Our Solar System: Planets and their Characteristics
Introduction:
Our Solar System is made up of one star, eight planets and numerous other celestial bodies. Each planet varies in size, composition, orbit and atmosphere. Understanding the individual characteristics of each planet is important to gain a better understanding of the Solar System as a whole.
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Terrestrial Planets
- Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars
- Small, rocky and dense
- Orbital periods less than 2 Earth years
- Thin atmospheres or no atmosphere
- Close to the Sun
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Gas Giant Planets
- Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune
- Huge in size, made up of gas and ice
- Orbital periods longer than 10 Earth years
- Thick atmospheres with hydrogen and helium
- Farther away from the Sun
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Dwarf Planets
- Pluto, Ceres, Eris and Makemake
- Smaller than the other planets, but bigger than asteroids
- May have moons and unique orbits
- Often reside in the Kuiper Belt
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Characteristics of Each Planet
- Mercury: closest to the Sun, smallest planet, no atmosphere
- Venus: similar size to Earth, thick atmosphere of carbon dioxide
- Earth: only planet with conditions to support life
- Mars: known for its red appearance, thin atmosphere but believed to have once had liquid water
- Jupiter: largest planet, iconic Great Red Spot storm, numerous moons
- Saturn: known for its rings made of ice particles, second largest planet
- Uranus: tilted on its side, has thin dark rings, classified as an "ice giant"
- Neptune: furthest planet from the Sun, known for its blue color, has strong winds that create the "Great Dark Spot"
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Equations and Formulas
- Kepler’s Laws of Planetary Motion: describes the elliptical orbits of planets around the Sun
- Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation: describes the force of gravity between two objects
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Further Learning
- NASA’s Solar System Exploration website: contains in-depth information about each planet, along with images and videos from various space missions
- PBS’s NOVA: "The Planets" documentary series
- "A Brief History of Time" by Stephen Hawking: includes a chapter on the Solar System and the exploration of space.
