The Solar System�& The Sun

Lesson 1A & 1B

THE SOLAR

SYSTEM

The Solar System

Our solar system consists of:

• The Sun
• Planets
• Satellites
• Asteroids
• Meteoroids
• Comets
• and other space debris

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The Solar System

• The sun is at the centre of our solar system
• the planets and other smaller bodies of terrain or spheres of gas orbit around it

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The Solar System

• The sun’s gravitational pull and the planets’ tendency to pull away from this pull keep them in perfect orbit around the sun

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The Solar System

• Our solar system is located in “The Milky Way Galaxy”
• Its appearance from a distance seems like a streak of white through a black sky
• The streak is caused by the dim glow of all the stars that are within the galaxy

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The Planets

MERCURY

VENUS

EARTH

MARS

JUPITER

SATURN

URANUS

NEPTUNE

THE SUN

The Sun

• The sun is essentially a massive ball of �burning gases
• It is the largest object in our solar system
• It is found in the centre with all the planets orbiting around it
• The sun’s mass accounts for 99% of the matter that exists in our solar system
• That means all the planets, asteroids, meteoroids, comets, satellites, and other space debris could all fit within the sun

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The Sun VS The Earth

It would take about �1.3 million earths �to fit into the sun

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The Sun

• Although it may seem like the sun is the biggest star in the galaxy this is not the case
• The sun simply appears to us as the largest star because of its proximity
• It is the closest star to us giving the impression that it is the largest
• There are billions of stars within The Milky Way Galaxy, but the sun is the only star in our solar system.

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The Sun

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Heat Production

• The heat produced by the sun allows for life on Earth
• The planet Earth is the perfect distance from the sun
• It is not too hot and not too cold for human, plant, and animal life to exist
• Every other planet in the solar system is either
• too far or
• too close to the sun to sustain life

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Layers of the Sun

There are 6 Layers of the Sun:

Inner layers

1. Core
2. Radiative Zone
3. Convective Zone

Outer Layers

4. Photosphere
5. Chromosphere

Transition Region

6. Corona

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6 Layers of the Sun

Inner layers

1. Core
2. Radiative Zone
3. Convective Zone

Outer Layers

4. Photosphere
5. Chromosphere

Transition Region

6. Corona

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Layers of the Sun

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SUNDIAL

Sundial

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Sundial

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Sundial

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Make A Sundial

Objective:

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• To investigate the earth’s rotation around the sun.

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Materials:

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• Stick that is 2 feet long (24 inches or approximately 61cm)
• 12 small stones (Pebbles or rocks)
• Watch (Clock)

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Make A Sundial

Procedures:

1. Find a sunny spot and push the stick straight into the grass or earth.

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• Start in the morning when the sun is up. �At 7:00 am use a pebble to mark where the shadow of your stick falls. Come back at 8:00am and do the same thing, marking the shadow with a pebble. Return each consecutive hour: 9:00am, 10:00am, and so on until there is no more daylight in the day.

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• By the end of the day your sundial will be complete. The pebbles will now represent the time of day that you placed them there. Check to see if the sundial is accurate by seeing if the stick’s shadow lines up with the appropriate pebble at each hour of the day.

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Sundial

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