What is the solar system in which we live? The answer will be as follows: this is our central star, the Sun and all the cosmic bodies that revolve around it. These are large and small planets, as well as their satellites, comets, asteroids, gases and cosmic dust.
The name of the solar system was given by the name of its star. In a broad sense, "solar" is often understood as any star system.
How did the solar system originate?
According to scientists, the solar system was formed from a giant interstellar cloud of dust and gases due to gravitational collapse in a separate part of it. As a result, a protostar formed in the center, then turned into a star - the Sun, and a huge protoplanetary disk, from which all the components of the solar system listed above were subsequently formed. The process is believed to have begun about 4.6 billion years ago. This hypothesis has been called the nebular one. Thanks to Emmanuel Swedenborg, Immanuel Kant and Pierre-Simon Laplace, who proposed it back in the 18th century, it eventually became generally accepted, but over the course of many decades it was refined, new data were introduced into it, taking into account the knowledge of modern sciences. So, it is assumed that due to the increase and intensification of collisions of particles with each other, the temperature of the object grew, and after it reached a value of several thousand kelvins, the protostar acquired a glow. When the temperature indicator reached millions of kelvins, a thermonuclear fusion reaction began in the center of the future Sun - the conversion of hydrogen into helium. It turned into a star.
The sun and its features
Our luminary scientists refer to the type of yellow dwarfs (G2V) according to the spectral classification. This is the closest star to us, its light reaches the surface of the planet in just 8.31 seconds. From Earth, the radiation appears to have a yellow tint, although in reality it is almost white.
The main components of our luminary are helium and hydrogen. In addition, thanks to spectral analysis, it was found that iron, neon, chromium, calcium, carbon, magnesium, sulfur, silicon, and nitrogen are present on the Sun. Thanks to the thermonuclear reaction continuously going on in its depths, all life on Earth receives the necessary energy. Sunlight is an integral part of photosynthesis, which produces oxygen. Without sunlight, it would be impossible, therefore, an atmosphere suitable for a protein life form could not form.
Mercury
This is the closest planet to our star. Together with the Earth, Venus and Mars, it belongs to the planets of the so-called terrestrial group. Mercury got its name because of the high speed of movement, which, according to myths, distinguished the fleet-footed ancient god. The Mercury year is 88 days.
The planet is small, its radius is only 2439.7, and it is smaller in size than some of the large satellites of the giant planets, Ganymede and Titan. However, unlike them, Mercury is quite heavy (3.3 10 23 kg), and its density is only slightly behind the earth's. This is due to the presence of a heavy dense core of iron in the planet.
There is no change of seasons on the planet. Its desert surface resembles that of the Moon. It is also covered with craters, but even less habitable. So, on the day side of Mercury the temperature reaches +510 °C, and on the night side -210 °C. These are the sharpest drops in the entire solar system. The planet's atmosphere is very thin and rarefied.
Venus
This planet, named after the ancient Greek goddess of love, is more similar to the Earth than others in the solar system in terms of its physical parameters - mass, density, size, volume. For a long time they were considered twin planets, but over time it turned out that their differences are huge. So, Venus has no satellites at all. Its atmosphere consists of almost 98% carbon dioxide, and the pressure on the planet's surface exceeds the earth's by 92 times! Clouds above the surface of the planet, consisting of sulfuric acid vapor, never dissipate, and the temperature here reaches +434 °C. Acid rains are falling on the planet, thunderstorms are raging. There is high volcanic activity here. Life, in our understanding, cannot exist on Venus; moreover, descent spacecraft cannot withstand such an atmosphere for a long time.
This planet is clearly visible in the night sky. This is the third brightest object for an earthly observer, it shines with white light and surpasses all stars in brightness. The distance to the Sun is 108 million km. It completes a revolution around the Sun in 224 Earth days, and around its own axis - in 243.
Earth and Mars
These are the last planets of the so-called terrestrial group, the representatives of which are characterized by the presence of a solid surface. In their structure, the core, mantle and crust are distinguished (only Mercury does not have it).
Mars has a mass equal to 10% of the mass of the Earth, which, in turn, is 5.9726 10 24 kg. Its diameter is 6780 km, almost half that of our planet. Mars is the seventh largest planet in the solar system. Unlike Earth, which has 71% of its surface covered by oceans, Mars is completely dry land. Water has been preserved under the surface of the planet in the form of a massive ice sheet. Its surface has a reddish hue due to the high content of iron oxide in the form of maghemite.
The atmosphere of Mars is very rarefied, and the pressure on the surface of the planet is 160 times less than we are used to. On the surface of the planet there are impact craters, volcanoes, depressions, deserts and valleys, and at the poles there are ice caps, just like on Earth.
The Martian day is slightly longer than the Earth day, and the year is 668.6 days. Unlike the Earth, which has one moon, the planet has two irregular satellites - Phobos and Deimos. Both of them, like the Moon to the Earth, are constantly turned to Mars by the same side. Phobos is gradually approaching the surface of its planet, moving in a spiral, and is likely to eventually fall on it or fall apart. Deimos, on the other hand, is gradually moving away from Mars and may leave its orbit in the distant future.
Between the orbits of Mars and the next planet, Jupiter, there is an asteroid belt consisting of small celestial bodies.
Jupiter and Saturn
What planet is the largest? There are four gas giants in the solar system: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Jupiter is the largest of them. Its atmosphere, like that of the Sun, is predominantly hydrogen. The fifth planet, named after the god of thunder, has an average radius of 69,911 km and a mass exceeding that of the earth by 318 times. The planet's magnetic field is 12 times stronger than Earth's. Its surface is hidden under opaque clouds. So far, scientists find it difficult to say exactly what processes can occur under this dense veil. It is assumed that on the surface of Jupiter there is a boiling hydrogen ocean. Astronomers consider this planet a "failed star" due to some similarity in their parameters.
Jupiter has 39 satellites, 4 of which - Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto - were discovered by Galileo.
Saturn is somewhat smaller than Jupiter, it is the second largest among the planets. This is the sixth, next planet, also consisting of hydrogen with helium impurities, a small amount of ammonia, methane, water. Hurricanes rage here, the speed of which can reach 1800 km / h! Saturn's magnetic field is not as strong as Jupiter's, but stronger than Earth's. Both Jupiter and Saturn are somewhat flattened at the poles due to rotation. Saturn is 95 times heavier than earth, but its density is less than that of water. It is the least dense celestial body in our system.
A year on Saturn lasts 29.4 Earth days, a day is 10 hours 42 minutes. (Jupiter has a year - 11.86 Earth, a day - 9 hours 56 minutes). It has a system of rings consisting of solid particles of various sizes. Presumably, these may be the remains of the collapsed satellite of the planet. In total, Saturn has 62 satellites.
Uranus and Neptune are the last planets
The seventh planet of the solar system is Uranus. It is 2.9 billion km away from the Sun. Uranus is the third largest among the planets of the solar system (average radius - 25,362 km) and the fourth largest (exceeds the earth by 14.6 times). A year here lasts 84 Earth hours, a day - 17.5 hours. In the atmosphere of this planet, in addition to hydrogen and helium, a significant volume is occupied by methane. Therefore, for an earthly observer, Uranus has a pale blue color.
Uranus is the coldest planet in the solar system. The temperature of its atmosphere is unique: -224 °C. Why Uranus has a lower temperature than planets farther from the Sun is unknown to scientists.
This planet has 27 moons. Uranus has thin, flat rings.
Neptune, the eighth planet from the Sun, ranks fourth in size (average radius - 24,622 km) and third in mass (17 Earth). For a gas giant, it is relatively small (only four times the size of the Earth). Its atmosphere is also mainly composed of hydrogen, helium and methane. Gas clouds in its upper layers move at a record speed, the highest in the solar system - 2000 km / h! Some scientists believe that under the surface of the planet, under the thickness of frozen gases and water, hidden, in turn, by the atmosphere, a solid stone core can hide.
These two planets are close in composition, and therefore they are sometimes classified as a separate category - ice giants.
Minor planets
Small planets are called celestial bodies, which also move around the Sun in their own orbits, but differ from other planets in insignificant sizes. Previously, only asteroids were included in them, but more recently, namely, since 2006, Pluto, which was previously included in the list of planets in the solar system and was the last, tenth, belongs to them. This is due to changes in terminology. Thus, the minor planets now include not only asteroids, but also dwarf planets - Eris, Ceres, Makemake. They were named plutoids after Pluto. The orbits of all known dwarf planets are beyond the orbit of Neptune, in the so-called Kuiper belt, which is much wider and more massive than the asteroid belt. Although their nature, as scientists believe, is the same: it is the "unused" material left after the formation of the solar system. Some scientists have suggested that the asteroid belt is the debris of the ninth planet, Phaeton, which died as a result of a global catastrophe.
Pluto is known to be composed primarily of ice and solid rock. The main component of its ice sheet is nitrogen. Its poles are covered with eternal snows.
This is the order of the planets of the solar system, according to modern ideas.
Parade of planets. Types of parades
This is a very interesting phenomenon for those who are interested in astronomy. It is customary to call a parade of planets such a position in the solar system, when some of them, continuously moving along their orbits, for a short time occupy a certain position for an earthly observer, as if lining up along one line.
The visible parade of planets in astronomy is a special position of the five brightest planets of the solar system for people who see them from Earth - Mercury, Venus, Mars, as well as two giants - Jupiter and Saturn. At this time, the distance between them is relatively small and they are clearly visible in a small sector of the sky.
There are two types of parades. A big one is its appearance when five celestial bodies line up in one line. Small - when there are only four of them. These phenomena can be visible or invisible from different parts of the globe. At the same time, a large parade is quite rare - once every few decades. The small one can be observed once every few years, and the so-called mini-parade, in which only three planets participate, is almost every year.
Interesting facts about our planetary system
Venus, the only one of all the major planets in the solar system, rotates around its axis in the opposite direction to its rotation around the Sun.
The highest mountain on the major planets of the solar system is Olympus (21.2 km, diameter - 540 km), an extinct volcano on Mars. Not so long ago, on the largest asteroid in our star system, Vesta, a peak was discovered that somewhat exceeds Olympus in terms of parameters. Perhaps it is the highest in the solar system.
Jupiter's four Galilean moons are the largest in the solar system.
In addition to Saturn, all gas giants, some asteroids and Saturn's moon Rhea have rings.
What system of stars is closest to us? The solar system is closest to the star system of the triple star Alpha Centauri (4.36 light years). It is assumed that planets similar to Earth can exist in it.
To kids about planets
How to explain to children what the solar system is? Her model, which can be made with the kids, will help here. To create planets, you can use plasticine or ready-made plastic (rubber) balls, as shown below. At the same time, it is necessary to observe the ratio between the sizes of the “planets”, so that the model of the solar system really helps to form the correct ideas about space in children.
You will also need toothpicks that will hold our heavenly bodies, and as a background, you can use a dark sheet of cardboard with small dots imitating stars painted on with paint. With the help of such an interactive toy, it will be easier for children to understand what the solar system is.
The future of the solar system
The article described in detail what the solar system is. Despite its seeming stability, our Sun, like everything in nature, is evolving, but this process, by our standards, is very long. The supply of hydrogen fuel in its bowels is huge, but not infinite. So, according to the hypotheses of scientists, it will end in 6.4 billion years. As it burns out, the solar core will become denser and hotter, and the outer shell of the star will become wider and wider. The luminosity of the star will also increase. It is assumed that in 3.5 billion years, because of this, the climate on Earth will be similar to Venusian, and life on it in the usual sense for us will no longer be possible. There will be no water left at all; under the influence of high temperatures, it will evaporate into outer space. Subsequently, according to scientists, the Earth will be absorbed by the Sun and dissolved in its depths.
The outlook is not very bright. However, progress does not stand still, and, perhaps, by that time, new technologies will allow mankind to master other planets, over which other suns shine. After all, how many "solar" systems in the world, scientists do not yet know. There are probably countless of them, and among them it is quite possible to find one suitable for human habitation. Which "solar" system will become our new home is not so important. Human civilization will be preserved, and another page will begin in its history...
This is a system of planets, in the center of which is a bright star, the source of energy, heat and light - the Sun.
According to one theory, the Sun was formed along with the solar system about 4.5 billion years ago as a result of the explosion of one or more supernovae. Initially, the solar system was a cloud of gas and dust particles, which, in motion and under the influence of their mass, formed a disk in which a new star, the Sun, and our entire solar system arose.
At the center of the solar system is the Sun, around which nine large planets revolve in orbits. Since the Sun is displaced from the center of the planetary orbits, then during the cycle of revolution around the Sun, the planets either approach or move away in their orbits.
There are two groups of planets:
Terrestrial planets: and . These planets are small in size with a rocky surface, they are closer than others to the Sun.
Giant planets: and . These are large planets, consisting mainly of gas, and they are characterized by the presence of rings consisting of ice dust and many rocky pieces.
And here does not fall into any group, because, despite its location in the solar system, it is located too far from the Sun and has a very small diameter, only 2320 km, which is half the diameter of Mercury.
Planets of the solar system
Let's start a fascinating acquaintance with the planets of the solar system in order of their location from the Sun, and also consider their main satellites and some other space objects (comets, asteroids, meteorites) in the gigantic expanses of our planetary system.
Rings and moons of Jupiter: Europa, Io, Ganymede, Callisto and others...
The planet Jupiter is surrounded by a whole family of 16 satellites, and each of them has its own, unlike other features ...
Rings and moons of Saturn: Titan, Enceladus and more...
Not only the planet Saturn has characteristic rings, but also on other giant planets. Around Saturn, the rings are especially clearly visible, because they consist of billions of small particles that revolve around the planet, in addition to several rings, Saturn has 18 satellites, one of which is Titan, its diameter is 5000 km, which makes it the largest satellite in the solar system ...
Rings and moons of Uranus: Titania, Oberon and others...
The planet Uranus has 17 satellites and, like other giant planets, thin rings encircling the planet, which practically do not have the ability to reflect light, therefore they were discovered not so long ago in 1977 quite by accident ...
Rings and moons of Neptune: 
Triton, Nereid and others...
Initially, before the exploration of Neptune by the Voyager 2 spacecraft, it was known about two satellites of the planet - Triton and Nerida. An interesting fact is that the Triton satellite has a reverse direction of orbital motion, and strange volcanoes were also discovered on the satellite that spewed nitrogen gas like geysers, spreading a dark mass (from liquid to vapor) for many kilometers into the atmosphere. During its mission, Voyager 2 discovered six more satellites of the planet Neptune...
The science
We all know from childhood that at the center of our solar system is the Sun, around which the four nearest planets of the terrestrial group, including Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. They are followed by four gas giant planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.
After Pluto ceased to be considered a planet in the solar system in 2006, and moved into the category of dwarf planets, the number of major planets has been reduced to 8.
Although many people know the general structure, there are many myths and misconceptions regarding the solar system.
Here are 10 facts you may not have known about the solar system.
1. The hottest planet is not closest to the Sun
Many people know that Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun, whose distance is almost two times less than the distance from the Earth to the Sun. It's no surprise that many people believe that Mercury is the hottest planet.
Actually Venus is the hottest planet in the solar system- the second planet close to the Sun, where the average temperature reaches 475 degrees Celsius. This is enough to melt tin and lead. At the same time, the maximum temperature on Mercury is about 426 degrees Celsius.
But due to the absence of an atmosphere, the surface temperature of Mercury can vary by hundreds of degrees, while carbon dioxide on the surface of Venus maintains a virtually constant temperature at any time of the day or night.
2. The boundary of the solar system is a thousand times farther from Pluto
We tend to think that the solar system extends to the orbit of Pluto. Today, Pluto is not even considered a major planet, but this idea has remained in the minds of many people.
Scientists have discovered many objects orbiting the Sun, which are much further than Pluto. These are the so-called trans-Neptunian or Kuiper belt objects. The Kuiper belt extends for 50-60 astronomical units (the astronomical unit or the average distance from the Earth to the Sun is 149,597,870,700 m).
3. Almost everything on planet Earth is a rare element
The earth is mainly made up of iron, oxygen, silicon, magnesium, sulfur, nickel, calcium, sodium and aluminum.
Although all of these elements have been found in various places throughout the universe, they are only trace elements that overshadow the abundance of hydrogen and helium. Thus, the Earth for the most part consists of rare elements. This does not speak of any special place on planet Earth, since the cloud from which the Earth formed contained a large amount of hydrogen and helium. But since they are light gases, they were blown into space by the heat of the sun as the Earth formed.
4. The solar system has lost at least two planets
Pluto was originally considered a planet, but due to its very small size (much smaller than our moon), it was renamed a dwarf planet. Astronomers also once believed that there is a planet Vulcan, which is closer to the Sun than Mercury. Its possible existence was discussed 150 years ago to explain some of the features of Mercury's orbit. However, later observations ruled out the possibility of Vulcan's existence.
In addition, recent studies have shown that it is possible once there was a fifth giant planet, similar to Jupiter, which revolved around the Sun, but was ejected from the solar system due to gravitational interaction with other planets.
5. Jupiter has the largest ocean of all the planets
Jupiter, which orbits in cold space five times further from the Sun than planet Earth, was able to hold much higher levels of hydrogen and helium during formation than our planet.
One might even say that Jupiter is mostly made up of hydrogen and helium. Given the mass of the planet and the chemical composition, as well as the laws of physics, under cold clouds, an increase in pressure should lead to the transition of hydrogen to a liquid state. That is, on Jupiter there should be deepest ocean of liquid hydrogen.
According to computer models on this planet, not only is the largest ocean in the solar system, its depth is approximately 40,000 km, that is, it is equal to the circumference of the Earth.
6. Even the smallest bodies in the solar system have satellites
It was once believed that only such large objects as planets could have natural satellites or moons. The fact that satellites exist is sometimes even used to determine what a planet really is. It seems counterintuitive that small cosmic bodies could have enough gravity to hold a satellite. After all, Mercury and Venus don't have them, and Mars only has two tiny moons.
But in 1993, the Galileo interplanetary station discovered the Dactyl satellite, just 1.6 km wide, near the asteroid Ida. Has since been found moons orbiting about 200 other minor planets, which greatly complicated the definition of "planet".
7. We live inside the sun
We usually think of the Sun as a huge hot ball of light located at a distance of 149.6 million km from the Earth. Actually the outer atmosphere of the sun extends much further than the visible surface.
Our planet orbits within its rarefied atmosphere, and we can see this when gusts of the solar wind cause the aurora to appear. In this sense, we live inside the Sun. But the solar atmosphere doesn't end on Earth. Auroras can be observed on Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and even distant Neptune. The farthest region of the solar atmosphere is the heliosphere extends at least 100 astronomical units. This is about 16 billion kilometers. But since the atmosphere is shaped like a drop due to the movement of the Sun in space, its tail can reach from tens to hundreds of billions of kilometers.
8. Saturn isn't the only planet with rings.
While Saturn's rings are by far the most beautiful and easy to observe, Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune also have rings. While the bright rings of Saturn are made up of icy particles, the very dark rings of Jupiter are mostly dust particles. They may contain minor fragments of decayed meteorites and asteroids, and possibly particles of the volcanic moon Io.
The ring system of Uranus is slightly more visible than that of Jupiter, and may have formed after the collision of small satellites. Neptune's rings are faint and dark, like those of Jupiter. The dim rings of Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune impossible to see through small telescopes from Earth, because Saturn became best known for its rings.
Contrary to popular belief, there is a body in the solar system with an atmosphere essentially similar to that of Earth. This is Saturn's moon Titan.. It is larger than our Moon and is close in size to the planet Mercury. Unlike the atmospheres of Venus and Mars, which are much thicker and thinner, respectively, than those of Earth and are composed of carbon dioxide, Titan's atmosphere is mostly nitrogen.
The Earth's atmosphere is approximately 78 percent nitrogen. The similarity with the Earth's atmosphere, and especially the presence of methane and other organic molecules, led scientists to the idea that Titan can be considered an analogue of the early Earth, or there is some kind of biological activity. For this reason, Titan is considered the best place in the solar system to look for signs of life.
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.
