Outer Planets

What are their characteristics?

Outer Planets

Made Of: Gases

Size: Larger

Location: Farthest from the Sun

Jupiter

Order from Sun: 5th

Number of Moons: 79 (53 named, 26 awaiting names)

Temperature: Coldest -260F, Warmest -150F

Atmosphere: Gases - hydrogen, helium, methane & ammonia, Stormiest (Great Red Spot)

Jupiter: Interesting Facts

-Largest Planet

-Thin, cold atmosphere becomes thicker and hotter and turns into a thick, dark fog which becomes so pressurized it turns into a liquid

-Named after the Roman sky-god

Saturn

Order from Sun: 6th

Number of Moons: 82 (most in solar system)

Temperature: Coldest -300F, Warmest -188F

Atmosphere: Gases - hydrogen and helium

Saturn: Interesting Facts

-Rings are made of ice crystals (some as big as houses) - must use a telescope on Earth to see them

-Named after the Roman god of agriculture

Uranus

Order from Sun: 7th

Number of Moons: 27

Temperature: Coldest -370F, Warmest -243F

Atmosphere: hydrogen & methane (absorbs red light and scatters blue light)

Uranus: Interesting Facts

-Coldest planet in our solar system

-Rotates like a barrell (on its side) instead of a top

-Named after Greek god of the sky

Neptune

Order from Sun: 8th

Number of Moons: 14

Temperature: Coldest -328F, Warmest -218F

Atmosphere: Gases - helium & methane, windiest

Neptune: Interesting Facts

-Most violent weather

-Triton - moon that orbits planet backward

-Named after Roman god of the sea

Inner Planets

What are their characteristics?

Inner Planets

Made Of: Rock, known as Terrestrial Planets

Size: Smaller

Location: Closer to the Sun

Mercury

Order From Sun: 1st

Number of Moons: 0

Temperature: Coldest -290 F, Warmest 800 F

Atmosphere: None - No wind, water, air or weather

Mercury: Interesting Facts

Named for the Roman god of commerce, travel and thievery because it moves so quickly around the sun

Venus

Order from Sun: 2nd

Number of Moons: 0

Temperature: Hottest Planet 860F

Atmosphere: Mostly carbon dioxide, thick - traps heat

Venus: Interesting Facts

-Named after Roman goddess of love and beauty

-Brightest object in the sky besides sun and moon

-"Morning Star" (at sunrise it is seen in the east, at sunset it is seen in the west)

-Most Volcanoes

-Called Earth's sister planet

Earth

Order from Sun: 3rd

Number of Moons: 1

Temperature: Mild, Coldest -114F, Warmest 116F

Atmosphere: Only planet with water on its surface, gases that surround the planet support life

Earth: Interesting Facts

-Old English & German name for soil

-Only planet known to support life

-Earthquakes, volcanoes and mountains form because of plate tectonics that make up the surface

-Largest of the inner planets

Mars

Order from Sun: 4th

Number of Moons: 2

Temperature: Winter NIghts -184F, Summer Days 77F

Atmosphere: Mostly carbon dioxide, thin - doesn't trap in heat, violent dust storms

Mars: Interesting Facts

-Named after the Roman god of war

-Red Planet - covered in iron oxide (rust)

-Massive volcanoes - Mount Olympus Mons largest in our solar system