review
• Jupiter is the 5th planet
– Largest planet in the solar system
– Great Red spot is a 400 yr old hurricane
• Saturn is the 6th Planet
– Known for its unique moons and rings
– Still forming
• Uranus is the 7th Planet
– Rotates on its side
• Neptune is the 8th Planet
– Winds travel 1,200 mph
– Has a Great Dark Spot similar to Jupiter’s Great Red spot
• Pluto and other smaller objects are refered to as dwarf planets
Journal
Terrestrial
Planets
Gas
Giants
Dwarf
Planets