solar system

Solar System

Bringing you some interesting facts about our Solar System.
1. Solar System
The Solar System consists of a Sun and a system of eight planets, their moons, and other non-stellar objects. It was believed to be formed about 4.6 billion years ago from the gravitational collapse of a giant molecular cloud. The Solar System also contains a number of regions populated by smaller objects known as the asteroid belt, which lies between Mars and Jupiter, and is composed of rock and metal.

The Solar System is located within one of the outer arms of Milky Way galaxy, which contains about 200 billion stars. At the heart of the solar system is our sun. The four planets nearest it are rocky, terrestrial worlds ? Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. After that are four gas giants ? Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. There are now officially only eight planets in our solar system, Pluto no longer qualifies as a planet.
2. Sun
The Sun was born in a vast cloud of gas(nebulae) and dust around 5 billion years ago. Indeed, these vast nebulae are the birth places of all stars. Over a period of many millions of years, the gases and dust combined to a common center under its own gravity. It became hotter and hotter and eventually, reached a temperature of around 1 million degrees, its core ignited, causing it to begin nuclear fusion. When this happened, the Sun began producing its own light, heat, and energy.

The Romans called the sun Sol, which in English means sun. In ancient Greece, the sun was called Helios.Thus our system of planets is called the Solar System.
3. Mercury
The closest of the planets to the Sun and somewhat near to Earth, it is visible to observers on Earth in the late evening or early morning sky. This planet is also reffered as morning star and evening star for the reason. This is because Mercury shines brightly in the early morning just before the sun rises and is also visible for a brief period of time just after the Sun sets.

Mercury has less gravity so if you moved to Mercury you would not weigh as much as you did on Earth, because Mercury is smaller. Assuming you weigh 70 lbs (32 kg) on Earth, you would weigh only about 27 lbs (12 kg) on Mercury.
4. Venus
Venus is a similar planet to Earth like the Earth, Venus too has an atmosphere. However, Venus' atmosphere is far thicker than that of the Earth, thus making it difficult for modern science to penetrate. Scientists have now been able to peek through the thick clouds and get a few glimpses of the surface using special instruments. Scientists have in recent years unlocked many of the secrets. Though the scientific probes lasted a few hours able to take several pictures and send them back to earth for scientists to study.

Venus is named after the?Roman?goddess?of love and beauty, Aphrodite. Because Earth and Venus are similar planets you would weigh almost exactly the same on either planet. Assuming you weighed 70 lbs (32 kg) on Earth, you would weigh 63 lbs (29 kg ) on Venus.
5. Earth
Earth is an oasis of life in an this desolate universe. The Earth's temperature, weather, atmosphere and many other factors are just right to keep us alive. The Earth is the biggest of all the terrestrial planets. A terrestrial planet is a dense planet found in the inner Solar System.

Scientists use the Earth to study all the other planets. Since no human has been able to visit another planet, we use what we know about the Earth, and try to guess what the other planets must be like. This study is called Comparative Planetology.
6. Mars
Mars is the most exciting planet for scientists because its mild temperature is more like the Earth's than any of the other planets. Proof suggests that Mars once had rivers, streams, lakes, and even an ocean. As Mars' atmosphere slowly depleted into outer space, the surface water began to permanently evaporate. Today water on Mars in either frozen in the polar caps or underground. Mars is also referred as the "Red Planet" because the surface of Mars is red.

In Greek, Mars was known as Ares. Assuming you weighed 70 lbs (32 kg) on the Earth, you would weigh about 27 lbs (12 kg) on Mars.
7. Jupiter
Jupiter is the largest planet in our Solar System and about 1000 Earths could fit inside Jupiter. Jupiter is a very stormy planet. There are storms found throughout the atmosphere, and the storms seem to never end. Jupiter's great red spot, visible in the picture above to the right, is where a giant storm has been raging for at least 300 years. This red spot is also called "The Eye of Jupiter" because of its shape.

According to Greek Mythology, Jupiter is known as Zeus. Because of higher gravity, you would weigh more on Jupiter. Assuming you weigh 70 lbs (32 kg) on Earth, on Jupiter you would weigh 185 lbs (84 kg).
8. Saturn
Saturn is similar to Jupiter, but it is much smaller. It is the second largest planet in our Solar System and it is a gas giant like Jupiter. Saturn is the least dense planet in our Solar System. On Saturn, under the clouds of methane, hydrogen and helium, the sky gradually turns into liquid and it becomes a giant ocean of liquid chemicals. Since the planet is made up of Helium and Hydrogen, Saturn is believed to be the lightest planet and also that it would float on water. Due to its light weight it spins faster.

Saturn was the Roman god of agriculture. He was called Cronus by the Greeks. Because Saturn is bigger than the Earth, we would weigh more on Saturn than here. So if you weigh 70 lbs (32 kg) on Earth, you would weigh 74.5 lbs (34 kg) on Saturn.
9. Uranus
Uranus is a gas giant planet. But Uranus is a little different as Uranus spins on its side compared to all the other planets and most of the moons in our Solar System. Like Saturn, the thick atmosphere of Uranus is made up of methane, hydrogen and helium. But Uranus is an extremely cold planet and called the "ice giant." Uranus is made up of rock and ice and has a large rocky core. Uranus is almost identical to the planet Neptune.

In astronomy mythology, Uranus was the lord of the skies and husband of Earth and known as Father Sky. It would take you many years to fly a rocket to Uranus. So you would weigh less because Uranus' gravity is not as strong as the Earth's. Assuming you weigh 70 lbs (32 kg) on Earth, you would weigh 62 lbs (28 kg) on Uranus.
10. Neptune
For centuries people did not know that this planet even existed. Evidently it was discovered by Johann Galle and Heinrich D'Arrest in 1846. Neptune is the smallest of the four gas giants in our Solar System. Neptune is mostly similar to Saturn and Uranus, Neptune's atmosphere contains hydrogen, helium and methane. Neptune's atmosphere is a large white cloud that moves around rather quickly. The word "Scooter" became predominant because of "scooting" of this cloud around the atmosphere.

Neptune was the god of water and the sea when thus he was known as the Greek god Poseidon. Assuming you weigh 70 lbs (32 kg) on the Earth, you would weigh 78.5 lbs (36 kg) on Neptune.