Solar SystemSolar System

By: Eric DavisBy: Eric Davis

IntroductionIntroduction

Our solar system is made up of the nine Our solar system is made up of the nine planets and other objects orbiting the sun. planets and other objects orbiting the sun. The solar system was created by God on The solar system was created by God on the 4the 4thth day of creation. He made the solar day of creation. He made the solar system an astounding place. system an astounding place.

Our Solar SystemOur Solar System

PlanetsPlanets MeteoroidsMeteoroids CometsComets StarsStars

Planet: MercuryPlanet: Mercury

Mercury is the closest planet to the sun at Mercury is the closest planet to the sun at 57.9 million km. Unlike Earth, which has 57.9 million km. Unlike Earth, which has one orbiting satellite, Mercury does not one orbiting satellite, Mercury does not have any known satellites. The core of have any known satellites. The core of Mercury is a large dense iron core. The Mercury is a large dense iron core. The surface is lunar like and contains craters surface is lunar like and contains craters from earlier collisions of asteroids. from earlier collisions of asteroids. Mercury takes approximately 58.7 days to Mercury takes approximately 58.7 days to rotate about its axis.rotate about its axis.

Planet: VenusPlanet: Venus

Venus is the second planet from the sun at Venus is the second planet from the sun at 108.2 million km. It also has no known 108.2 million km. It also has no known satellites. Its atmosphere’s primary gas is satellites. Its atmosphere’s primary gas is carbon dioxide. A thick cloud layer made carbon dioxide. A thick cloud layer made mostly of sulfuric acid covers the surface. mostly of sulfuric acid covers the surface. Venus takes approximately 243 days to Venus takes approximately 243 days to rotate about its axis.rotate about its axis.

Planet: EarthPlanet: Earth

Earth is the third planet from the sun at Earth is the third planet from the sun at 150 million km and the only known planet 150 million km and the only known planet that contains life. It has one orbiting that contains life. It has one orbiting satellite called the moon. The inner core is satellite called the moon. The inner core is believed to be solid with a liquid outer believed to be solid with a liquid outer core. The surrounding atmosphere is core. The surrounding atmosphere is made up mostly of oxygen and nitrogen. made up mostly of oxygen and nitrogen. The Earth takes 24 hours to rotate about The Earth takes 24 hours to rotate about its axis.its axis.

Planet: MarsPlanet: Mars

Mars is the fourth planet from the sun at Mars is the fourth planet from the sun at 227.9 million km. The surface contains 227.9 million km. The surface contains many different features including many different features including volcanoes and channels many miles wide volcanoes and channels many miles wide and hundreds of miles long. The and hundreds of miles long. The atmosphere is composed mostly of carbon atmosphere is composed mostly of carbon dioxide. Mars takes 24.6 hours to rotate dioxide. Mars takes 24.6 hours to rotate about its axis.about its axis.

Planet: JupiterPlanet: Jupiter

Jupiter is the fifth planet from the sun at Jupiter is the fifth planet from the sun at 778.3 million km and is the largest planet 778.3 million km and is the largest planet in our solar system. It has 16 known in our solar system. It has 16 known satellites. Jupiter has a rocky core about satellites. Jupiter has a rocky core about the size of Earth, which is surrounded by the size of Earth, which is surrounded by liquid hydrogen ocean. It takes 9.8 hours liquid hydrogen ocean. It takes 9.8 hours to rotate about its axis.to rotate about its axis.

Planet: SaturnPlanet: Saturn

Saturn is the sixth planet from the sun at Saturn is the sixth planet from the sun at 1.427 billion km. It has at least 18 known 1.427 billion km. It has at least 18 known satellites and believed to have more. satellites and believed to have more. Saturn is most known for its ring system Saturn is most known for its ring system orbiting the planet. The atmosphere is orbiting the planet. The atmosphere is made up primarily of hydrogen and helium. made up primarily of hydrogen and helium. Saturn takes 10.665 hours to rotate about Saturn takes 10.665 hours to rotate about its axis.its axis.

Planet: UranusPlanet: Uranus

Uranus is the seventh planet from the sun Uranus is the seventh planet from the sun at 2.8696 billion km. It has 15 known at 2.8696 billion km. It has 15 known satellites. It has a solid core with an satellites. It has a solid core with an atmosphere composed primarily of atmosphere composed primarily of hydrogen, helium, methane, and hydrogen, helium, methane, and ammonia. Uranus takes 17.24 hours to ammonia. Uranus takes 17.24 hours to rotate about its axis.rotate about its axis.

Planet: NeptunePlanet: Neptune

Neptune is the eighth planet from the sun Neptune is the eighth planet from the sun at 4.4966 billion km. Triton and Nereid at 4.4966 billion km. Triton and Nereid were the only two known satellites until a were the only two known satellites until a space probe discovered six smaller space probe discovered six smaller moons. It has a solid core with an moons. It has a solid core with an atmosphere composed primarily of atmosphere composed primarily of hydrogen, helium, methane, and hydrogen, helium, methane, and ammonia. Neptune takes 16 hours to ammonia. Neptune takes 16 hours to rotate about its axis.rotate about its axis.

Planet: PlutoPlanet: Pluto

Pluto is the ninth planet from the sun at Pluto is the ninth planet from the sun at 5.9 billion km. It has one known satellite 5.9 billion km. It has one known satellite named Charon. The surface is composed named Charon. The surface is composed primarily of frozen nitrogen. Pluto takes primarily of frozen nitrogen. Pluto takes 6.4 days to rotate about its axis.6.4 days to rotate about its axis.

MeteoroidsMeteoroids

Meteoroids are solid objects orbiting the Meteoroids are solid objects orbiting the sun. If you have seen a shooting star, you sun. If you have seen a shooting star, you have seen a meteoroid breaking through have seen a meteoroid breaking through the Earth’s atmosphere.the Earth’s atmosphere.

CometsComets

A comet is composed of an ice core surrounded A comet is composed of an ice core surrounded by particles and gas. As a comet gets closer to by particles and gas. As a comet gets closer to the sun, the gases and ice form a cloud around the sun, the gases and ice form a cloud around the icy core and form a tail that we can see from the icy core and form a tail that we can see from the Earth. Comets orbit the sun. The orbit can the Earth. Comets orbit the sun. The orbit can take a short time or a long time, and the comet take a short time or a long time, and the comet sometimes crashes into the sun. One famous sometimes crashes into the sun. One famous comet is Halley’s Comet. Halley’s Comet was comet is Halley’s Comet. Halley’s Comet was last seen from the Earth in 1986.last seen from the Earth in 1986.

StarsStars

The sun is the star in our solar system. At night, The sun is the star in our solar system. At night, thousands of stars are visible. Some of these thousands of stars are visible. Some of these stars are brighter than others. The brightness of stars are brighter than others. The brightness of a star depends on its size, temperature, and a star depends on its size, temperature, and distance from the Earth. A star’s magnitude is distance from the Earth. A star’s magnitude is the measure of its brightness. Stars can be the measure of its brightness. Stars can be divided into six categories based on their divided into six categories based on their magnitude. At the heart of stars is nuclear magnitude. At the heart of stars is nuclear energy that generates light and heat. Stars are energy that generates light and heat. Stars are simply gases held together by gravity. The gas is simply gases held together by gravity. The gas is primarily hydrogen.primarily hydrogen.

ConclusionConclusion

Through observation and space Through observation and space exploration we have learned much about exploration we have learned much about our solar system. However, there is a lot our solar system. However, there is a lot that we do not know. Advances in that we do not know. Advances in technology allow us to learn more about technology allow us to learn more about our solar system and the objects in it more our solar system and the objects in it more each day.each day.