Giant planets Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune. Planets of our solar system

The most important (and most massive!) member of the solar system is the Sun itself. Therefore, it is no coincidence that the great luminary occupies a central position in the solar system. It is surrounded by numerous satellites. The most significant of them are the large planets.

The planets are spherical "heavenly lands". Like the Earth and the Moon, they do not have their own light - they are illuminated exclusively by the sun's rays. Nine major planets are known, distant from the central luminary in the following order: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. The five planets - Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn - have been known to people since time immemorial due to their bright brilliance. Nicolaus Copernicus included our Earth among the planets. And the most distant planets - Uranus, Neptune and Pluto - were discovered using telescopes.

Our Earth is in third place from the Sun. Its average distance from it is 149,600,000 km. It is taken as one astronomical unit (1 AU) and serves as a standard in measuring interplanetary distances. Light travels 1 a. e. in 8 minutes and 19 seconds, or 499 seconds.

The average distance of Mercury from the Sun is 0.387 AU. That is, it is 2.5 times closer to the central star than our Earth, and the average distance of distant Pluto is almost 40 such units. A radio signal sent from Earth towards Pluto would take almost 5.5 hours to "journey". The farther a planet is from the Sun, the less radiant energy it receives. Therefore, the average temperature of the planets falls rapidly with increasing distance from the radiant star.

According to the physical characteristics of the planet are clearly divided into two groups. The four closest to the Sun - Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars - are called planets terrestrial group . They are relatively small, but their average density is high: about 5 times the density of water. After the Moon, the planets Venus and Mars are our closest space neighbors. Far from the Sun, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are much more massive than the terrestrial planets and even more surpass them in volume. In the depths of these planets, the matter is highly compressed, however, their average density is low, and Saturn has even less than the density of water. Hence, giant planets consist of lighter (volatile) substances than the terrestrial planets.

At one time, astronomers attributed Pluto to planets like the Earth. However, recent studies have forced scientists to abandon this view. Frozen methane was detected on its surface by spectroscopy. This discovery testifies to the similarity of Pluto with large satellites of the giant planets. Some researchers are inclined to think that Pluto is an "escaped" satellite of Neptune.

Even Galileo, who discovered the four largest satellites of Jupiter (they are called Galilean satellites), the wonderful Jupiterian family seemed to be a solar system in miniature. Today natural satellites are known from almost all major planets (with the exception of Mercury and Venus), and their total number has increased to 137. The giant planets have especially many moons.

If we had the opportunity to look at the solar system from the side of its north pole, then we could observe a picture of the ordered movement of the planets. All of them move around the Sun in almost circular orbits in the same direction - opposite to the clockwise rotation. This direction of movement in astronomy is called direct movement. But the revolution of the planets does not take place around geometric center Sun, but around the common center of mass of the entire solar system, in relation to which the Sun itself describes a complex curve. And very often this center of mass is outside the solar globe.

The solar system is far from being exhausted by the central luminary - the Sun and nine large planets with their satellites. No words, the big planets are the most important representatives of the Sun family. However, our great luminary has many other "relatives" as well.

The German scientist Johannes Kepler spent most of his life searching for the harmony of planetary movements. He was the first to draw attention to the fact that there is an empty space between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. And Kepler was right. Two centuries later, a planet was indeed discovered in this interval, only not large, but small. In its diameter, it turned out to be 3.4 times smaller, and in volume - 40 times smaller than our Moon. The new planet was named after the ancient Roman goddess Ceres, the patroness of agriculture.

Over time, it turned out that Ceres has thousands of celestial "sisters" and most of them move just between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. There they form a kind minor planet belt. In the bulk, these are crumb planets with a diameter of about 1 km. Second belt of minor planets recently discovered on the outskirts of our planetary system - beyond the orbit of Uranus. It is possible that the total number of these celestial bodies in the solar system reaches several million.

But the family of the Sun is not limited to planets (large and small). Sometimes tailed "stars" are seen in the sky - comets. They come to us from afar and usually appear suddenly. According to scientists, on the outskirts of the solar system there is a "cloud" consisting of 100 billion potential, that is, unmanifested, cometary nuclei. This is what serves as a constant source of comets we observe.

Occasionally we are "visited" by giant comets. The bright tails of such comets extend almost to the entire sky. So, in the September comet of 1882, the tail reached a length of 900 million km! When the nucleus of this comet flew near the Sun, its tail went far beyond the orbit of Jupiter...

As you can see, our Sun has a very large family. In addition to nine large planets with their satellites, under the control of the great luminary there are at least 1 million small planets, about 100 billion comets, as well as countless meteoroids: from blocks several tens of meters in size to microscopic dust particles.

The planets are located at great distances from each other. Even Venus, which is next to the Earth, is never closer than 39 million km to us, which is 3000 times the diameter of the globe...

You involuntarily think: what is our solar system? Space desert with separate worlds lost in it? Emptiness? No, the solar system is not empty. An incalculable number of particles of solid matter of the most diverse sizes, but mostly very small, with a mass of thousandths and millionths of a gram, are still moving in interplanetary space. This meteor dust. It is formed by the evaporation and destruction of cometary nuclei. As a result of the crushing of colliding minor planets, fragments of various sizes appear, the so-called meteoric bodies. Under the pressure of the sun's rays, the smallest particles of meteor dust are swept out to the outskirts of the solar system, while the larger ones spiral closer to the Sun and, before reaching it, evaporate in the vicinity of the central luminary. Some meteoroids fall to Earth as meteorites.

The circumsolar space is permeated with all kinds of electromagnetic radiation and corpuscular flows.

The Sun itself is a very powerful source. But on the outskirts of the solar system dominated by radiation coming from the depths of our Galaxy. By the way: how to set the boundaries of the solar system? Where do they go?

It may seem to some that the boundaries of the solar domains are delineated by the orbit of Pluto. After all, there are no large planets beyond Pluto. This is where it's just right to "dig in" the boundary pillars ... But we must not forget that many comets go far beyond the orbit of Pluto. aphelia- the most distant points - their orbits lie in a cloud of primordial ice cores. This hypothetical (estimated) cometary cloud is apparently 100,000 AU away from the Sun. e., that is, 2.5 thousand times farther than Pluto. So here also the power of the great luminary extends. The solar system is here too!

Obviously, the solar system reaches those places in interstellar space where the gravitational force of the Sun is commensurate with the gravitational force of the nearest stars. The closest star to us, Alpha Centauri, is 270,000 AU away. e. and in its mass is approximately equal to the Sun. Consequently, the point at which the forces of attraction of the Sun and Alpha Centauri balance out is approximately in the middle of the distance separating them. And this means that the boundaries of solar possessions are removed from the great luminary by at least 135 thousand a. e., or 20 trillion kilometers!

Planets of the solar system

According to the official position of the International Astronomical Union (IAU), an organization that assigns names to astronomical objects, there are only 8 planets.

Pluto was removed from the category of planets in 2006. because in the Kuiper belt are objects that are larger / or equal in size to Pluto. Therefore, even if it is taken as a full-fledged celestial body, then it is necessary to add Eris to this category, which has almost the same size with Pluto.

As defined by MAC, there are 8 known planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.

All planets are divided into two categories depending on their physical characteristics: terrestrial and gas giants.

Schematic representation of the location of the planets

terrestrial planets

Mercury

The smallest planet in the solar system has a radius of only 2440 km. The period of revolution around the Sun, for ease of understanding, equated to the earth's year, is 88 days, while Mercury has time to complete a revolution around its own axis only one and a half times. Thus, its day lasts approximately 59 Earth days. For a long time it was believed that this planet was always turned to the Sun by the same side, since the periods of its visibility from the Earth were repeated with a frequency approximately equal to four Mercury days. This misconception was dispelled with the advent of the possibility of using radar research and conducting continuous observations using space stations. The orbit of Mercury is one of the most unstable; not only the speed of movement and its distance from the Sun change, but also the position itself. Anyone interested can observe this effect.

Mercury in color, as seen by the MESSENGER spacecraft

Mercury's proximity to the Sun has caused it to experience the largest temperature fluctuations of any of the planets in our system. The average daytime temperature is about 350 degrees Celsius, and the nighttime temperature is -170 °C. Sodium, oxygen, helium, potassium, hydrogen and argon have been identified in the atmosphere. There is a theory that it was previously a satellite of Venus, but so far this remains unproven. It has no satellites of its own.

Venus

The second planet from the Sun, the atmosphere of which consists almost entirely of carbon dioxide. It is often called the Morning Star and the Evening Star, because it is the first of the stars to become visible after sunset, just as before dawn it continues to be visible even when all other stars have disappeared from view. The percentage of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is 96%, there is relatively little nitrogen in it - almost 4%, and water vapor and oxygen are present in very small amounts.

Venus in the UV spectrum

Such an atmosphere creates a greenhouse effect, the temperature on the surface because of this is even higher than that of Mercury and reaches 475 ° C. Considered the slowest, the Venusian day lasts 243 Earth days, which is almost equal to a year on Venus - 225 Earth days. Many call it the sister of the Earth because of the mass and radius, the values ​​​​of which are very close to the earth's indicators. The radius of Venus is 6052 km (0.85% of the earth). There are no satellites, like Mercury.

The third planet from the Sun and the only one in our system where there is liquid water on the surface, without which life on the planet could not develop. By at least life as we know it. The radius of the Earth is 6371 km and, unlike the rest of the celestial bodies in our system, more than 70% of its surface is covered with water. The rest of the space is occupied by the continents. Another feature of the Earth is the tectonic plates hidden under the planet's mantle. At the same time, they are able to move, albeit at a very low speed, which over time causes a change in the landscape. The speed of the planet moving along it is 29-30 km / s.

Our planet from space

One rotation around its axis takes almost 24 hours, and a complete orbit lasts 365 days, which is much longer in comparison with the nearest neighboring planets. The Earth day and year are also taken as a standard, but this is done only for the convenience of perceiving time intervals on other planets. The Earth has one natural satellite, the Moon.

Mars

The fourth planet from the Sun, known for its rarefied atmosphere. Since 1960, Mars has been actively explored by scientists from several countries, including the USSR and the USA. Not all research programs have been successful, but water found in some areas suggests that primitive life exists on Mars, or existed in the past.

The brightness of this planet allows you to see it from Earth without any instruments. Moreover, once every 15-17 years, during the Opposition, it becomes the brightest object in the sky, eclipsing even Jupiter and Venus.

The radius is almost half that of the earth and is 3390 km, but the year is much longer - 687 days. He has 2 satellites - Phobos and Deimos .

Visual model of the solar system

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• The sun

  The sun is a star, which is a hot ball of hot gases at the center of our solar system. Its influence extends far beyond the orbits of Neptune and Pluto. Without the Sun and its intense energy and heat, there would be no life on Earth. There are billions of stars, like our Sun, scattered throughout the Milky Way galaxy.

• Mercury

  Sun-scorched Mercury is only slightly larger than Earth's moon. Like the Moon, Mercury is practically devoid of an atmosphere and cannot smooth out the traces of impact from the fall of meteorites, therefore, like the Moon, it is covered with craters. The day side of Mercury is very hot on the Sun, and on the night side the temperature drops hundreds of degrees below zero. In the craters of Mercury, which are located at the poles, there is ice. Mercury makes one revolution around the Sun in 88 days.

• Venus

  Venus is a world of monstrous heat (even more than on Mercury) and volcanic activity. Similar in structure and size to Earth, Venus is covered in a thick and toxic atmosphere that creates a strong greenhouse effect. This scorched world is hot enough to melt lead. Radar images through the mighty atmosphere revealed volcanoes and deformed mountains. Venus rotates in the opposite direction from the rotation of most planets.

• Earth is an ocean planet. Our home, with its abundance of water and life, makes it unique in our solar system. Other planets, including several moons, also have ice deposits, atmospheres, seasons, and even weather, but only on Earth did all these components come together in such a way that life became possible.

• Mars

  Although details of the surface of Mars are difficult to see from Earth, telescope observations show that Mars has seasons and white spots at the poles. For decades, people have assumed that the bright and dark areas on Mars are patches of vegetation and that Mars might be a suitable place for life, and that water exists in the polar caps. When spacecraft Mariner 4 flew to Mars in 1965, many of the scientists were shocked to see photos of the gloomy planet covered in craters. Mars turned out to be a dead planet. More recent missions, however, have revealed that Mars holds many mysteries that have yet to be solved.

• Jupiter

  Jupiter is the most massive planet in our solar system, has four large moons and many small moons. Jupiter forms a kind of miniature solar system. To turn into a full-fledged star, Jupiter had to become 80 times more massive.

• Saturn

  Saturn is the most distant of the five planets that were known before the invention of the telescope. Like Jupiter, Saturn is made up mostly of hydrogen and helium. Its volume is 755 times that of the Earth. Winds in its atmosphere reach speeds of 500 meters per second. These fast winds, combined with heat rising from the planet's interior, cause the yellow and golden streaks we see in the atmosphere.

• Uranus

  The first planet found with a telescope, Uranus was discovered in 1781 by astronomer William Herschel. The seventh planet is so far from the Sun that one revolution around the Sun takes 84 years.

• Neptune

  Nearly 4.5 billion kilometers from the Sun, distant Neptune rotates. It takes 165 years to complete one revolution around the Sun. It is invisible to the naked eye due to its vast distance from Earth. Interestingly, its unusual elliptical orbit intersects with the orbit of the dwarf planet Pluto, which is why Pluto is inside Neptune's orbit for about 20 out of 248 years during which it makes one revolution around the Sun.

• Pluto

  Tiny, cold and incredibly distant, Pluto was discovered in 1930 and has long been considered the ninth planet. But after the discovery of Pluto-like worlds even further away, Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet in 2006.

The planets are giants

There are four gas giants located beyond the orbit of Mars: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune. They are in the outer solar system. They differ in their massiveness and gas composition.

Planets of the solar system, not to scale

Jupiter

The fifth planet from the Sun and the largest planet in our system. Its radius is 69912 km, it is 19 times larger than the Earth and only 10 times smaller than the Sun. A year on Jupiter is not the longest in the solar system, lasting 4333 Earth days (incomplete 12 years). His own day has a duration of about 10 Earth hours. The exact composition of the planet's surface has not yet been determined, but it is known that krypton, argon and xenon are present on Jupiter in much larger quantities than on the Sun.

There is an opinion that one of the four gas giants is actually a failed star. This theory is also supported by the largest number of satellites, of which Jupiter has many - as many as 67. To imagine their behavior in the orbit of the planet, a fairly accurate and clear model of the solar system is needed. The largest of them are Callisto, Ganymede, Io and Europa. At the same time, Ganymede is the largest satellite of the planets in the entire solar system, its radius is 2634 km, which is 8% larger than the size of Mercury, the smallest planet in our system. Io has the distinction of being one of only three moons with an atmosphere.

Saturn

The second largest planet and the sixth largest in the solar system. In comparison with other planets, the composition is most similar to the Sun chemical elements. The surface radius is 57,350 km, the year is 10,759 days (almost 30 Earth years). A day here lasts a little longer than on Jupiter - 10.5 Earth hours. In terms of the number of satellites, it is not far behind its neighbor - 62 versus 67. The largest satellite of Saturn is Titan, just like Io, which is distinguished by the presence of an atmosphere. Slightly smaller than it, but no less famous for this - Enceladus, Rhea, Dione, Tethys, Iapetus and Mimas. It is these satellites that are the objects for the most frequent observation, and therefore we can say that they are the most studied in comparison with the rest.

For a long time, the rings on Saturn were considered unique phenomenon that belong only to him. Only recently it was found that all gas giants have rings, but the rest are not so clearly visible. Their origin has not yet been established, although there are several hypotheses about how they appeared. In addition, it was recently discovered that Rhea, one of the satellites of the sixth planet, also has some kind of rings.

Space has attracted people's attention for a long time. Astronomers began to study the planets of the solar system in the Middle Ages, looking at them through primitive telescopes. But a thorough classification, description of the features of the structure and movement of celestial bodies became possible only in the 20th century. With the advent of powerful equipment, state-of-the-art observatories and spaceships several previously unknown objects were discovered. Now each student can list all the planets of the solar system in order. Almost all of them have been landed by a space probe, and so far man has only been to the Moon.

What is the solar system

The universe is huge and includes many galaxies. Our solar system is part of a galaxy with over 100 billion stars. But there are very few that look like the Sun. Basically, they are all red dwarfs, which are smaller in size and do not shine as brightly. Scientists have suggested that the solar system was formed after the emergence of the sun. Its huge field of attraction captured a gas-dust cloud, from which, as a result of gradual cooling, particles of solid matter were formed. Over time, celestial bodies formed from them. It is believed that the Sun is now in the middle of its life path, therefore, it will exist, as well as all celestial bodies dependent on it, for several billion more years. Near space has been studied by astronomers for a long time, and any person knows what planets of the solar system exist. Photos of them, taken from space satellites, can be found on the pages of various information resources dedicated to this topic. All celestial bodies are held by the strong gravitational field of the Sun, which makes up more than 99% of the volume of the solar system. Large celestial bodies revolve around the star and around their axis in one direction and in one plane, which is called the plane of the ecliptic.

Solar system planets in order

In modern astronomy, it is customary to consider celestial bodies, starting from the Sun. In the 20th century, a classification was created, which includes 9 planets of the solar system. But recent space exploration and the latest discoveries have prompted scientists to revise many positions in astronomy. And in 2006, at the international congress, due to its small size (a dwarf, not exceeding three thousand km in diameter), Pluto was excluded from the number of classical planets, and eight of them remained. Now the structure of our solar system has taken on a symmetrical, slender appearance. It includes four terrestrial planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars, then comes the asteroid belt, followed by four giant planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. On the outskirts of the solar system also passes which scientists called the Kuiper belt. This is where Pluto is located. These places are still little studied because of their remoteness from the Sun.

Features of the terrestrial planets

What makes it possible to attribute these celestial bodies to one group? We list the main characteristics of the inner planets:

• relatively not big sizes;
• hard surface, high density and similar composition (oxygen, silicon, aluminum, iron, magnesium and other heavy elements);
• the presence of an atmosphere;
• the same structure: a core of iron with nickel impurities, a mantle consisting of silicates, and a crust of silicate rocks (except for Mercury - it has no crust);
• a small number of satellites - only 3 for four planets;
• rather weak magnetic field.

Features of the giant planets

As for the outer planets, or gas giants, they have the following similar characteristics:

• large size and weight;
• they do not have a solid surface and are composed of gases, mainly helium and hydrogen (which is why they are also called gas giants);
• a liquid core consisting of metallic hydrogen;
• high rotation speed;
• a strong magnetic field, which explains the unusual nature of many processes occurring on them;
• there are 98 satellites in this group, most of which belong to Jupiter;
• the most salient feature gas giants is the presence of rings. All four planets have them, although they are not always noticeable.

The first planet is Mercury

It is located closest to the Sun. Therefore, from its surface, the luminary looks three times larger than from the Earth. This also explains the strong temperature fluctuations: from -180 to +430 degrees. Mercury is moving very fast in its orbit. Maybe that's why he got such a name, because in Greek mythology, Mercury is the messenger of the gods. There is almost no atmosphere here, and the sky is always black, but the Sun shines very brightly. However, there are places at the poles where its rays never hit. This phenomenon can be explained by the tilt of the axis of rotation. No water was found on the surface. This circumstance, as well as the anomalously high daytime temperature (as well as the low nighttime temperature) fully explain the fact that there is no life on the planet.

Venus

If we study the planets of the solar system in order, then the second one is Venus. People could observe her in the sky in ancient times, but since she was shown only in the morning and in the evening, it was believed that these were 2 different objects. By the way, our Slavic ancestors called her Flicker. It is the third brightest object in our solar system. Previously, people called it the morning and evening star, because it is best seen before sunrise and sunset. Venus and Earth are very similar in structure, composition, size and gravity. Around its axis, this planet moves very slowly, making a complete revolution in 243.02 Earth days. Of course, the conditions on Venus are very different from those on Earth. It is twice as close to the Sun, so it is very hot there. Heat It is also explained by the fact that thick clouds of sulfuric acid and an atmosphere of carbon dioxide create a greenhouse effect on the planet. In addition, the pressure at the surface is 95 times greater than on Earth. Therefore, the first ship that visited Venus in the 70s of the 20th century survived there for no more than an hour. A feature of the planet is also the fact that it rotates in the opposite direction, compared to most planets. Astronomers know nothing more about this celestial object yet.

Third planet from the Sun

The only place in the solar system, and indeed in the entire universe known to astronomers, where life exists, is the Earth. In the terrestrial group, it has the largest dimensions. What else is her

1. The largest gravity among the terrestrial planets.
2. Very strong magnetic field.
3. High density.
4. It is the only one among all the planets that has a hydrosphere, which contributed to the formation of life.
5. It has the largest, in comparison with its size, satellite, which stabilizes its tilt relative to the Sun and affects natural processes.

The planet Mars

It is one of the smallest planets in our galaxy. If we consider the planets of the solar system in order, then Mars is the fourth from the Sun. Its atmosphere is very rarefied, and the pressure on the surface is almost 200 times less than on Earth. For the same reason, very strong temperature drops are observed. The planet Mars is little studied, although it has long attracted the attention of people. According to scientists, this is the only celestial body on which life could exist. After all, in the past there was water on the surface of the planet. This conclusion can be drawn from the fact that there are large ice caps at the poles, and the surface is covered with many furrows, which could be dried up river beds. In addition, there are some minerals on Mars that can only be formed in the presence of water. Another feature of the fourth planet is the presence of two satellites. Their unusualness is that Phobos gradually slows down its rotation and approaches the planet, while Deimos, on the contrary, moves away.

What is Jupiter famous for?

The fifth planet is the largest. 1300 Earths would fit in the volume of Jupiter, and its mass is 317 times more than the earth. Like all gas giants, its structure is hydrogen-helium, reminiscent of the composition of stars. Jupiter is the most interesting planet, which has many characteristic features:

• it is the third brightest celestial body after the Moon and Venus;
• Jupiter has the strongest magnetic field of all the planets;
• it completes a full rotation around its axis in just 10 earth hours - faster than other planets;
• an interesting feature of Jupiter is a large red spot - this is how an atmospheric vortex is visible from the Earth, rotating counterclockwise;
• like all giant planets, it has rings, though not as bright as those of Saturn;
• this planet has the largest number of satellites. He has 63 of them. The most famous are Europa, on which water was found, Ganymede - the largest satellite of the planet Jupiter, as well as Io and Calisto;
• another feature of the planet is that in the shade the surface temperature is higher than in places illuminated by the Sun.

Planet Saturn

This is the second largest gas giant, also named after the ancient god. It consists of hydrogen and helium, but traces of methane, ammonia and water have been found on its surface. Scientists have found that Saturn is the most rarefied planet. Its density is less than that of water. This gas giant rotates very quickly - it completes one revolution in 10 Earth hours, as a result of which the planet is flattened from the sides. Huge speeds on Saturn and near the wind - up to 2000 kilometers per hour. It's more than the speed of sound. Saturn has another distinctive feature - it holds 60 satellites in its field of attraction. The largest of them - Titan - is the second largest in the entire solar system. The uniqueness of this object lies in the fact that, exploring its surface, scientists first discovered a celestial body with conditions similar to those that existed on Earth about 4 billion years ago. But the most important feature of Saturn is the presence of bright rings. They encircle the planet around the equator and reflect more light than itself. Four is the most amazing phenomenon in the solar system. Unusually, the inner rings move faster than the outer ones.

- Uranus

So, we continue to consider the planets of the solar system in order. The seventh planet from the Sun is Uranus. It is the coldest of all - the temperature drops to -224 ° C. In addition, scientists did not find metallic hydrogen in its composition, but found modified ice. Because Uranus is classified as a separate category of ice giants. An amazing feature of this celestial body is that it rotates while lying on its side. The change of seasons on the planet is also unusual: winter reigns there for 42 Earth years, and the Sun does not appear at all, summer also lasts 42 years, and the Sun does not set at this time. In spring and autumn, the luminary appears every 9 hours. Like all giant planets, Uranus has rings and many satellites. As many as 13 rings revolve around it, but they are not as bright as those of Saturn, and the planet holds only 27 satellites. If we compare Uranus with the Earth, then it is 4 times larger than it, 14 times heavier and is located at a distance from the Sun, in 19 times greater than the path to the luminary from our planet.

Neptune: the invisible planet

After Pluto was excluded from the number of planets, Neptune became the last from the Sun in the system. It is located 30 times farther from the star than the Earth, and is not visible from our planet even through a telescope. Scientists discovered it, so to speak, by accident: observing the peculiarities of the movement of the planets closest to it and their satellites, they concluded that there must be another large celestial body beyond the orbit of Uranus. After discovery and research, interesting features of this planet were revealed:

• due to the presence of a large amount of methane in the atmosphere, the color of the planet from space appears blue-green;
• Neptune's orbit is almost perfectly circular;
• the planet rotates very slowly - it completes one circle in 165 years;
• Neptune is 4 times larger than the Earth and 17 times heavier, but the force of attraction is almost the same as on our planet;
• the largest of the 13 moons of this giant is Triton. It is always turned to the planet on one side and slowly approaches it. Based on these signs, scientists have suggested that it was captured by Neptune's gravity.

In the entire galaxy, the Milky Way is about a hundred billion planets. So far, scientists cannot even study some of them. But the number of planets in the solar system is known to almost all people on Earth. True, in the 21st century, interest in astronomy has faded a little, but even children know the name of the planets of the solar system.

Temperature difference:

750 degrees Fahrenheit during the day
at night - minus 320 Fahrenheit.

Like the rest of the terrestrial planets: Venus, Earth and Mars, Mercury consists mainly of stone and metal. This peculiar small world is "pitted" with craters, and the planet itself looks like Earth's neighbor - the Moon.

And if you compare with the Earth:

Mass: 5.6% of the earth's mass - diameter: 38% of the earth's.

2) Venus- the second planet farthest from the Sun, the average distance from the Sun is 0.72 AU. e. (108.2 million km), average diameter 12100 km, mass - 4.9 * 10 ^ 24 kg (0.82 Earth masses). The dense atmosphere consists mainly of carbon dioxide, the pressure at the surface is about 94 atmospheres, and the temperature is about 479 Celsius. The surface is mostly flat, composed of basalts; traces of volcanic activity and impact craters have been found. The period of revolution around the Sun is 224.7 days, the period of rotation around its axis is 243 days.

Daytime temperatures reach 895 degrees Fahrenheit (480 degrees Celsius). Because of dense atmosphere and the unfavorable composition of the gas, the planet is not suitable for human life.
After the Moon, Venus is the brightest object in the sky.

Composition - chambery-desert landscapes predominate. The planet also consists mainly of stone and metal.

And if you compare with the Earth:
- mass: 82% of the earth;
- diameter: 95% of the earth.

Interesting facts: while the rest of the planets of the solar system move in an elliptical orbit (orbit in the form of an ellipse), the orbit of Venus is an almost perfect circle. It is also the only planet in the solar system where a year (225 Earth days) is shorter than a day (241 Earth days).

3) Land- the third planet from the Sun, the average distance from the Sun is 149.6 million km (1 AU), the average radius is 6371.160 km (equatorial 6378, 160 km, polar 6356.777 km), mass - 6 * 10 ^ 24 kg. The period of revolution around the Sun is 365.3 days, the period of rotation around its axis is 23 h 56 min (sidereal day), the period of rotation relative to the Sun (mean solar day) is 24 h. It has a natural satellite - the Moon, which may have arisen in a collision with another space body in ancient times.

The composition of the Earth is dominated by iron (34.6%), oxygen (29.5%), silicon (15.2%), magnesium (12.7%). The density of the Earth's substance, pressure and temperature increase towards its center, or core, where the density is about 12500 kg / m ^ 3, pressure 3.6 * 10 ^ 11 Pa, temperature 5000-6000 Celsius. Under the influence of the Earth's gravitational field, under the conditions of heating of the earth's interior, various chemical composition and physical properties of the geosphere.

According to modern cosmogonic concepts, the Earth was formed about 4.7 billion years ago from the gas and dust matter scattered in the protosolar system. The absolute age of the most ancient rocks of the Earth is over 4.5 billion years.

Perhaps the most distinguishing feature Earth is the presence of water, in which life originated. Another "wealth" of ours is an atmosphere rich in nitrogen and oxygen, without which we would cease to exist altogether.

The earth rotates around its axis at about 1.8 km per hour (if you are at the equator). In addition, the planet is rushing in its orbit around our star - the Sun - at a speed of more than 29 km per second.

4) Mars- the fourth planet from the Sun, the average distance from the Sun is 1.5 AU. e. (227.9 million km), average diameter 6780 km, mass 6.4 * 10 ^ 23 kg (0.108 Earth masses). The rarefied atmosphere consists mainly of carbon dioxide, the average pressure at the surface is 0.006 atm. The surface of Mars is a dusty-sandy desert with rocky placers, extinct volcanoes, impact craters, branching canyons such as dry riverbeds. The period of revolution around the Sun is 687 days, the period of rotation around its axis is 24 hours 37 minutes. The two known moons of Mars are Phobos and Deimos. Significant scientific material on Mars has been obtained with the help of the Mariner and Mars spacecraft.

I must say, this planet has always excited our imagination, and until scientists proved that there is no intelligent life on Mars, this dusty planet attracted (and still attracts) a lot of attention to itself.

The surface of Mars is more interesting than the surface of most planets. Like Mercury, Venus and Earth, Mars is predominantly rock and metal. The mountains and craters of Mars "scar" its uneven surface. By the way, dusty iron oxides give the planet a specific reddish-brown color (that's why Mars is also called the "Red Planet").

The thin atmosphere and elliptical orbit together contribute to temperatures that range from minus 207 degrees Fahrenheit to a comfortable 80 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer (again, if you're at the equator).

V Lately on Mars, huge storms swirling over Mars (similar to the storm in the picture below) are explored. These storms are very similar to terrestrial hurricanes.

When studying the planet, one has to answer the following question: is there water on Mars? There is evidence that Mars was at its most comfortable and wettest about 3.7 billion years ago. But the planet gradually cooled, and the water eventually froze. The remnants exist in the form of ice blocks at the poles - these are the so-called polar "caps" of Mars, which partially melt in the summer.

And if you compare with the Earth:

- mass: 11% of the earth;

- diameter: 53% of the earth.

5) Jupiter- the fifth in a row from the Sun, as well as the largest planet in our solar system, the average distance from the Sun is 5.2 AU. e. (778 million km), equatorial diameter of about 142,800 km, polar - about 134,100 km, mass 1.9 * 10^27 kg (317.8 Earth masses).

It is a gas-liquid body, it does not have a solid surface. Consists mainly of hydrogen and helium. In the upper layers of Jupiter (atmosphere), violent movements and thunderstorm activity are observed. The period of revolution around the Sun is 11.9 years, the period of rotation around its axis is 9 hours 45 minutes (for the polar zone) and 9 hours 50.5 minutes for the equatorial zone. A ring about 6000 km wide and about 1 km thick was found, consisting of particles ranging in size from a few microns to several meters.

Jupiter is so massive that it could pull all the other planets in the solar system towards it. So what can be seen through the high clouds of this giant's thick atmosphere of helium and hydrogen, which interact to give the planet its color?

Jupiter's most famous feature is its swirling cluster of clouds, which are higher than the rest, and are colder than the clouds surrounding them. This vortex is called the Great Red Spot. The Red Spot is like a giant hurricane that causes storm winds to rush at great speed over the rapidly turning planet. Winds blow counterclockwise around this giant vortex formation at speeds up to 250 miles per hour (450 kilometers per hour). By comparison, storms on Earth rarely "accelerate" to speeds in excess of 180 miles per hour. In terms of area, the Red Spot is the size of 2 of our planets !!! Moreover, this whirlwind has been raging for about 300 years. It must be said that the Red Spot is just one of several storm formations on Jupiter.

Inside Jupiter.

In the center of Jupiter there is a stone core, with a mass many times greater than the mass of the Earth. But the main mass of Jupiter is a rather impressive layer of gaseous clouds that cover the core. In this regard, the planet can be compared with a peach, which is soft on top, and inside - with a strong core.
The rapid rotation of Jupiter leads to the deformation of the planet: the diameter of the equator is 7% larger than the polar diameter.
Around Jupiter there are several thin rings and at least 16 satellites. The largest: Ganymede (diameter about 5260 km), Callisto (diameter about 4800 km), Io (about 3600 km), Europe (about 3130 km) - the so-called Galilean satellites of the planet. They consist mainly of "rocky" rocks and water ice.

And if you compare with the Earth:

6) Saturn- the next planet of the solar system, the average distance from the Sun is 9.54 AU. e. (1.427 billion km), the average equatorial diameter is about 120500 km, the polar one is about 107500 km, the mass is 5.68 * 10^26 kg (95.1 Earth masses). The average density of Saturn is less than the density of water (about 0.7 g / cm ^ 3) - the smallest for the planets of the solar system. In structure and chemical composition, it is basically similar to Jupiter. The period of revolution around the Sun is 29.5 years, the period of rotation around its axis is about 10.7 hours (the equatorial regions rotate 5% faster than the polar regions).
The Saturn system also includes the famous rings about 1 km thick.

Like Jupiter, its neighbor, Saturn has a solid core and a gaseous rest. But Saturn is best known for its rings. Kilometer-thick rings consist of countless particles of different sizes: from an inch (about 2.5 cm) to several meters. It is clear that the planet has many more rings than we can see and count. But although we cannot see and count all the rings, however, we are able to distinguish 3 large rings (they are distinguishable in a good telescope).

18 satellites have been discovered, consisting mainly of ice and stone; the largest of them is Titan, with a diameter of about 5200 km. Titan flies around Saturn every 16 days, and we can see it in amateur telescope with good magnification. Among other things, this satellite is larger than Mercury, has an impressive layer of atmosphere enveloping its surface.
While scientists aren't sure how many "moons" Saturn has, it's roughly 20 or more.

And if you compare with the Earth:

7) Uranus is the seventh planet from the sun in the solar system. The average distance from the Sun is 19.18 AU. e. (2871 million km), diameter 50540 km, mass 8.69 * 10 ^ 25 (14.54 Earth masses). In structure and chemical composition, it is basically similar to Jupiter, but contains much more methane and ammonia. The period of revolution around the Sun is 84 years, periodic rotation around its axis is about 17 hours 14 minutes. 15 satellites of Uranus have been discovered (the largest Titania, with a diameter of about 1600 km, and Oberon, with a diameter of about 1550 km) and rings similar in structure to the ring of Jupiter.

Like its neighbors, it mainly consists of gas (surface) and a small stone core.

And if you compare with the Earth:

8) Neptune- the penultimate planet of the solar system, the average distance from the Sun is 30.1 AU. e. (4497 million km), the average diameter is about 50,000 km, the mass is 1.02 * 10 ^ 26 kg (17.2 Earth masses). In general, it is similar to Uranus, but differs in violent processes in the atmosphere. The period of revolution around the Sun is 164.8 years, the period of rotation around its axis is 16 hours 6 minutes. It was discovered in 1846 by the German astronomer I. Galle according to the theoretical predictions of the French astronomer W. J. Le Verrier and the English astronomer J. K. Adams.

Composition - a stone core covered with ice, hydrogen, helium, methane. Like other gaseous planets, Neptune has fast hurricane-force winds in its atmosphere, but the planet contains what is believed to be a deep ocean of water.
The planet's rapid rotation powers fierce winds and many storms. There is also an insignificant layer of rings and 8 satellites (the largest is Triton, with a diameter of about 3200 km).

Due to Pluto's strange orbit, Neptune is sometimes the planet farthest from the Sun. Since 1979, Neptune has been the 9th planet from the Sun. On February 11, 1999, it crossed the orbit of Pluto and once again became the 8th planet from the Sun, where it will remain for the next 228 years.

And if you compare with the Earth:

9) Pluto- the last and most distant planet from the Sun in the solar system. The average distance from the Sun is 39.44 AU. e. (5.9 * 10^12 km), diameter about 2300 km, mass 1.2 * 10^22 (0.22 Earth masses). The period of revolution around the Sun is 248.6 years, the period of rotation around its axis is 6.4 days. Pluto has a satellite - Charon, comparable in size to the planet (diameter about km).

Pluto, the size of 2-3 moons (natural satellite of the Earth), is a cold, dark and "frozen" planet. Relatively little is known about her - this planet with a strange orbit.

Pluto's composition is believed to include rock and ice, and has a thin atmosphere composed of nitrogen, methane, and carbon monoxide. Orbit. Pluto's 248-year orbit is such that the planet has to cross the path of Neptune. As already mentioned in the "Neptune" section, from 1979 until the beginning of 1999, Pluto was the 8th planet from the Sun. But now Pluto will remain the 9th planet for the next 228 years.
Orbit this amazing planet inclined at an angle of 17 degrees to the Earth's orbit. It is also interesting that there is evidence that Pluto "left" Neptune. Thus, Pluto can be regarded as a former satellite of Neptune. But there is an opinion that Pluto - big asteroid and even that the planet is a comet. There is active controversy in this area.

However, it is reliably known that Pluto has one satellite - Sheron, discovered in 1978. A possible hypothesis of its origin is as follows - perhaps it is a fragment of a large cosmic body that collided with Pluto.

And if you compare with the Earth:

So, we have completed the characterization of the planets of the solar system. The authors hope that after reading all the information you have a clear idea about the planets around the Sun.