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Our Solar System

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Standards

4.E.3A. Conceptual Understanding: Astronomy is the study of objects in our solar system and beyond. A solar system includes a sun, (star), and all other objects that orbit that sun. Planets in our night sky change positions and are not always visible from Earth as they orbit our Sun. Stars that are beyond the solar system can be seen in the night sky in patterns called constellations. Constellations can be used for navigation and appear to move together across the sky because of Earth’s rotation.

Performance Indicators: Students who demonstrate this understanding can:

4.E.3A.1 Develop and use models of Earth’s solar system to exemplify the location and order of the planets as they orbit the Sun and the main composition (rock or gas) of the planets.

http://www.ed.sc.gov/scdoe/assets/file/agency/ccr/Standards-Learning/documents/South_Carolina_Academic_Standards_and_Performance_Indicators_for_Science_2014.pdf

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The Sun

It is made of gas.
Its diameter (measure through the center) is 2,715,395 miles.
Temperature on the surface is around 10,000℉.
It takes 8 minutes for light from the sun to reach Earth.
It is one of millions of stars in our galaxy (Milky Way).
It is neither the smallest nor the largest type of star.
Over 1 million Earths could fit inside the sun.
Its name is Sol.

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Mercury

It is 36 million miles from the Sun.
Its orbit around the Sun is 88 days.
It is a solid planet.
Its diameter is 3100 miles.
1 day on Mercury is 59 days on Earth.
Its temperature on the sunny side is 750℉, but on the dark side -328℉.
It has no atmosphere or moons.

The 1st Planet from the Sun

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Venus

Venus is 67 million miles from the Sun.
Its orbit around the Sun is 225 days.
It is a solid planet.
Its diameter is 7523 miles.
1 day on Venus is more than 100 days on Earth.
Its temperature is 860℉, making it the hottest planet.
It is the closest in size to Earth, and also in distance.
The gases in its atmosphere are deadly.
Venus rotates in the opposite direction of the other planets.
It has many volcanoes.
It has no moons.

The 2nd Planet from the Sun

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Earth

Earth is 93 million miles from the Sun.
Its orbit around the Sun is 365¼ days.
It is a solid planet.
Its diameter is 7926 miles.
It is not a perfect sphere.
1 day is 24 hours.
Its temperature averages 45℉.
Its tilt on its axis gives us our seasons.
Earth is about 70% water, 30% land.
It is the only planet to have liquid water.
It is the only planet to have life.
It has 1 moon, named Luna.
The moon has many craters.

The 3rd Planet from the Sun

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Mars

It is 142 million miles from the Sun.
Its orbit around the Sun is 687 days.
It is known as the Red Planet.
It is a solid planet.
Its diameter is 4222 miles.
1 day on Mars 24 hours 39 minutes, almost the same as Earth.
Its temperature ranges from 98℉ to -190℉.
It has frozen water on its polar caps and underground.
It may have had rivers, lakes, and oceans in the past.
It has 2 moons, named Deimos and Phobos.

The 4th Planet from the Sun

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The Asteroid Belt

The Asteroid Belt is between Mars and Jupiter.
It is about 250 million miles from the Sun.
It has an inner belt and an outer belt.
The inner belt has asteroids made of metal.
The outer belt has asteroids made of carbon, and are darker and rocky.

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Jupiter

It is 483 million miles from the Sun.
Its orbit around the Sun is 4332½ days, or 11.9 Earth years.
It is a gas planet.
Its diameter is 88,700 miles, making it the largest planet.
1 day on Jupiter is 9.84 hours.
Its temperature averages -244℉.
It is the stormiest planet.
The great red spot, or “The Eye of Jupiter,” is a storm that has lasted more than 300 years.
It has 64 moons. Four of them are named Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto.

The 5th Planet from the Sun

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Saturn

It is 888 million miles from the Sun.
Its orbit around the Sun is 10,759.2 days, or 29½ Earth years.
It is a gas planet.
Its diameter is 75,098 miles.
1 day on Saturn is 10 hours 13 minutes.
Its temperature averages -300℉.
It has 7 thin rings, held together by the gravity from its moons, made up of particles of ice, dust, and rocks.
It has 53 official moons. Some of their names are Titan, Atlas, Calypso, Doine, Enceladus, Hyperion, Iapetus, Janus, Mimas, Phoebe, and Tethys.

The 6th Planet from the Sun

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Uranus

It is 1784 million miles from the Sun.
Its orbit around the Sun is 30,684 days, or 84 Earth years.
It is a gas planet.
Its diameter is 31,783 miles.
1 day on Uranus is 17.2 hours.
Its temperature averages -300℉.
Uranus spins on its side.
It has thin rings made of black dust particles and large rocks.
It has been called the “ice giant.”
It may have trillions of diamonds and even a huge, hot ocean.
It has 27 moons. Some are named Titania, Oberon, Umbriel, Ariel, Miranda, Belinda, Bianca, Caliban, Cordelia, Cressida, Desdemona, Juliet, Ophelia, Portia, Puck, and Rosalind.

The 7th Planet from the Sun

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Neptune

It is 2794 million miles from the Sun.
Its orbit around the Sun is 60,190 days, or 165 Earth years.
It is a gas planet.
Its diameter is 30,775 miles.
1 day on Neptune is 16 hours 17 minutes.
Its temperature averages -370℉.
It has 6 thin rings that seem new.
It had a storm called the ”Great Dark Spot” that can no longer be seen.
It has 13 moons, named Triton, Despina, Galatea, Halimede, Laomedeia, Larissa, Naiad, Nereid, Neso, Proteus, Psamathe, Sao, and Thalassa.

The 8th Planet from the Sun

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Pluto

It is 3647 million miles from the Sun.
Its orbit around the Sun is 90,465 days, or 248½ Earth years.
It is considered a dwarf planet, because it is ⅔ smaller than Earth’s moon.
Its diameter is 1485 miles.
1 day on Pluto is 6 days 9 hours.
Its temperature averages -390℉.
Its orbit crossed into Neptune’s orbit from 1979 - 1999, making it closer to the Sun.
In 1999, scientists tried to call it a comet, but it was changed to a dwarf planet in 2006.
It has 4 moons, named Charon, Hydra, Nix, and P4.
Pluto and Charon are sometimes called a double planet system.

A Dwarf Planet, one time considered the 9th Planet from the Sun