Mercury & Venus
• Mercury Mercury Statistics
Distance from Sun 3.2 Light Minutes
Period of Rotation (day) 58 Days, 19 Hours
Period of Revolution (year)
88 Earth Days
Diameter 4879 km (38% of Earth)
Temperature -173° C to 427° C
Gravity 38% of Earth
MERCURY
• The smallest planet in the solar system• Closest to the Sun• Rotates three times on its axis for every two
times around the Sun• Does not have any atmosphere• Water may exist at the North or South poles
Mercury & Venus
• Venus Venus Statistics
Distance from Sun 6.0 Light Minutes
Period of Rotation (day) 243 Days, 16 Hours (R)*
Period of Revolution (year)
224 Earth Days
Diameter 12104 km (95% of Earth)
Temperature 464° C
Gravity 91% of Earth
VENUS
• SIMILAR SIZE TO Earth• Thick atmosphere that traps in lots of heat• Has continents and deep valleys• Rotates backwards• One day is longer than one year
The Inner Planets
• Earth Earth Statistics
Distance from Sun 8.3 Light Minutes
Period of Rotation (day) 24 Hours
Period of Revolution (year)
365.25 Earth Days
Diameter 12756 km
Temperature -13° C to 37°C
Gravity 100% of Earth
EARTH
• THE ONLY PLANET WITH LIFE ON IT• THE Moon is moving away from it at around 2-
3cm per year• Has a magnetic field that protects us from
solar winds• Tides are controlled by the Moon and the Sun• The only planet with active tectonic plates
The Inner Planets
• Mars Mars Statistics
Distance from Sun 12.7 Light Minutes
Period of Rotation (day) 24 Hours 40 Min
Period of Revolution (year)
1 Year, 322 Days
Diameter 6794 km (56% of Earth)
Temperature -123° C to 37°C
Gravity 38% of Earth
MARS
• Red due to rich iron content• Water is present at both poles• Home to the largest volcano in the solar
system• Has season and wind storms, much like Earth• Has two tiny moons that are probably
captured asteroids
The Outer Planets
• Jupiter Jupiter Statistics
Distance from Sun 43.3 Light Minutes
Period of Rotation (day) 9 Hours 54 Min
Period of Revolution (year)
12 Years
Diameter 142,984 km
Temperature -110° C
Gravity 236% of Earth
JUPITER
• The largest planet in the solar system• Has more than sixty moons• The highest gravity of any planet• The surface is made of gas ad clouds• Protects the inner planets by capturing rogue
asteroids
The Outer Planets
• Saturn Saturn Statistics
Distance from Sun 1.3 Light Hours
Period of Rotation (day) 10 Hours 42 Min
Period of Revolution (year)
29 Years
Diameter 120,536 km
Temperature -140° C
Gravity 92% of Earth
SATURN
• Has the most prominent rings of all the outer planets
• Would float in water• Has weather systems and storms• Has the second largest moon in the solar
system (Titan)• Titan has lakes on its surface and a thick
atmosphere
The Outer Planets
• Uranus Uranus Statistics
Distance from Sun 2.7 Light Hours
Period of Rotation (day) 17 Hours 12 Min (R)*
Period of Revolution (year)
83 Years, 273 Days
Diameter 51,118 km
Temperature -195° C
Gravity 89% of Earth
URANUS
• Totally tilted on its side• Roughly 4 times the size of Earth• Has violent storms due to the uneven heating
of its surface• Has many rings and many moons• May have a core filled with trillions of
diamonds
The Outer Planets
• Neptune Neptune Statistics
Distance from Sun 4.2 Light Hours
Period of Rotation (day) 16 Hours 6 Min
Period of Revolution (year)
163 Years, 263 Days
Diameter 49,528 km
Temperature -200° C
Gravity 112% of Earth
NEPTUNE
• Has massive storms with super fast winds• Its moon Triton will one day be destroyed by
gravity• Was discovered using Math, not observations• Is similar in composition and size to Uranus• Has lots of ice in its atmosphere, contributing
to its blue color
