Learning about

The Solar System!

Ms. Damian

What is the Solar System?

The solar system is everything that moves around the sun. Our solar system consists of eight
planets, but it is said that there could be more that we can not see. The sun is the center of
the solar system. Our solar system is said to have formed about 4.6 billion years ago. The
four closest planets to the sun are known as the terrestrial planets because they have dense,
rocky surfaces. These four planets are Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.

The Sun
Makes up 99.8% of the mass within our Solar System
All the planets revolve around the sun since it is the center of the System
The center of the sun is about 27 million degrees Fahrenheit.
The sun is the reason the Earth is still around because of how powerful the

energy that is produces.

What is a Planet?
In order to be a planet there must be enough mass to be able to form the

nearly round shape

Must orbit the sun
Dwarf Planet

an object that meets planetary criteria except that it has not cleared debris from its orbital neighborhood

Video:
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/videos?videoGuid=75ef52f5-757e-4ac8-9719-8fd09711b35e

Reference
Howell, E. (204, May 22). What Is a Planet? Space.com. Retrieved May 31, 2015, from
http://www.space.com/25986-planet-definition.html

Mercury
The smallest planet
A bit larger the our moon

Closest planet to the sun

36 Million Miles

Rocky Planet
Has solid, cratered surface.

59 days on Earth is equivalent to one

day on Mercury
Takes 88 earth days to orbit around
the Sun.

Venus
A little smaller than Earth
Second closest Planet to the

Sun
67 million miles

Rocky Planet
Cratered and volcanic landscape

243 days on Earth is one day

on Venus
Makes an orbit around the
Sun in 225 Earth days

Earth
Third Planet from the sun
Rocky Planet
Solid and dynamic surface of

mountains, valleys, canyons,

plains, and other things.

Also an ocean planet

70% of Earths Surface is

oceans

Has one moon

Mars
Fourth Planet from the Sun
Rocky Plant
Volcanoes, Impacts, Crustal

Movement, Dust Storms

687 days on Earth is

equivalent to how long it

takes for Mars to orbit around
the Sun.

Jupiter
Fifth Planet from the sun
Gas Giant Planet
No Solid Surface
Predicted that there is a solid

surface the size of Earth

Atmosphere made up of
Hydrogen and Helium

Makes an orbit around the

Sun in about 12 Earth

years

Saturn
Sixth Planet from the Sun
Gas Giant Planet

No solid surface

Takes 29 Earth years to

orbit the Sun

Atmosphere is made up

of:
Hydrogen and helium

Uranus
Seventh Planet from the Sun
Ice Planet
80% or more is made up of

icy material
Water
Methane
Ammonia

28 years on Earth is how

long Uranus takes to orbit

the Sun

Neptune
Eighth Planet from the

Sun
Sister Ice Planet with
Uranus
Thick and hot

combination of:
Water
Ammonia
Methane

Neptune take 165 Earth

Years to orbit the Sun

Refererence
Solar System Exploration. (n.d.). Retrieved June 1, 2015, from

https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/index.cfm
Solar System, Solar System Information, Facts, News, Photos

-- National Geographic. (n.d.). Retrieved June 1, 2015, from

http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/space/solar-sys
tem/
Our Solar System. (n.d.). Retrieved June 1, 2015, from
http://www.kidsastronomy.com/solar_system.htm

What Is a Planet? Space.com. Retrieved May 31, 2015, from

http://www.space.com/25986-planet-definition.html