Presentation about the eight planets and their characteristics.

1. The Planets

2. • The Solar System consists of the Sun and the
astronomical objects gravitationally bound in
orbit around it, all of which formed from the
collapse of a giant molecular cloud
approximately 4.6 billion years ago.
• The Solar System is full of planets, moons,
asteroids, comets, minor planets, and many
other exciting objects.
• Pluto is no longer considered as a Planet

3. Mercury
• Average distance from the sun(million miles): 36
• Average Temperature(C): 140
• Diameter in km: 4900
• Solid Planet:
• Atmosphere: a thin layer of Helium
• No moons
• No rings
• Length of a Day: 59 days
• Length of a Year: 88 days
• Surface Features: Craters, cliffs, dusty.

4. • It’s said that Mercury's orbit is being
interfered with by another undiscovered
planet.
• There are no seasons on Mercury

5. Venus
• Average distance from the sun(million miles): 67
• Average Temperature(C): 450
• Diameter in km: 12,100
• Solid Planet
• Atmosphere: Carbon Dioxide
• No moons
• No rings
• Length of a Day: 243 days
• Length of a Year: 225 days
• Surface Features: rocky, canyons, dusty.

6. • Other than the Moon, Venus is the brightest
natural object in the night sky
• Venus is the only planet named after a female
figure, the goddess of love.

7. Earth
• Average distance from the sun(million miles): 93
• Average Temperature(C): 10
• Diameter in km: 12,800
• Solid Planet
• Atmosphere: Nitrogen and Oxygen
• 1 moon
• No rings
• Length of a Day: 24 hours
• Length of a Year: 365 days
• Surface Features: water, mountains, volcanoes.

8. • Earth is not a perfect sphere, it is an oblate
spheroid.
• The moon is moving away from the earth at a
rate of 4 cm a year.
• Around 70% of water on Earth is locked within
glaciers and polar ice caps

9. Mars
• Average distance from the sun(million miles): 142
• Average Temperature(C): -40
• Diameter in km: 6,800
• Solid Planet
• Atmosphere: Carbon Dioxide
• 2 moons
• No rings
• Length of a Day: 25 hours
• Length of a Year: 687 days
• Surface Features: Dunes, volcanoes, red dirt canyons.

10. • Scientists believe that Mars was once a very
different place. Evidence points to volcanic
activity, water and a rich atmosphere and
warm climate.

11. Jupiter
• Average distance from the sun(million miles): 484
• Average Temperature(C): -150
• Diameter in km: 143,000
• Gas Planet
• Atmosphere: Hydrogen, Helium
• 63 moons
• 4 rings
• Length of a Day: 10 hours
• Length of a Year: 12 years
• Surface Features: Red spot, storms.

12. • One spot that planetary scientists think
organisms could survive is Europa, Jupiter’s
moon
• The Great Red Spot is a gigantic storm.
• Jupiter is the largest planet

13. Saturn
• Average distance from the sun(million miles): 885
• Average Temperature(C): -180
• Diameter in km: 120,700
• Gas Planet
• Atmosphere: Hydrogen, Helium
• 31 moons
• 1000+ rings
• Length of a Day: 10 hours
• Length of a Year: 30 years
• Surface Features: Storms, clouds.

14. • Another place where life could exist is Titan,
Saturn’s largest moon.
• Saturn has an average density less than water,
that means it would float if there were an ocean
big enough to hold it.
• Saturn was the name of the Roman god of
agriculture and harvest
• The particles that make up Saturn’s rings range
from the size of a grain of salt to the size of a
mountain.

15. Uranus
• Average distance from the sun(million miles): 1,781
• Average Temperature(C): -200
• Diameter in km: 51,800
• Gas Planet
• Atmosphere: Hydrogen, Helium
• 27 moons
• 11 rings
• Length of a Day: 17 hours
• Length of a Year: 84 years
• Surface Features: Green, blue clouds.

16. • Uranus was the first planet discovered in
modern history. It was also the first discovered
using telescope.
• The moons are named after characters of
William Shakespeare and Alexander Pope.

17. Neptune
• Average distance from the sun(million miles): 2,793
• Average Temperature(C): -220
• Diameter in km: 49, 500
• Gas Planet
• Atmosphere: Hydrogen, Helium
• 13 moons
• 4 rings
• Length of a Day: 16 hours
• Length of a Year: 165 years
• Surface Features: Storms, blue clouds.

18. • Neptune is named after the Roman god of the
Sea.
• Neptune’s icy rings were discovered in 1968
• Winds on Neptune can reach 2,000 km per
hour –faster than the speed of sound.
• The Kuiper belt, a large field of space debris is
dominated by Neptune’s gravity.