Solar system

Our solar system consists of a star (sun) which is orbited by the planets along with their moons, asteroids,
comets, meteoroids, interplanetary dusts and gas.

The entire solar system is flat. The members of the solar system orbits in an elliptical pattern (egg shape).

Distance in the solar system is measured in astronomical units (AU). One astronomical unit is equivalent
to 150 million Km.

The solar system is believed to have been formed about 4.8 billion years ago. Scientists believe that the
solar system was formed when a cloud of gas and dust in space was disturbed, maybe by the explosion of
a nearby star (called a supernova). This explosion made waves in space which squeezed the cloud of gas
and dust. Squeezing made the cloud start to collapse, as gravity pulled the gas and dust together, forming
a solar nebula. The cloud eventually became hotter and denser at the center, but cool at the edges. The
pressure caused by the material was so great that hydrogen atoms began to fuse into helium, releasing a
tremendous amount of energy. Our Sun was born! Particle eventually began to stick together and form
clumps. These clumps eventually form the planets, moons and other planetary bodies.

The sun

The Sun is a star, of intermediate size and luminosity. The large size of the sun creates gravitational
forces, which keeps the members of the solar system to orbit around it. Nuclear fusion occurs in the center
of the Sun and this causes the temperature to rise as high as 14 million degrees Celsius. Heat, light and
radiation is released from the Sun. The sun is very active. Sunspots occur in an 11 year cycle, where solar
flares send our burst of charged particles.

The planets

The planets of the solar system are categorized as terrestrial or Gaseous

Terrestrial Planets: They are called terrestrial because they have a compact, rocky surface like the Earth's.

1. Mercury
2. Venus
3. Earth
4. Mars
Gaseous Planets

1. Jupiter
2. Saturn
3. Uranus
4. Nepture

Mercury

- Closest planet to the sun

- Slightly larger than Earth’s moon
- Temperature can reach up to 450 degrees Celsius during the day, and hundreds of degree below
zero at night
- Revolves around the sun in 88 days

Venus

- Hottest planet in the solar system

- Has a thick cloud cover that has sulphuric acid.
- Closet planet to Earth
- Orbits the sun in 225 days

Earth

- Third planet away from the sun

- Takes 365.25 days to orbit the sun
- First of the planets to have a moon
- Only planet that is known with abundant liquid and supports life
- Earth is slightly flattened at the poles

Mars

- It is also known as the red planet.

- Takes 686 days to orbit the sun
- Has seasons in the same way as Earth, because it has a tilt
- Half the size of Earth and about twice the size of our Moon
- Has two moons called Phobos and Deimos: one rises in the east and sets on the west, and the
other rises on the west and sets on the east.
 - Mars has a very thin atmosphere of mostly carbon dioxide. Even the ice caps are primarily made
of frozen carbon dioxide.
- Gravity is only 40% that of Earth’s
- Surface temperature range from 15 to -140 degrees Celsius
- Has the largest volcano in the solar system; which rises up to 26 km

The Asteroid Belt

- This is found between Mars and Jupiter

- Comprised of thousands of rocks left over from the formation of the solar system.

Jupiter

- Jupiter is the fifth planet from our sun and the largest planet in the solar system.
- The atmosphere is mostly hydrogen and helium, and its iconic Great Red Spot is a giant storm
bigger than Earth that has raged for hundreds of years.
- Jupiter is surrounded by more than 50 moons
- It is 1400 times larger than Earth
- The speeds are around 600 Kmph at the equator, but slower at the poles

Saturn

- Second largest planet in the solar system

- At the equator, there are high speed winds up to 1700 kmph
- The planet has a well-defined ring structure that consist of dust and rocks
- Saturn orbits the Sun once every 29 years
- It is mainly comprised of gas
- Saturn's core is quite hot (11,700 degrees C) and it generates more heat than it receives from the
Sun. The further from the planets centre, the less the temperature with the temperature reaching
around -180 degrees in the upper atmosphere
- Surface temperature can be as low as 182 degrees Celsius
- Has around 31 moons
Uranus

- Its diameter is four times that of Earth and it is about 14 times heavier than Earth
- Uranus orbits the Sun once every 84 years. It orbits on its side (equator is nearly at right angles to
its orbit)
- Uranus has the second most extensive ring system of the solar system after Saturn.
- They are comprised of ice and some darker material which results in them being much darker
than the rings of Saturn.
- Uranus has 27 known moons

Neptune

- It has a rocky core.

- Orbits the sun in 165 years
- Neptune also have a ring system (possess bright thick clumps of dust)
- There are 14 known moons that orbits Neptune

Questions

1. Which planet in the solar system has the largest number of moons?
2. Name the planet that is covered with acid clouds
3. Suggest why Venus is the hottest planet in the solar system, although it is the second planet away
from the Sun
4. Which planet in the solar system has the greatest gravitational force?