Planetary system
Planets, moons, comets and asteroids surround our Sun, like a merry dance around a fire. The sun and the “moths” hovering around it make up the solar system. No matter how much we love our native star, we must still admit that this is just a star of average size.
Raise your head and see in the sky thousands of other equally great and bright suns, only very, very far from us. They are so far away that they look like small flickering dots. Behind these stars are billions of others that can only be seen through a telescope. There are hundreds of billions of stars in our Galaxy alone.
Galaxies
Moreover, our Galaxy is not alone. There are at least 100 billion galaxies like ours in the universe, each of them consisting of millions of suns. Truly, the Universe is a gigantic structure. If there are such countless stars, then is our Sun really so unique that it is the only one that has a planetary system? Scientists think this is simply incredible. Moreover, they believe that in the Universe, many, if not most, stars have planetary systems.
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Search for planets
Trying to find a medium-sized planet around our nearest star is like trying to find a speck of dust floating in the air near a 1000-watt lamp three kilometers away.
According to some scientists, there are at least 10 billion trillion planets in the Universe. The problem is to find them, and this is not so easy. Why? The fact is that, compared to stars, planets are very small and dark, because they themselves do not glow, they only reflect the light of their sun.
Unfortunately, planets around other stars are too distant and perhaps too dim to be detected by Earth-based telescopes. A medium-sized planet orbiting the star closest to us will simply be lost in the brilliance of its star. Why? Here's why. Imagine that you are in an open field at night looking at a thousand-watt lamp that is located three kilometers away from you. You can see the lamp quite clearly.
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The largest planets in the solar system
But can you see the speck of dust hanging in the air near this lamp? The answer is clear without comment. It is also difficult to detect a planet near an “alien” star. Scientists have to find other ways to detect planets. One of them is to study the gravitational effect that the desired planet has on its star. The force of gravity is universal. Any body attracts another body.
Interesting fact: stars attract planets, which is why they revolve around stars.
Attraction of stars by planets
But the planets, in turn, attract stars to themselves, although much weaker. In addition, stars rotate around their axis, move through space along their own trajectories, and even drag a cartload of their planets behind them. Scientists carefully evaluate deviations in the movement of stars along their trajectories in outer space. These deviations may be caused by the gravitational force of the planets orbiting the star.
Our Solar System consists of the Sun, the planets orbiting it, and smaller celestial bodies. All of these are mysterious and surprising because they are still not fully understood. Below will be indicated the sizes of the planets of the solar system in ascending order, and a brief description of the planets themselves.
There is a well-known list of planets, in which they are listed in order of their distance from the Sun:
Pluto used to be in last place, but in 2006 it lost its status as a planet, as larger celestial bodies were found further away from it. The listed planets are divided into rocky (inner) and giant planets.
Brief information about rocky planets
The inner (rocky) planets include those bodies that are located inside the asteroid belt separating Mars and Jupiter. They got their name “stone” because they consist of various hard rocks, minerals and metals. They are united by a small number or absence of satellites and rings (like Saturn). On the surface of rocky planets there are volcanoes, depressions and craters formed as a result of the fall of other cosmic bodies.
But if you compare their sizes and arrange them in ascending order, the list will look like this:
Brief information about the giant planets
The giant planets are located beyond the asteroid belt and therefore are also called outer planets. They consist of very light gases - hydrogen and helium. These include:
But if you make a list by the size of the planets in the solar system in ascending order, the order changes:
A little information about the planets
In modern scientific understanding, a planet means a celestial body that revolves around the Sun and has sufficient mass for its own gravity. Thus, there are 8 planets in our system, and, importantly, these bodies are not similar to each other: each has its own unique differences, both in appearance and in the components of the planet themselves.
- This is the planet closest to the Sun and the smallest among the others. It weighs 20 times less than the Earth! But, despite this, it has a fairly high density, which allows us to conclude that there are a lot of metals in its depths. Due to its strong proximity to the Sun, Mercury is subject to sudden temperature changes: at night it is very cold, during the day the temperature rises sharply.
- This is the next planet closest to the Sun, in many ways similar to Earth. It has a more powerful atmosphere than Earth, and is considered a very hot planet (its temperature is above 500 C).
- This is a unique planet due to its hydrosphere, and the presence of life on it led to the appearance of oxygen in its atmosphere. Most of the surface is covered with water, and the rest is occupied by continents. A unique feature is the tectonic plates, which move, albeit very slowly, resulting in changes in the landscape. The Earth has one satellite - the Moon.
– also known as the “Red Planet”. It gets its fiery red color from a large amount of iron oxides. Mars has a very thin atmosphere and much lower atmospheric pressure compared to Earth. Mars has two satellites - Deimos and Phobos.
is a real giant among the planets of the solar system. Its weight is 2.5 times the weight of all the planets combined. The surface of the planet consists of helium and hydrogen and is in many ways similar to the sun. Therefore, it is not surprising that there is no life on this planet - there is no water and a solid surface. But Jupiter has a large number of satellites: 67 are currently known.
– This planet is famous for the presence of rings consisting of ice and dust revolving around the planet. With its atmosphere it resembles that of Jupiter, and in size it is slightly smaller than this giant planet. In terms of the number of satellites, Saturn is also slightly behind - it has 62 known. The largest satellite, Titan, is larger than Mercury.
- the lightest planet among the outer ones. Its atmosphere is the coldest in the entire system (minus 224 degrees), it has a magnetosphere and 27 satellites. Uranium consists of hydrogen and helium, and the presence of ammonia ice and methane has also been noted. Because Uranus has a high axial tilt, it appears as if the planet is rolling rather than rotating.
- despite its smaller size than , it is heavier and exceeds the mass of the Earth. This is the only planet that was found through mathematical calculations, and not through astronomical observations. The strongest winds in the solar system were recorded on this planet. Neptune has 14 moons, one of which, Triton, is the only one that rotates in the opposite direction.
It is very difficult to imagine the entire scale of the solar system within the limits of the studied planets. It seems to people that the Earth is a huge planet, and, in comparison with other celestial bodies, it is so. But if you place giant planets next to it, then the Earth already takes on tiny dimensions. Of course, next to the Sun, all celestial bodies appear small, so representing all the planets in their full scale is a difficult task.
The most famous classification of planets is their distance from the Sun. But a listing that takes into account the sizes of the planets of the Solar System in ascending order would also be correct. The list will be presented as follows:
As you can see, the order has not changed much: the inner planets are on the first lines, and Mercury occupies the first place, and the outer planets occupy the remaining positions. In fact, it doesn’t matter at all in what order the planets are located, this will not make them any less mysterious and beautiful.
The Earth is the common home of more than 7 billion people. There will be enough food and resources for a long time, and overpopulation is not in danger of us yet (if we don’t talk about individual countries). However, scientists are confident that such a relative idyll will not be able to last forever, and even if not in the near future, but someday our planet will cease to be suitable for life. This could be the result of a world war, a global cataclysm, or a cosmic impact. What is the solution for man? It would be a good idea to move to another habitable planet, of course, having prepared it for this in advance. Let's look at the TOP 7 planets that humans can colonize for future resettlement.
7th place. Mercury
Among other objects in the Solar System, the planet Mercury is considered a candidate for colonization. It is best to populate the region of the poles, since there are ice caps there (presumably for now) and daily temperature changes are minimal. There will be no problems with energy on Mercury due to its close location to the Sun, and this planet is rich in useful resources, it’s a pity not for food... The advantages of Mercury include the presence of a magnetic field that can cope with the solar wind and cosmic radiation, although not so as efficient as the Earth.
But its proximity to the Sun and the lack of a more or less dense atmosphere make Mercury not so attractive in terms of colonization. Well, a bonus disadvantage is the length of the day is 176 Earth days. Terraforming in such conditions is simply impractical, so you will have to make do with a colony underground. In any case, organizing the possibility of human habitation on Mercury will be quite lengthy and labor-intensive. Due to the gravity of the Sun, even the flight itself will be extremely energy-consuming and dangerous. That is why only 7th place.
6th place. Kepler-438b
For a change, consider two planets outside the solar system, but the most suitable for life. It is possible that in the distant future we will be able to travel through interstellar space in a period not exceeding a human life, therefore it is advisable to consider distant worlds as places of colonization.
Kepler-438 b is located in the constellation Lyra at a distance of 470 light years from Earth. Today it is considered the most similar to Earth in a number of characteristics, therefore the presence of life on it is assessed very highly. This planet is slightly larger than ours, and its location from the star is optimal for the presence of liquid water and a completely acceptable temperature. In the catalog of habitable planets, Kepler-438 b is in second place after , and this already says something.
The only thing that calls into question the habitability of Kepler-438 b is the recently released results of observations of the star around which the planet orbits. Astronomers have noticed that this star very often produces strong emissions of radiation. So not everything is so rosy, and the flight to it is a bit far. Therefore, 6th place.
5th place. Proxima Centauri b
The exoplanet Proxima Centauri b was discovered in early August 2016. It revolves around the star closest to the Sun, Proxima Centauri. Among all the likely habitable planets outside our system, Proxima Centauri b is notable for its relatively short distance to Earth at 4.22 light years. The average temperature there is about -40 °C. It is impossible to say for sure about the presence of life there, but the fact that the planet is located in a zone suitable for this is undeniable.
A year on this planet lasts only 11 Earth days. The star Proxima Centauri is small, which means the habitable zone around it is closer than that of the Sun. And, consequently, the orbit of the planets will also be smaller, and therefore the revolution around the star occurs faster. By the way, like the Moon and the Earth, Proxima Centauri b always faces its star with only one side, so in one hemisphere there is eternal night, and in the other there is constant day.
On Proxima Centauri b, only one side is illuminated Scientists have seriously started saying that it would be a good idea to send probes there, or rather, nanoprobes weighing 1 gram that could reach this planet in 20 years.
4th place. Moon
The moon (yes, it’s not a planet) is most attractive because the flight to it takes only 3 days, and building a base there is not as expensive as at other space facilities. Water was discovered on the Earth's satellite, a small amount of which is concentrated at the poles. Strictly speaking, that’s all - the Moon is no longer attractive as a place for relocation.
Unfortunately, among all the options considered, terroforming the Moon will probably be the most difficult. It lacks both an atmosphere suitable for life and a significant magnetic field. So there is practically no protection from meteorites and radiation. In addition, it is necessary to solve the problem of pervasive lunar dust, which not only damages equipment, but also penetrates into the human lungs. In general, it will take a lot of effort to create earthly conditions on the Moon. But its close location to Earth is an undeniable advantage.
Today, the Moon is seen primarily as a site for scientific research and as a source of minerals. Earthlings are especially attracted by the presence of helium-3 there, which we will need.
3rd place. Venus
Venus is a neighbor of the Earth and also one of the hottest planets in our system. This is all due to the dense clouds that retain the resulting heat in the atmosphere. Because of this, the average temperature on the planet is 477 °C. However, if you solve the problem with clouds, it is quite possible to end up with conditions similar to those on Earth. In addition, getting to Venus is much easier than getting to any other planet.
Venus is deservedly called the Earth's twin, because... their diameter and mass are very similar.
In addition to solving the problem of extreme heat, a person will have to solve the problem of water, which has not been found on Venus, but there is still hope that it exists somewhere in the bowels of the planet. Another unpleasant fact is that without clouds, Venus may be exposed to radiation due to its weak magnetic field.
Scientists already have an idea of how to prepare Venus for active terraforming. It is possible to install special screens between the planet and the Sun, which will reduce the flow of solar energy, which will significantly reduce the temperature. A less elegant way is to bombard Venus with comets and asteroids that carry ice. In addition, according to calculations, this can spin the planet and shorten the Venusian day, which is now 58.5 Earth days. In the process of forming the hydrosphere, it will be possible to begin to throw algae and terrestrial microorganisms there.
The size of the asteroid needed to create a hydrosphere on Venus Thus, the colonization of Venus is quite possible, although not in the near future, because now humanity has chosen another planet for these purposes...
2nd place. Titanium
Yes, Titan, the satellite of Saturn, is not a planet, but it fits very colorfully into our list. This is one of the few places in the solar system where life is currently possible.(except for the Earth, of course) at least in the most primitive form. According to current research, Titan contains carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen - everything necessary for life. In addition, a fairly dense atmosphere provides reliable protection from cosmic radiation. Titan has everything necessary for the life of the colony: from water to the possibility of obtaining rocket fuel. Titanium is very attractive economically because... there are hundreds of times more liquid carbon there than all the oil reserves on Earth. In addition, all these treasures are located directly on the surface of the satellite in the form of lakes.
A person on Titan can be harmed by low pressure, low temperature and the presence of hydrogen cyanide in the atmosphere. You can’t do without special spacesuits during the first couple of hours. Gravity, which is 7 times lower than ours, is also an unpleasant factor. Because of this, our body can suffer. There are also often strong earthquakes there.
There is a very high probability that Titan will become the 3rd space object after the Moon and Mars on which a person will land. Today it is primarily considered as a source of resources that are gradually running out on Earth.
1 place. Mars
It is Mars that claims to be the planet that man colonizes first. The Red Planet is currently the most suitable for creating conditions suitable for humans, according to scientists.
An undeniable advantage of Mars is the ability to produce food resources, oxygen and building materials on site. This is an undeniable advantage over other options for planets in the solar system. All this will allow us to carry out the task of terraforming, which will ultimately create earthly conditions. It will be much easier for a person to get used to the Martian day, which is 24 hours and 39 minutes. and the plants will be delighted too.
There is definitely water on Mars. This is confirmed by the latest research from NASA guys. And water is life! True, it is in a frozen state, but there is an assumption that there are extensive underground reserves on Mars. With additional cultivation, the local soil is suitable for growing terrestrial plants.
The Red Planet is being seriously considered as a place to create a “Cradle of Humankind” in case a global catastrophe occurs on our planet. True, this is still a distant prospect, and now the red planet is viewed more as a place where it is possible to conduct interesting research and experiments that are dangerous to conduct on Earth.
By the way, there is an opinion that our civilization originated on Mars, but was forced to move to Earth.
Among the main problems that need to be solved are Mars' weak magnetic field, thin atmosphere and gravity equal to 38% of Earth's.
To protect against radiation, it is necessary to create a normal magnetic field, which with the current development of our science is still unrealistic. We will also have to decide something with the current atmosphere, because... it retains neither heat nor air. The average daily temperature on Mars is -55 °C. In addition, the atmosphere of the red planet does not provide adequate protection from meteorites. So, until the problem with the optimal atmosphere is solved, you will have to live in special living quarters. The lower gravity factor will subject the human body to greater tests - it will have to rebuild. Another nuisance on Mars is its famous sandstorms, which are very poorly understood today. However, different methods of solving these problems are already being considered, when the organization of life on many other planets still looks like science fiction.
Today, Mars exploration is hampered by the high cost of flights. Of course, the governments of all countries believe that it is better to spend billions on weapons than on conquering other worlds... So let’s hope that we will have time to organize at least cities with their own atmosphere on Mars before we completely defile the Earth.
A flight to Mars takes about 9 months, but in the foreseeable future there are plans to develop new engines that can significantly reduce this time. When compared with a flight to Mercury, the energy costs are simply negligible, not to mention compared with interstellar flights.
Until recently, astronomers believed that the concept of a planet applied exclusively to the solar system. Everything that is beyond its boundaries are unexplored cosmic bodies, most often stars of very large scale. But, as it turned out later, the planets, like peas, are scattered throughout the Universe. They vary in their geological and chemical composition, and may or may not have an atmosphere, all depending on their interaction with the nearest star. The arrangement of 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 home and its features
In the center of the solar system there is a star of the same name, which is classified as a yellow dwarf. Its magnetic field is enough to hold nine planets of varying sizes around their axis. Among them there are dwarf rocky cosmic bodies, immense gas giants that reach almost the parameters of the star itself, and “middle” class objects, which include the Earth. The arrangement of the planets of the solar system does not occur in ascending or descending order. We can say that relative to the parameters of each individual astronomical body, their location 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 cosmic bodies. There are nine planets orbiting the Sun, as well as a ring of asteroids that lies between Mars and Jupiter, and the Kuiper Belt, which lies beyond Pluto. In these gaps, 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 life cannot arise under any circumstances. They also assign 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 first place are Mercury, Venus, then Earth and Mars. After the Red Planet there passes a ring of asteroids, behind which begins a parade of giants consisting of gases. These are Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. The list is completed by dwarf and icy Pluto, with its equally cold and black satellite Charon. As we said above, there are several more dwarf space units in the system. The location of dwarf planets in this category coincides with the Kuiper belts and asteroids. Ceres is located in an asteroid ring. Makemake, Haumea and Eris are in the Kuiper Belt.
Terrestrial planets
This category includes cosmic bodies that, in their composition and parameters, have much in common with our home planet. Their depths are also filled with metals and stone, and either a full atmosphere or a haze that resembles it is formed around the surface. The location of the terrestrial planets is easy to remember, because these are the first four objects that are located 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 consisting 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 core region there are metals that are hot to a liquid state. All four giants are characterized by an incredibly strong gravitational field. Due to this, they attract numerous satellites, which form almost entire asteroid systems around them. SS gas balls rotate very quickly, which is why 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 gravitational force.
Dwarf planets
Since we have already looked in detail at the location of the planets from the Sun, we know that Pluto is the furthest away 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 too large for asteroids. Their structure may be comparable to Mars or Earth, or it may simply be rocky, like any asteroid. Above we have listed the most prominent representatives of this group - these are Ceres, Eris, Makemake, Haumea. In fact, dwarfs are found not only in the two SS asteroid belts. They are often called the satellites of gas giants, which are attracted to them due to the enormous
The solar system is a group of planets revolving in specific orbits around a bright star - the Sun. This star is the main source of heat and light in the solar system.
It is believed that our planetary system 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 an accumulation 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
At 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 belonged to this group of planets; it was considered the 9th planet from the Sun, however, due to its significant distance from the Sun and small size, it was excluded from this list and called a dwarf planet. More precisely, it is one of several dwarf planets in the Kuiper belt.
All of 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 closest to the Sun.
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 consist mainly 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 proximity predetermined a significant temperature difference. The average temperature on Mercury during the day is +350 degrees Celsius, and at night - -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 number of demonstration flights in 1974.
- A day on Mercury lasts 59 Earth days, and a year is only 88 days.
- Mercury experiences the most dramatic temperature changes, reaching 610 °C. During the day, temperatures can reach 430 °C, and at night -180 °C.
- The gravity on the planet's surface is only 38% of 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 observations of Mercury through a telescope were made by Galileo Galilei in the early 17th century.
- Mercury has no natural satellites.
- The first official map of Mercury's surface 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 differs significantly from our planet. A day here lasts 243 Earth days, and a year lasts 255 days. The atmosphere of Venus is 95% carbon dioxide, which creates a greenhouse effect on its surface. This results in an average temperature on the planet of 475 degrees Celsius. The atmosphere also contains 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 sent from Earth on February 12, 1961 and was called Venera 1.
- Venus is one of two planets whose direction of rotation around its axis is different from most planets in the solar system.
- The planet's orbit 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 observations of Venus through a telescope were made by Galileo Galilei at the beginning of the 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 liquid water, and, therefore, for the emergence of life.
Its surface is 70% covered with water, and it is the only planet to contain such an amount of liquid. It is believed that many thousands of years ago, 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 in the solar system is the third planet from the sunsA;
- Our planet revolves around one natural satellite - the Moon;
- Earth is the only planet not named after a divine being;
- The Earth's density is the greatest of all the planets in the solar system;
- The Earth's rotation speed 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 of sufficient strength 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 to 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 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 Earth, and the atmosphere is quite thin, which allows solar radiation to unimpededly affect the surface. In this regard, if there is life on Mars, it is not on the surface.
When surveyed with the help of Mars rovers, it was found that there are many mountains on Mars, as well as dried up river beds and glaciers. The surface of the planet is covered with red sand. It is iron oxide that gives Mars its color.
- Mars is located in the fourth orbit from the Sun;
- The Red Planet is home to the tallest volcano in the solar system;
- Of the 40 exploration missions sent to Mars, only 18 were successful;
- Mars is home to some of the largest dust storms in the solar system;
- In 30-50 million years, there will be a system of rings around Mars, like Saturn's;
- Debris from Mars has been found on Earth;
- The Sun from the surface of Mars looks half as big 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 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 consists 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 the atmosphere of Jupiter, one of the longest and most powerful storms in the solar system rages, better known as the Great Red Spot;
- Jupiter's moon Ganymede is the largest moon in the solar system;
- Jupiter is surrounded by 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 orbiting Jupiter. This is the largest 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 lasts 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 contains the strongest winds in the solar system;
- Saturn is one of the least dense planets in the solar system;
- Surrounding 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, constitutes approximately 92% of the total planetary mass of the Solar System;
- One year on the planet lasts 29.5 Earth years;
- There are 62 known natural satellites orbiting the planet;
- Currently, the automatic interplanetary station Cassini is studying 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 lasts 84 Earth years. Moreover, summer lasts as long as winter - 42 years. This 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 seems to be “lying on its side.”
- Uranus is located in the seventh orbit from the Sun;
- The first person to learn about the existence of Uranus was William Herschel in 1781;
- Uranus has only been visited by one spacecraft, Voyager 2 in 1982;
- Uranus is the coldest planet in the solar system;
- The plane of Uranus' equator is inclined to the plane of its orbit at almost 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, rather than 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 orbiting Uranus;
Neptune
Neptune is the eighth planet from the Sun. It is similar in composition and size 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 is an ice giant and for a long time it was believed that no weather phenomena occur on its icy surface. However, it was recently discovered that Neptune has raging vortices and wind speeds that are the highest among 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 to have its own atmosphere.
Neptune also has rings. This planet has 6 of them.
- 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 satellites circling around Neptune;
- Neputna's orbit 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;
- There is a system of rings around Neptune;
- 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 has been 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.
- The satellite of Saturn is considered one of the most beautiful and original places in the solar system. 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 have flown to all the planets of the solar system.
- Venus is the only planet in the solar system that rotates counterclockwise around its axis.
- Uranus has 27 satellites.
- 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 approximately 4.5 billion years ago.
- The most distant planet in the solar system is Pluto.
- Two regions in the Solar System are filled with small bodies.
- The solar system was built contrary to all the laws of the Universe.
- If you 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 of 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 that lies beyond the orbit of Neptune is called the Kuiper belt.
- The Oort cloud is the region of the solar system that serves as the source of a comet and a long orbital period.
- Every object in the solar system is held there because of the force of gravity.
- The leading theory of the solar system involves the emergence of planets and moons 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 of the Solar System.
- Pallas is considered the largest asteroid in the solar system.
- The brightest planet in the solar system is Venus.
- The solar system is mostly made of hydrogen.
- The 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 equator plane of each planet in the solar system diverges from the orbital plane.
- The satellite of Mars called Phobos is an anomaly in 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 to be 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.
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