Tour of the Solar System

1
Tour of the Solar System
2
General Properties of the Solar System

• There are two classes of planets
• The Terrestrial planets are small, solid bodies
  (rocks or iron) in the inner part of the Solar
  System.
• The Jovian planets are hydrogen-rich gas giants
  in the outer part of the Solar System.
• Each planet is in a roughly circular orbit in the
  plane of the ecliptic, moving west-to-east in the
  sky.

3
Titius-Bodes Law
To estimate the semi-major axis of a planets
orbit (in Astronomical Units) start with the
sequence 0, 3, 6, 12, 24, etc. Add 4, divide by
10, and thats the distance. This is
Titius-Bodes Law.
4
General Properties of the Solar System

• There are two classes of planets
• The Terrestrial planets are small, solid bodies
  (rocks or iron) in the inner part of the Solar
  System.
• The Jovian planets are hydrogen-rich gas giants
  in the outer part of the Solar System.
• Each planet is in a roughly circular orbit in the
  plane of the ecliptic, moving west-to-east in the
  sky.

• Between Mars and Jupiter (where Bodes Law
  predicts a planet) there are large numbers of
  small asteroids.
• Bodes Law breaks down in the outer parts of the
  Solar System. Neptune is in the wrong place.
• Outside the orbit of Neptune is the Kuiper Belt
  of comets.

5
The Kuiper Belt
6
General Properties of the Solar System

• There are two classes of planets
• The Terrestrial planets are small, solid bodies
  (rocks or iron) in the inner part of the Solar
  System.
• The Jovian planets are hydrogen-rich gas giants
  in the outer part of the Solar System.
• Each planet is in a roughly circular orbit in the
  plane of the ecliptic, moving west-to-east in the
  sky.

• Between Mars and Jupiter (where Bodes Law
  predicts a planet) there are large numbers of
  small asteroids.
• Bodes Law breaks down in the outer parts of the
  Solar System. Neptune is in the wrong place.
• Outside the orbit of Neptune is the Kuiper Belt
  of comets.
• Far past Pluto is the Oort Cloud of comets.

7
The Oort Cloud
8
The Planets
Name Distance (A.U.) Period (yr) Mass (M?) Density (water) Temp (C) min/max Rotation (time) Tilt
9
Mercury
10
The Planets
Name Distance (A.U.) Period (yr) Mass (M?) Density (water) Temp (C) min/max Rotation (time) Tilt
Mercury 0.39 0.24 0.056 5.4 ?170/430 58d 7
11
Mercury
Mercury notes many impact craters (looks like
the Moon) very dense (mostly iron) rotation
period exactly 2/3 of its orbital period (a
resonance) very large day/night temperature
difference no atmosphere no moon
12
The Planets
Name Distance (A.U.) Period (yr) Mass (M?) Density (water) Temp (C) min/max Rotation (time) Tilt
Mercury 0.39 0.24 0.056 5.4 ?170/430 58d 7
13
The Planets
Name Distance (A.U.) Period (yr) Mass (M?) Density (water) Temp (C) min/max Rotation (time) Tilt
Mercury 0.39 0.24 0.056 5.4 ?170/430 58d 7
Venus 0.72 0.61 0.82 4.2 472 ?243d 2
14
Venus
optical
ultraviolet
radar map
Venus notes similar in size and mass to Earth
extremely thick CO2 atmosphere sulfuric acid
clouds hottest planet in the Solar System
little temperature variance evidence of volcanos
on surface rotates slowly (backwards) some
impact craters no moon
15
The Planets
Name Distance (A.U.) Period (yr) Mass (M?) Density (water) Temp (C) min/max Rotation (time) Tilt
Mercury 0.39 0.24 0.056 5.4 ?170/430 58d 7
Venus 0.72 0.61 0.82 4.2 472 ?243d 2
16
The Planets
Name Distance (A.U.) Period (yr) Mass (M?) Density (water) Temp (C) min/max Rotation (time) Tilt
Mercury 0.39 0.24 0.056 5.4 ?170/430 58d 7
Venus 0.72 0.61 0.82 4.2 472 ?243d 2
Earth 1.0 1.0 1.0 5.55 ?50/50 24h 23
Moon 0.012 3.35 ?170/130 29d 6
17
Earth and Moon
Earth/Moon notes double planet (Moon similar in
size to Earth) extremely different surface
conditions Moon keeps its same side to the
Earth at all times
18
Earth
Earth notes liquid water on surface very dense
(mostly iron) atmosphere of N2 and O2 (with
trace amounts of CO2) a few impact craters
small difference in day/night temperature
evidence of volcanos and tectonic activity water
vapor clouds
19
The Moon
Moon notes many impact craters less dense than
Earth (mostly rock) no atmosphere large
day/night temperature difference evidence of
past lava flows (only on side facing Earth) no
present volcanos or tectonic activity
20
The Planets
Name Distance (A.U.) Period (yr) Mass (M?) Density (water) Temp (C) min/max Rotation (time) Tilt
Mercury 0.39 0.24 0.056 5.4 ?170/430 58d 7
Venus 0.72 0.61 0.82 4.2 472 ?243d 2
Earth 1.0 1.0 1.0 5.55 ?50/50 24h 23
Moon 0.012 3.35 ?170/130 29d 6
21
The Planets
Name Distance (A.U.) Period (yr) Mass (M?) Density (water) Temp (C) min/max Rotation (time) Tilt
Mercury 0.39 0.24 0.056 5.4 ?170/430 58d 7
Venus 0.72 0.61 0.82 4.2 472 ?243d 2
Earth 1.0 1.0 1.0 5.55 ?50/50 24h 23
Moon 0.012 3.35 ?170/130 29d 6
Mars 1.5 1.9 0.11 3.3 ?140/20 24h 37m 24
22
Mars
Mars notes medium density (rocks) polar ice
caps (H2O and CO2) thin CO2 atmosphere moderate
daytime/night temperature changes some impact
craters large canyons and volcanos evidence for
old river beds dust storms two small moons
23
Mars
24
Mars
25
Mars
The moons Deimos and Phobos
26
The Planets
Name Distance (A.U.) Period (yr) Mass (M?) Density (water) Temp (C) min/max Rotation (time) Tilt
Mercury 0.39 0.24 0.056 5.4 ?170/430 58d 7
Venus 0.72 0.61 0.82 4.2 472 ?243d 2
Earth 1.0 1.0 1.0 5.55 ?50/50 24h 23
Moon 0.012 3.35 ?170/130 29d 6
Mars 1.5 1.9 0.11 3.3 ?140/20 24h 37m 24
27
The Planets
Name Distance (A.U.) Period (yr) Mass (M?) Density (water) Temp (C) min/max Rotation (time) Tilt
Mercury 0.39 0.24 0.056 5.4 ?170/430 58d 7
Venus 0.72 0.61 0.82 4.2 472 ?243d 2
Earth 1.0 1.0 1.0 5.55 ?50/50 24h 23
Moon 0.012 3.35 ?170/130 29d 6
Mars 1.5 1.9 0.11 3.3 ?140/20 24h 37m 24
-------------------------------- The Asteroid
Belt ------------------------------
28
The Asteroids
Asteroid Belt notes millions of small bodies 26
greater than 200 km, 100,000 bigger than 1 km
across total mass less than Earths Moon all
(except Ceres) irregular in shape Apollo
asteroids cross the Earths orbit Trojan
asteroids in same orbital path of Jupiter mostly
iron, some rocky, some icy.
29
The Planets
Name Distance (A.U.) Period (yr) Mass (M?) Density (water) Temp (C) min/max Rotation (time) Tilt
Mercury 0.39 0.24 0.056 5.4 ?170/430 58d 7
Venus 0.72 0.61 0.82 4.2 472 ?243d 2
Earth 1.0 1.0 1.0 5.55 ?50/50 24h 23
Moon 0.012 3.35 ?170/130 29d 6
Mars 1.5 1.9 0.11 3.3 ?140/20 24h 37m 24
30
The Planets
Name Distance (A.U.) Period (yr) Mass (M?) Density (water) Temp (C) min/max Rotation (time) Tilt
Mercury 0.39 0.24 0.056 5.4 ?170/430 58d 7
Venus 0.72 0.61 0.82 4.2 472 ?243d 2
Earth 1.0 1.0 1.0 5.55 ?50/50 24h 23
Moon 0.012 3.35 ?170/130 29d 6
Mars 1.5 1.9 0.11 3.3 ?140/20 24h 37m 24
Jupiter 5.2 11.9 318 1.34 ?130 9h 50m 1
31
Jupiter
Jupiter notes gas giant (mostly H and He, with
CH4 and NH3) strong winds faint system of
rings rapid rotation (and slightly flattened)
4 large, many smaller moons emits more energy
than it receives from the Sun contains more mass
than all the other planets put together
32
Jupiters Rings
33
Jupiters Galilean Moons
Ganymede
Callisto
Io
Europa
Io density of 3.5 many volcanos no impact
craters Europa density of 3.0 smooth icy
surface few impact craters Ganymede density of
1.9 grooved surface many impact
craters Callisto density of 1.8 covered with
craters
34
The Planets
Name Distance (A.U.) Period (yr) Mass (M?) Density (water) Temp (C) min/max Rotation (time) Tilt
Mercury 0.39 0.24 0.056 5.4 ?170/430 58d 7
Venus 0.72 0.61 0.82 4.2 472 ?243d 2
Earth 1.0 1.0 1.0 5.55 ?50/50 24h 23
Moon 0.012 3.35 ?170/130 29d 6
Mars 1.5 1.9 0.11 3.3 ?140/20 24h 37m 24
Jupiter 5.2 11.9 318 1.34 ?130 9h 50m 1
35
The Planets
Name Distance (A.U.) Period (yr) Mass (M?) Density (water) Temp (C) min/max Rotation (time) Tilt
Mercury 0.39 0.24 0.056 5.4 ?170/430 58d 7
Venus 0.72 0.61 0.82 4.2 472 ?243d 2
Earth 1.0 1.0 1.0 5.55 ?50/50 24h 23
Moon 0.012 3.35 ?170/130 29d 6
Mars 1.5 1.9 0.11 3.3 ?140/20 24h 37m 24
Jupiter 5.2 11.9 318 1.34 ?130 9h 50m 1
Saturn 9.5 29.4 95 0.69 ?180 10h 39m 2
36
Saturn
Saturn notes gas giant (mostly H and He, with
CH4 and NH3) strong winds bright complex system
of rings rapid rotation (and flattened) 1
large moon (Titan) with atmosphere plus many
smaller moons density less than water (it
floats)!
37
Saturns Moons
Titan thick atmosphere of mostly N2, CH4 and
NH3 on the surface, oceans of methane other
moons are mostly icy, but show a wide variety of
properties
38
Saturns Rings
39
The Planets
Name Distance (A.U.) Period (yr) Mass (M?) Density (water) Temp (C) min/max Rotation (time) Tilt
Mercury 0.39 0.24 0.056 5.4 ?170/430 58d 7
Venus 0.72 0.61 0.82 4.2 472 ?243d 2
Earth 1.0 1.0 1.0 5.55 ?50/50 24h 23
Moon 0.012 3.35 ?170/130 29d 6
Mars 1.5 1.9 0.11 3.3 ?140/20 24h 37m 24
Jupiter 5.2 11.9 318 1.34 ?130 9h 50m 1
Saturn 9.5 29.4 95 0.69 ?180 10h 39m 2
40
The Planets
Name Distance (A.U.) Period (yr) Mass (M?) Density (water) Temp (C) min/max Rotation (time) Tilt
Mercury 0.39 0.24 0.056 5.4 ?170/430 58d 7
Venus 0.72 0.61 0.82 4.2 472 ?243d 2
Earth 1.0 1.0 1.0 5.55 ?50/50 24h 23
Moon 0.012 3.35 ?170/130 29d 6
Mars 1.5 1.9 0.11 3.3 ?140/20 24h 37m 24
Jupiter 5.2 11.9 318 1.34 ?130 9h 50m 1
Saturn 9.5 29.4 95 0.69 ?180 10h 39m 2
Uranus 19.2 84 14.5 1.29 ?220 17h 14m 98
41
Uranus
Uranus notes gas giant (mostly H and He, with
CH4 and NH3) discovered by Herschel (with
telescope) in 1781 tipped 98 from ecliptic
plane moderately complex ring system many icy
moons with odd features
42
Uranus Tilt
Moons of Uranus include Belinda, Rosalind,
Portia, Bianca, Cressida, Juliet, Desdemona,
Puck, and Miranda
Miranda
43
The Planets
Name Distance (A.U.) Period (yr) Mass (M?) Density (water) Temp (C) min/max Rotation (time) Tilt
Mercury 0.39 0.24 0.056 5.4 ?170/430 58d 7
Venus 0.72 0.61 0.82 4.2 472 ?243d 2
Earth 1.0 1.0 1.0 5.55 ?50/50 24h 23
Moon 0.012 3.35 ?170/130 29d 6
Mars 1.5 1.9 0.11 3.3 ?140/20 24h 37m 24
Jupiter 5.2 11.9 318 1.34 ?130 9h 50m 1
Saturn 9.5 29.4 95 0.69 ?180 10h 39m 2
Uranus 19.2 84 14.5 1.29 ?220 17h 14m 98
44
The Planets
Name Distance (A.U.) Period (yr) Mass (M?) Density (water) Temp (C) min/max Rotation (time) Tilt
Mercury 0.39 0.24 0.056 5.4 ?170/430 58d 7
Venus 0.72 0.61 0.82 4.2 472 ?243d 2
Earth 1.0 1.0 1.0 5.55 ?50/50 24h 23
Moon 0.012 3.35 ?170/130 29d 6
Mars 1.5 1.9 0.11 3.3 ?140/20 24h 37m 24
Jupiter 5.2 11.9 318 1.34 ?130 9h 50m 1
Saturn 9.5 29.4 95 0.69 ?180 10h 39m 2
Uranus 19.2 84 14.5 1.29 ?220 17h 14m 98
Neptune 30.1 165 17.2 1.66 ?216 16h 03m 2
45
Neptune
Neptune notes gas giant (mostly H and He, with
CH4 and NH3) existence and position predicted
mathematically in 1843 by John Couch Adams and
Urbain LeVerrier moderately complex ring system
many icy moons
46
The Planets
Name Distance (A.U.) Period (yr) Mass (M?) Density (water) Temp (C) min/max Rotation (time) Tilt
Mercury 0.39 0.24 0.056 5.4 ?170/430 58d 7
Venus 0.72 0.61 0.82 4.2 472 ?243d 2
Earth 1.0 1.0 1.0 5.55 ?50/50 24h 23
Moon 0.012 3.35 ?170/130 29d 6
Mars 1.5 1.9 0.11 3.3 ?140/20 24h 37m 24
Jupiter 5.2 11.9 318 1.34 ?130 9h 50m 1
Saturn 9.5 29.4 95 0.69 ?180 10h 39m 2
Uranus 19.2 84 14.5 1.29 ?220 17h 14m 98
Neptune 30.1 165 17.2 1.66 ?216 16h 03m 2
47
The Planets
Name Distance (A.U.) Period (yr) Mass (M?) Density (water) Temp (C) min/max Rotation (time) Tilt
Mercury 0.39 0.24 0.056 5.4 ?170/430 58d 7
Venus 0.72 0.61 0.82 4.2 472 ?243d 2
Earth 1.0 1.0 1.0 5.55 ?50/50 24h 23
Moon 0.012 3.35 ?170/130 29d 6
Mars 1.5 1.9 0.11 3.3 ?140/20 24h 37m 24
Jupiter 5.2 11.9 318 1.34 ?130 9h 50m 1
Saturn 9.5 29.4 95 0.69 ?180 10h 39m 2
Uranus 19.2 84 14.5 1.29 ?220 17h 14m 98
Neptune 30.1 165 17.2 1.66 ?216 16h 03m 2
-------------------------------- Comets
------------------------------
48
Comets
Comets notes composition similar to dirty
iceballs many are in the Kuiper belt, outside
the orbit of Neptune most are in the Oort Cloud
between 20,000 and 100,000 A.U. from the Sun
the comets we see are in highly elliptical orbits
49
The Kuiper Belt
Kuiper Belt notes predicted in 1951 sometimes
called Trans-Neptunian Objects many, many icy
bodies (comets) in torus Pluto is a (large)
example of a Kuiper Belt object.
50
The First Kuiper Belt Object Pluto
Pluto notes double object (with Charon) very
small discovered in 1930 by Clyde Tombaugh (if
discovered today, would never be called a
planet) orbit around the Sun is very elliptical,
and is sometimes closer than Neptune) icy,
similar to moons of outer planets
51
The Biggest Kuiper Belt Objects (So Far)
Gabrielle
Xena
52
The Oort Cloud
53
Next time -- Formation of the Solar System