The Solar System

Lancelot L. Kao

Updated: Jan 18, 2010

2

Outline

• Overview of the Solar System

• Chemical Composition of Planets

• Summary

• Formation of the Solar System

• Observational Evidence

• Detection of Extrasolar Planets

3

Overview of the Solar System

• Relative sizes• Orbital properties

4

Family Picture of the Solar System

5

6

7

Chemical Composition of Planets

• Terrestrial Planets• Jovian Planets• Icy Giants• Small Bodies

8

Chemical Composition of Planets

9

Chemical Composition of Planets

10

Summary

11

Formation of the Solar System

• A slowly rotating cloud of gas and dust begins to contract.

• A central condensation forms as the cloud flattens and spins more rapidly.

• Rougly100 thousand years later, a glowing “protosun” has formed in its center with a protoplanetary disk (proplyd) of gas and dust.

12

Formation of the Solar System

• Condensation process• Condensation temperature• Frost Line

13

Formation of the Solar System

Accretion process and the formation of planetesimals

14

Formation of the Solar System

•Accretion of planetesimals to form protoplanets

•Chemical differentiation

•T Tauri Wind

15

Observational Evidences

Orion Nebula

16

Detection of Extrasolar Planets

17

Detection of Extrasolar Planets

Light Curve of HD209548Infrared Image of Gliese 229

18

Detection of Extrasolar Planets

19

Detection of Extrasolar Planets

20

Extrasolar Planets Database

• The Extrasolar Planets Encyclopaedia– Up-to-date– Interactive Catalog– http://www.exoplanet.eu/