Earth planets of the solar system. What is the solar system? Giants made of gases and hot metals

The solar system is a system of planets, which includes its center - the Sun, as well as other objects of the Cosmos. They revolve around the sun. More recently, 9 objects of the Cosmos that revolve around the Sun were called “planet”. Now scientists have established that beyond the boundaries of the solar system there are planets that revolve around stars.

In 2006, the Union of Astronomers declared that the planets of the solar system are spherical cosmic objects revolving around the sun. On the scale of the solar system, the Earth appears to be extremely small. In addition to the Earth, eight planets revolve around the Sun in their individual orbits. All of them are larger than the Earth. They rotate in the plane of the ecliptic.

Planets in the solar system: types

Location of the terrestrial group in relation to the Sun

The first planet is Mercury, followed by Venus; next comes our Earth and finally Mars.
The terrestrial planets do not have many satellites or moons. Of these four planets, only Earth and Mars have moons.

The planets that belong to the terrestrial group are highly dense, composed of metal or stone. Basically, they are small and rotate around their own axis. Their rotation speed is also low.

gas giants

These are the four space objects that are at the greatest distance from the Sun: Jupiter is at number 5, followed by Saturn, then Uranus and Neptune.

Jupiter and Saturn are impressive planets, made up of compounds of hydrogen and helium. The density of gas planets is low. They rotate at high speed, have satellites and are surrounded by asteroid rings.
“Ice giants”, which include Uranus and Neptune, are smaller, their atmospheres contain methane, carbon monoxide.

Gas giants have a strong gravitational field, so they can attract many space objects, unlike the terrestrial group.

According to scientists, asteroid rings are the remains of moons altered by the gravitational field of the planets.

dwarf planet

Dwarfs are space objects, the size of which does not reach the planet, but exceeds the dimensions of the asteroid. There are many such objects in the solar system. They are concentrated in the Kuiper belt region. The satellites of the gas giants are dwarf planets that have left their orbit.

Planets of the solar system: the process of emergence

According to the hypothesis of cosmic nebulae, stars are born in clouds of dust and gas, in nebulae.
Due to the force of attraction, substances are combined. Under the influence of the concentrated force of gravity, the center of the nebula is compressed and stars are formed. Dust and gases are transformed into rings. The rings rotate under the influence of gravity, and planetasimals form in whirlpools, which increase and attract cosmetic objects to themselves.

Under the influence of the force of gravity, the planetazimals are compressed and acquire a spherical shape. Spheres can combine and gradually turn into protoplanets.

There are eight planets within the solar system. They revolve around the sun. Their location is:
The nearest “neighbor” of the Sun is Mercury, followed by Venus, then the Earth, then Mars and Jupiter, further from the Sun are Saturn, Uranus and the last one, Neptune.

Until recently, astronomers believed that such a concept as a planet refers exclusively to the solar system. Everything that is outside it is unexplored cosmic bodies, most often stars of very large scales. But, as it turned out later, the planets, like peas, are scattered throughout the universe. They are different in their geological and chemical composition, may or may not have an atmosphere, and all this depends on the interaction with the nearest star. The arrangement of the planets in our solar system is unique. It is this factor that is fundamental for the conditions that have formed on each individual space object.

Our space house and its features

In the center of the solar system is the star of the same name, which is included in the category of yellow dwarfs. Its magnetic field is enough to hold nine planets of various sizes around its axis. Among them there are dwarf stony cosmic bodies, vast gas giants that reach almost the parameters of the star itself, and objects of the "middle" class, which include the Earth. The positions of the planets in the solar system do not occur in ascending or descending order. We can say that with respect to the parameters of each individual astronomical body, their arrangement is chaotic, that is, the large alternates with the small.

SS structure

To consider the location of the planets in our system, it is necessary to take the Sun as a reference point. This star is located in the center of the SS, and it is its magnetic fields that correct the orbits and movements of all surrounding space bodies. Nine planets revolve around the Sun, as well as an asteroid ring that lies between Mars and Jupiter, and the Kuiper Belt, located outside of Pluto. In these intervals, individual dwarf planets are also distinguished, which are sometimes attributed to the main units of the system. Other astronomers believe that all these objects are nothing more than large asteroids, on which, under no circumstances, life can arise. They attribute Pluto itself to this category, leaving only 8 planetary units in our system.

The order of the planets

So, we will list all the planets, starting with the one closest to the Sun. In the first place are Mercury, Venus, then Earth and Mars. After the Red Planet, a ring of asteroids passes, behind which a parade of giants consisting of gases begins. These are Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. The list is completed by the dwarf and icy Pluto, with its no less cold and black satellite Charon. As we said above, several more dwarf space units are distinguished in the system. The location of dwarf planets in this category coincides with the Kuiper belts and asteroids. Ceres is in an asteroid ring. Makemake, Haumea and Eris are in the Kuiper belt.

terrestrial planets

This category includes cosmic bodies, which in their composition and parameters have much in common with our home planet. Their bowels are also filled with metals and stone, either a full-fledged atmosphere is formed around the surface, or a haze that resembles it. The location of the terrestrial planets is easy to remember, because these are the first four objects that are directly next to the Sun - Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. Characteristic features are small size, as well as a long period of rotation around its axis. Also, of all the terrestrial planets, only the Earth itself and Mars have satellites.

Giants made of gases and hot metals

The location of the planets of the solar system, which are called gas giants, is the most distant from the main star. They are located behind the asteroid ring and stretch almost to the Kuiper belt. There are four giants in total - Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Each of these planets consists of hydrogen and helium, and in the region of the core there are metals heated to a liquid state. All four giants are characterized by an incredibly strong gravitational field. Due to this, they attract numerous satellites to themselves, which form almost entire asteroid systems around them. SS gas balls rotate very quickly, therefore whirlwinds and hurricanes often occur on them. But, despite all these similarities, it is worth remembering that each of the giants is unique in its composition, size, and gravity.

dwarf planets

Since we have already considered in detail the location of the planets from the Sun, we know that Pluto is the farthest, and its orbit is the most gigantic in the SS. It is he who is the most important representative of dwarfs, and only he from this group is the most studied. Dwarfs are those cosmic bodies that are too small for planets, but also large for asteroids. Their structure can be comparable to Mars or Earth, or it can be just rocky, like any asteroid. Above, we have listed the brightest representatives of this group - these are Ceres, Eris, Makemake, Haumea. In fact, dwarfs are found not only in the two SS asteroid belts. Often they are called satellites of gas giants, which were attracted to them due to the huge

The solar system is a planetary system that includes the central star - the Sun - and all the natural objects of space revolving around it. It was formed by gravitational compression of a gas and dust cloud about 4.57 billion years ago. We will find out which planets are part of the solar system, how they are located in relation to the Sun and their brief description.

Brief information about the planets of the solar system

The number of planets in the solar system is 8, and they are classified in order of distance from the Sun:

Inner planets or terrestrial planets- Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. They consist mainly of silicates and metals.
outer planets- Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are the so-called gas giants. They are much more massive than the terrestrial planets. The largest planets in the solar system, Jupiter and Saturn, are composed mainly of hydrogen and helium; smaller gas giants, Uranus and Neptune, in addition to hydrogen and helium, contain methane and carbon monoxide in their atmospheres.

Rice. 1. Planets of the solar system.

The list of planets in the solar system in order from the sun is as follows: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. By listing the planets from largest to smallest, this order changes. The largest planet is Jupiter, followed by Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Earth, Venus, Mars and finally Mercury.

All planets revolve around the Sun in the same direction as the Sun's rotation (counterclockwise as viewed from the north pole of the Sun).

Mercury has the highest angular velocity - it manages to make a complete revolution around the Sun in just 88 Earth days. And for the most distant planet - Neptune - the period of revolution is 165 Earth years.

Most of the planets rotate around their axis in the same direction as they revolve around the Sun. The exceptions are Venus and Uranus, and Uranus rotates almost "lying on its side" (axis tilt is about 90 degrees).

Terrestrial planets (inner planets)

The four planets closest to the Sun consist mainly of heavy elements, have a small number of satellites, and have no rings. They are largely composed of refractory minerals such as silicates that form their mantle and crust, and metals such as iron and nickel that form their core. Three of these planets - Venus, Earth and Mars - have an atmosphere.

Mercury- is the closest planet to the Sun and the smallest planet in the system. The planet has no satellites.
Venus- is close in size to the Earth and, like the Earth, has a thick silicate shell around the iron core and atmosphere (because of this, Venus is often called the "sister" of the Earth). However, the amount of water on Venus is much less than on Earth, and its atmosphere is 90 times denser. Venus has no satellites.

Venus is the hottest planet in our system, with surface temperatures exceeding 400 degrees Celsius. The most likely reason for such a high temperature is the greenhouse effect due to the dense atmosphere rich in carbon dioxide.

Rice. 2. Venus is the hottest planet in the solar system

Earth- is the largest and densest of the terrestrial planets. The question of whether life exists anywhere other than Earth remains open. Among the terrestrial planets, the Earth is unique (primarily due to the hydrosphere). Earth's atmosphere is radically different from the atmospheres of other planets - it contains free oxygen. The Earth has one natural satellite - the Moon, the only large satellite of the planets of the terrestrial group of the solar system.
Mars smaller than Earth and Venus. It has an atmosphere composed mainly of carbon dioxide. On its surface there are volcanoes, the largest of which, Olympus, exceeds the size of all terrestrial volcanoes, reaching a height of 21.2 km.

Outer region of the solar system

The outer region of the solar system is the location of the gas giants and their satellites.

Jupiter- has a mass of 318 times more than the earth, and 2.5 times more massive than all the other planets combined. It consists mainly of hydrogen and helium. Jupiter has 67 moons.
Saturn- known for its extensive ring system, it is the least dense planet in the solar system (its average density is less than that of water). Saturn has 62 moons.

Rice. 3. Planet Saturn.

Uranus- the seventh planet from the Sun is the lightest of the giant planets. What makes it unique among other planets is that it rotates "lying on its side": the inclination of its axis of rotation to the plane of the ecliptic is approximately 98 degrees. Uranus has 27 moons.
Neptune is the last planet in the solar system. Although slightly smaller than Uranus, it is more massive and therefore denser. Neptune has 14 known moons.

What have we learned?

One of the interesting topics of astronomy is the structure of the solar system. We learned what names of the planets of the solar system are, in what order they are located in relation to the Sun, what are their distinctive features and brief characteristics. This information is so interesting and informative that it will be useful even for children in grade 4.

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The solar system is a group of planets revolving in certain orbits around a bright star - the Sun. This luminary is the main source of heat and light in the solar system.

It is believed that our system of planets was formed as a result of the explosion of one or more stars and this happened about 4.5 billion years ago. At first, the solar system was a collection of gas and dust particles, however, over time and under the influence of its own mass, the Sun and other planets arose.

Planets of the solar system

In the center of the solar system is the Sun, around which eight planets move in their orbits: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.

Until 2006, Pluto also belongs to this group of planets, it was considered the 9th planet from the Sun, however, due to its considerable distance from the Sun and its small size, it was excluded from this list and called a dwarf planet. Rather, it is one of several dwarf planets in the Kuiper belt.

All the above planets are usually divided into two large groups: the terrestrial group and the gas giants.

The terrestrial group includes such planets as: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars. They are distinguished by their small size and rocky surface, and in addition, they are located closer than the others to the Sun.

The gas giants include: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune. They are characterized by large sizes and the presence of rings, which are ice dust and rocky pieces. These planets are made up mostly of gas.

Mercury

This planet is one of the smallest in the solar system, its diameter is 4,879 km. In addition, it is closest to the Sun. This neighborhood predetermined a significant temperature difference. The average temperature on Mercury during the day is +350 degrees Celsius, and at night it is -170 degrees.

Mercury is the first planet from the Sun.
There are no seasons on Mercury. The tilt of the planet's axis is almost perpendicular to the plane of the planet's orbit around the Sun.
The temperature on the surface of Mercury is not the highest, although the planet is located closest to the Sun. He lost first place to Venus.
The first research vehicle to visit Mercury was Mariner 10. It conducted a series of demonstration flybys in 1974.
A day on Mercury lasts 59 Earth days, and a year is only 88 days.
On Mercury, the most dramatic temperature changes are observed, which reach 610 ° C. During the day, the temperature can reach 430 ° C, and at night -180 ° C.
The force of gravity on the surface of the planet is only 38% of the Earth's. This means that on Mercury you could jump three times as high, and it would be easier to lift heavy objects.
The first telescope observations of Mercury were made by Galileo Galilei in the early 17th century.
Mercury has no natural satellites.
The first official map of the surface of Mercury was published only in 2009, thanks to data obtained from the Mariner 10 and Messenger spacecraft.

Venus

This planet is the second from the Sun. In size, it is close to the diameter of the Earth, the diameter is 12,104 km. In all other respects, Venus is significantly different from our planet. A day here lasts 243 Earth days, and a year - 255 days. The atmosphere of Venus is 95% carbon dioxide, which creates a greenhouse effect on its surface. This leads to the fact that the average temperature on the planet is 475 degrees Celsius. The atmosphere also includes 5% nitrogen and 0.1% oxygen.

Venus is the second planet from the Sun in the solar system.
Venus is the hottest planet in the solar system, although it is the second planet from the Sun. Surface temperature can reach 475°C.
The first spacecraft sent to explore Venus was launched from Earth on February 12, 1961 and was called Venera 1.
Venus is one of two planets that has a different direction of rotation than most planets in the solar system.
The orbit of the planet around the Sun is very close to circular.
The day and night temperatures of the surface of Venus are practically the same due to the large thermal inertia of the atmosphere.
Venus makes one revolution around the Sun in 225 Earth days, and one revolution around its axis in 243 Earth days, that is, one day on Venus lasts more than one year.
The first telescope observations of Venus were made by Galileo Galilei in the early 17th century.
Venus has no natural satellites.
Venus is the third brightest object in the sky, after the Sun and Moon.

Earth

Our planet is located at a distance of 150 million km from the Sun, and this allows us to create on its surface a temperature suitable for the existence of water in liquid form, and, therefore, for the emergence of life.

Its surface is 70% covered with water, and it is the only one of the planets that has such an amount of liquid. It is believed that many thousands of years ago, the steam contained in the atmosphere created the temperature on the Earth's surface necessary for the formation of water in liquid form, and solar radiation contributed to photosynthesis and the birth of life on the planet.

Earth is the third planet from the sun in the solar system.a;
One natural satellite revolves around our planet - the Moon;
Earth is the only planet not named after a divine being;
The Earth's density is the largest of all the planets in the solar system;
The speed of the Earth's rotation is gradually slowing down;
The average distance from the Earth to the Sun is 1 astronomical unit (a conventional measure of length in astronomy), which is approximately 150 million km;
The earth has a magnetic field strong enough to protect living organisms on its surface from harmful solar radiation;
The first artificial Earth satellite called PS-1 (The Simplest Satellite - 1) was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on the Sputnik launch vehicle on October 4, 1957;
In orbit around the Earth, compared with other planets, there is the largest number of spacecraft;
Earth is the largest terrestrial planet in the solar system;

Mars

This planet is the fourth in a row from the Sun and is 1.5 times more distant from it than the Earth. The diameter of Mars is smaller than Earth's and is 6,779 km. The average air temperature on the planet ranges from -155 degrees to +20 degrees at the equator. The magnetic field on Mars is much weaker than that of the Earth, and the atmosphere is quite rarefied, which allows solar radiation to freely affect the surface. In this regard, if there is life on Mars, it is not on the surface.

When surveyed with the help of rovers, it was found that there are many mountains on Mars, as well as dried riverbeds and glaciers. The surface of the planet is covered with red sand. Iron oxide gives Mars its color.

Mars is located on the fourth orbit from the Sun;
The Red Planet hosts the tallest volcano in the solar system;
Of the 40 exploration missions sent to Mars, only 18 were successful;
Mars has the largest dust storms in the solar system;
In 30-50 million years, a system of rings will be located around Mars, like that of Saturn;
Fragments of Mars have been found on Earth;
The sun from the surface of Mars looks half as large as from the surface of the Earth;
Mars is the only planet in the solar system that has polar ice caps;
Two natural satellites revolve around Mars - Deimos and Phobos;
Mars has no magnetic field;

Jupiter

This planet is the largest in the solar system and has a diameter of 139,822 km, which is 19 times larger than the earth. A day on Jupiter lasts 10 hours, and a year is approximately 12 Earth years. Jupiter is mainly composed of xenon, argon, and krypton. If it were 60 times larger, it could become a star due to a spontaneous thermonuclear reaction.

The average temperature on the planet is -150 degrees Celsius. The atmosphere is made up of hydrogen and helium. There is no oxygen or water on its surface. There is an assumption that there is ice in the atmosphere of Jupiter.

Jupiter is located in the fifth orbit from the Sun;
In the earth's sky, Jupiter is the fourth brightest object, after the Sun, Moon and Venus;
Jupiter has the shortest day of all the planets in the solar system;
In Jupiter's atmosphere, one of the longest and most powerful storms in the solar system, better known as the Great Red Spot, rages;
Jupiter's moon, Ganymede, is the largest moon in the solar system;
Around Jupiter is a thin system of rings;
Jupiter was visited by 8 research vehicles;
Jupiter has a strong magnetic field;
If Jupiter were 80 times more massive, it would become a star;
There are 67 natural satellites revolving around Jupiter. This is the largest figure in the solar system;

Saturn

This planet is the second largest in the solar system. Its diameter is 116,464 km. It is most similar in composition to the Sun. A year on this planet lasts quite a long time, almost 30 Earth years, and a day is 10.5 hours. The average surface temperature is -180 degrees.

Its atmosphere consists mainly of hydrogen and a small amount of helium. Thunderstorms and auroras often occur in its upper layers.

Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun;
Saturn's atmosphere has some of the strongest winds in the solar system;
Saturn is one of the least dense planets in the solar system;
Around the planet is the largest ring system in the solar system;
One day on the planet lasts almost one Earth year and is equal to 378 Earth days;
Saturn was visited by 4 research spacecraft;
Saturn together with Jupiter make up approximately 92% of the entire planetary mass of the solar system;
One year on the planet lasts 29.5 Earth years;
There are 62 known natural satellites revolving around the planet;
Currently, the automatic interplanetary station Cassini is engaged in the study of Saturn and its rings;

Uranus

Uranus, computer artwork.

Uranus is the third largest planet in the solar system and the seventh from the Sun. It has a diameter of 50,724 km. It is also called the "ice planet", as the temperature on its surface is -224 degrees. A day on Uranus lasts 17 hours, and a year is 84 Earth years. At the same time, summer lasts as long as winter - 42 years. Such a natural phenomenon is due to the fact that the axis of that planet is located at an angle of 90 degrees to the orbit, and it turns out that Uranus, as it were, "lies on its side."

Uranus is located in the seventh orbit from the Sun;
The first to know about the existence of Uranus was William Herschel in 1781;
Only one spacecraft has visited Uranus, Voyager 2 in 1982;
Uranus is the coldest planet in the solar system;
The plane of the equator of Uranus is inclined to the plane of its orbit almost at a right angle - that is, the planet rotates retrograde, "lying on its side slightly upside down";
The moons of Uranus bear names taken from the works of William Shakespeare and Alexander Pope, not from Greek or Roman mythology;
A day on Uranus lasts about 17 Earth hours;
There are 13 known rings around Uranus;
One year on Uranus lasts 84 Earth years;
There are 27 known natural satellites revolving around Uranus;

Neptune

Neptune is the eighth planet from the Sun. In its composition and size, it is similar to its neighbor Uranus. The diameter of this planet is 49,244 km. A day on Neptune lasts 16 hours, and a year is equal to 164 Earth years. Neptune belongs to the ice giants and for a long time it was believed that no weather events occur on its icy surface. However, it has recently been found that Neptune has raging eddies and wind speeds the highest of the planets in the solar system. It reaches 700 km / h.

Neptune has 14 moons, the most famous of which is Triton. It is known that it has its own atmosphere.

Neptune also has rings. This planet has 6.

Neptune is the most distant planet in the solar system and occupies the eighth orbit from the Sun;
Mathematicians were the first to know about the existence of Neptune;
There are 14 moons circling Neptune;
The orbit of Nepputna is removed from the Sun by an average of 30 AU;
One day on Neptune lasts 16 Earth hours;
Neptune has only been visited by one spacecraft, Voyager 2;
Around Neptune there is a system of rings;
Neptune has the second highest gravity after Jupiter;
One year on Neptune lasts 164 Earth years;
The atmosphere on Neptune is extremely active;

Jupiter is considered the largest planet in the solar system.
There are 5 dwarf planets in the solar system, one of which was reclassified as Pluto.
There are very few asteroids in the solar system.
Venus is the hottest planet in the solar system.
About 99% of the space (by volume) is occupied by the Sun in the solar system.
One of the most beautiful and original places in the solar system is the satellite of Saturn. There you can see a huge concentration of ethane and liquid methane.
Our solar system has a tail that resembles a four-leaf clover.
The sun follows a continuous 11-year cycle.
There are 8 planets in the solar system.
The solar system is fully formed thanks to a large gas and dust cloud.
Spacecraft flew to all the planets of the solar system.
Venus is the only planet in the solar system that rotates counterclockwise on its axis.
Uranus has 27 moons.
The largest mountain is on Mars.
A huge mass of objects in the solar system fell on the sun.
The solar system is part of the Milky Way galaxy.
The sun is the central object of the solar system.
The solar system is often divided into regions.
The sun is a key component of the solar system.
The solar system was formed about 4.5 billion years ago.
Pluto is the most distant planet in the solar system.
Two regions in the solar system are filled with small bodies.
The solar system is built contrary to all the laws of the universe.
If we compare the solar system and space, then it is just a grain of sand in it.
Over the past few centuries, the solar system has lost 2 planets: Vulcan and Pluto.
Researchers claim that the solar system was created artificially.
The only satellite in the solar system that has a dense atmosphere and whose surface cannot be seen due to cloud cover is Titan.
The region of the solar system beyond the orbit of Neptune is called the Kuiper Belt.
The Oort cloud is a region of the solar system that serves as the source of a comet and a long period of revolution.
Every object in the solar system is held there by gravity.
The leading theory of the solar system proposes the emergence of planets and satellites from a huge cloud.
The solar system is considered the most secret particle of the universe.
There is a huge asteroid belt in the solar system.
On Mars, you can see the eruption of the largest volcano in the solar system, which is called Olympus.
Pluto is considered to be the outskirts of the solar system.
Jupiter has a large ocean of liquid water.
The Moon is the largest satellite in the solar system.
The largest asteroid in the solar system is Pallas.
The brightest planet in the solar system is Venus.
The majority of the solar system is made up of hydrogen.
Earth is an equal member of the solar system.
The sun heats up slowly.
Oddly enough, the largest reserves of water in the solar system are in the sun.
The plane of the equator of each planet in the solar system diverges from the plane of the orbit.
The satellite of Mars with the name Phobos is an anomaly of the solar system.
The solar system can amaze with its diversity and scale.
The planets of the solar system are influenced by the sun.
The outer shell of the solar system is considered the haven of satellites and gas giants.
A huge number of planetary satellites of the solar system are dead.
The largest asteroid, with a diameter of 950 km, is called Ceres.

*Planet*	*Distance from the Sun*	*Period of circulation*	*Rotation period*	*Diameter, km.*	*Number of satellites*	*Density g / cu. cm.*
Mercury

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