Slide 1

23.3 The Outer Planets

Slide 2

Jupiter: Giant Among Planets Mass that is 2.5 times greater than the mass of all the other planets & moons combined Rotates quickest (1 rotation = 10 Earth yrs.) Alternating bands of multicolored clouds (caused by wind systems) Great Red Spot in SH

Slide 3

Continued Hydrogen-Helium atmosphere (w/ small amts. of methane, ammonia, water, & sulfur) Gives off 2x more heat than received Atmospheric pressure at the top of clouds is = to sea level pressure on Earth Pressure increases as you reach surface 28 moons discovered so far Rings are composed of fine, dark particles

Slide 4

Slide 5

Saturn: The Elegant Planet Most prominent feature is its system of rings Atmosphere is very active Large cyclonic storms occur in atmosphere Each ring is composed of individual particles (moonlets) of ice & rock Rings fall into 2 categories based on density 31 moons (Titan is the largest)

Slide 6

Slide 7

Uranus: The Sideway Planet Rotates on its side Instead of being generally perpendicular to the plane of its orbit like the other planets, Uranuss axis of rotation lies nearly parallel with the plane of its orbit

Slide 8

Slide 9

Neptune: The Windy Planet Atmosphere like Jupiter & Saturn Winds exceed 1000 km per hr. (one of the windiest in the solar system) Great Dark Spot White, cirrus like clouds (likely frozen methane) 13 moons (Triton represents retrograde motion) Shows that Triton formed independently of Neptune & was gravitationally captured

Slide 10

Slide 11

Pluto: Planet X Since its discovery in 1930, it has completed about of a revolution Orbit is highly eccentric, causing it to occasionally travel inside the orbit of Neptune, where it stayed from 1979 Feb. 1999 Avg. temp. is -210 degrees Celsius

Slide 12

REVIEW What is the largest planet? What is the smallest planet? Identify 1 distinguishing characteristic of each outer planet. How are Titan & Triton similar?

Slide 13

23.4 Minor Members of the Solar System

Slide 14

Asteroids: Microplanets Small rocky bodies that have been likened to flying mountains Lie btw the orbits of Mars & Jupiter Orbital periods of 3-6 years Irregular shapes

Slide 15

Comets Pieces of rocky & metallic materials held together by frozen gases, such as water, ammonia, methane, CO2, and carbon monoxide Elongated orbits Coma glowing head A small glowing nucleus with a diameter of only a few km can sometimes be detected within a coma As comets approach the sun, some, but not all, develop a tail that extends for millions of km

Slide 16

Slide 17

Continued Kuiper Belt comets with short orbital periods that orbit beyond Neptune Circular orbits Oort Cloud - comets with long orbital periods arent confined to the plane of the solar system Halleys comet is the most famous short period comet

Slide 18

Meteoroids Small solid particle that travels through space Originate from any one of the following 3 sources: Interplanetary debris that was not gravitationally swept up by the planets during the formation of the solar system Material from the asteroid belt The solid remains of comets that once traveled near Earths orbit A meteoroid that reaches Earth is called a meteorite