Touring Touring Our Our

Solar SystemSolar System

Interactive Power Point ProjectInteractive Power Point Project

Erin LewisErin Lewis

ED 205-05ED 205-05

TheOuter Planets

The Asteroid Belt

Comets

The Sun

Planet Earth

The Inner Planets

OurSolar System

The Solar System

Our solar system is about 4.5 billion years old It has one star, (our Sun) and eight planets

The Sun

The Sun is one of

about 200,000 million

stars in our Galaxy!

It creates light and

heat through nuclear

fusion

The Inner PlanetsThe Inner Planets

MercuryMercury

VenusVenus

EarthEarth

MarsMars

The four “Inner” The four “Inner” Planets of our solar Planets of our solar system are made system are made of mostly rock and of mostly rock and metalmetal

They are also much They are also much smaller in size and smaller in size and mass compared to mass compared to the “Outer” Planetsthe “Outer” Planets

MercuryMercury

Closest Planet toClosest Planet to

our Sunour Sun

Smallest Planet inSmallest Planet in

solar systemsolar system

No MoonsNo Moons

Venus

• Second closest planet to Sun

• Closest in size to Earth

• Heavy atmosphere of Carbon Dioxide

• No moons

Planet Earth

Earth is the only planet in our solar system that has liquid water and a breathable atmosphere

Over 70% of Earth is covered by water

Earth is the only planet in our solar system that can sustain life

MarsMars

Fourth planet from the SunFourth planet from the Sun

Often called the “red Often called the “red planet” due to its red (rusty) planet” due to its red (rusty) soilsoil

Two moons – Phoebos and Two moons – Phoebos and DeimosDeimos

Been visited by three Earth Been visited by three Earth “Rovers”“Rovers”

The Asteroid Belt

The asteroid belt is located between Mars and Jupiter

It consists of rocky bodies that range in size between boulders and small moons

It’s believed that this “belt” may once have been a planet that collided with another very large body in space, and broke into millions of pieces

The Outer PlanetsThe Outer Planets

JupiterJupiter

SaturnSaturn

UranusUranus

NeptuneNeptune

* Pluto * Pluto

► The Four “Outer” The Four “Outer” Planets of our solar Planets of our solar system are made of system are made of gases, such as gases, such as methane and methane and hydrogenhydrogen

► They are much They are much larger in size and larger in size and mass than the mass than the “Inner” Planets“Inner” Planets

JupiterJupiter

► Largest planet in solar Largest planet in solar systemsystem

► Fifth planet from the SunFifth planet from the Sun

► Known for its Giant Red Known for its Giant Red Spot, a huge hurricane Spot, a huge hurricane type storm in type storm in atmosphereatmosphere

► Has over 25 moonsHas over 25 moons

SaturnSaturn

Sixth planet from Sixth planet from the Sunthe Sun

Known for its Known for its massive system of massive system of “rings”, made of ice “rings”, made of ice and rock particlesand rock particles

Has at least 16 Has at least 16 moonsmoons

Uranus

• This bluish planet is made of mostly methane gas

• Like, Saturn, it also has a distinctive ring system

• It is the only planet that rotates flopped over on its side

Neptune

This gigantic planet also has a storm raging on its surface, just like Jupiter. It’s called “the great blue spot”.

Pluto In 2006, astronomers

decided that Pluto, by definition, is no longer a planet.

It is considered a “protoplanet”, or dwarf planet, due to its small size and strange orbit.

Pluto has one moon; Charon

CometsComets

Comets are like “dirty snowballs”. Comets are like “dirty snowballs”. They are made of mostly ice and They are made of mostly ice and and rockand rock

They usually orbit the Sun at They usually orbit the Sun at great distances; much further out great distances; much further out than even Pluto!than even Pluto!

Sometimes, a comet is knocked Sometimes, a comet is knocked out of this distant orbit. As it out of this distant orbit. As it approaches the Sun, its ice approaches the Sun, its ice begins to melt and forms its begins to melt and forms its characteristic tailcharacteristic tail

Author’s Biography

My name is Erin Lewis, and I’m a senior at GVSU. My major is Group Social Studies, secondary education, with a minor in Earth/Space science.

This slide show represents a virtual tour of our solar system and its eight planets.

For more information, please contact Erin Lewis by email at Paradiseequis@aol.com.

ResourcesResources photos of planets - photos of planets - www.live.comwww.live.com

Martian rover image - Martian rover image - www.photoshopsupport.com/resourwww.photoshopsupport.com/resources/stock-photos/ces/stock-photos/

Video – Video – “Formation of Comets in the “Formation of Comets in the Earliest Solar System”Earliest Solar System” – – http://search.discoveryeducation.cohttp://search.discoveryeducation.com/m/

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