our solar system
the solar system
the sun
the sun's surface
Our solar system is made up of the sun and eight planets which go around it. It also has 43 moons and a ring of space rocks, which is called the
Asteroid belt. Each planet goes around the sun in an orbit, and each planet takes a different amount of time to make one full circle around the sun.
The sun is the most important part of the solar system. Without it, no life could exist on earth. It provides us with light and heat, and it holds all the
planets in place with its strong pull. The sun is a big ball of gas. It is mainly made up of hydrogen and helium. It has a temperature of 15 million °C, and the sun's light reaches the earth in about 8 minutes. It is very dangerous to look at the sun directly, because it can hurt your eyes extremely badly.
the planet mercury
mercury
Mercury is the closest planet to the sun. It is also very hot during the day since it is so close to the sun. However, it is very cold at night.
Mercury has a very similar appearance to the moon, and it is only slightly bigger than the moon. It is the smallest planet in the solar system. It is also covered in craters, just like the moon. If you went to Mercury and measured your weight, you would weigh less than half of what you would weigh
normally on earth!
POp-up
the planet venus
venus
the picture has a
different texture
(fabric, felt, etc.)
poisonous clouds on venus
Even though it is not the closest to the sun, Venus is the hottest planet in in the solar system. It is a very unpleasant place; the surface is dry and rocky, and the atmosphere is filled with thick air and awful winds.Venus is covered in poisonous clouds. These clouds also trap the heat from the sun and stop it from escaping, which is why Venus is the hottest planet in the solar system.
Fun Fact: Venus spins in the reverse direction to the other planets.
the planet earth
earth
the moon
the moon
Our earth is a planet that is unique from all others, because it is the only planet that is known to be able to support life. It has oxygen, food and water, all of which both plants and animals require to live.
Three quarters of the earth's surface is covered by water, while land only covers one quarter of it. It has a circumference of about 40,000 km.
The inside of the earth is divided into three layers: the crust, the mantle, and the core. The crust is a hard outer shell, while the mantle is a soft inner layer. The core is divided into the outer core and the inner core.
The outer core is mainly made up of liquid metals, while the inner core is made up of solid metals, It is about 6300 km from the surface to the center.
Fun Fact: The earth weighs about 6000 million, million, million tonnes.
The moon is a mass of solid rock that revolves around the earth. Because of the way it rotates, the moon appears to to change its shape, going from a
crescent to a half to a full moon and then back to half and then to crescent.
mars
the planet mars
Known as the Red Planet, Mars is the fourth planet from the sun, just after Earth. The surface of Mars is covered in red rocks. The sky is also tinted pink, as it has been colored by the dust from the rocks. Mars is also covered with boulders, craters, canyons, sand dunes, and much more. Mars is about half the size of the earth.
Fun Fact: The only water left on Mars is in the form of ice caps on the north and south poles of Mars.
Multiple spacecrafts and rovers have been sent to Mars, and signs of life have been found, after almost six years of the rover exploring the surface of the planet.
the planet jupiter
jupiter
Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system. Even though it is the biggest, it spins faster than any of the other planets. It has 79 knownmoons, and its entire surface is filled with clouds of gases. It does not have a rocky surface. Jupiter is one of three planets which has live volcanoes, along with Earth and Venus. Jupiter is also the third brightest body in the solar system
excluding the sun, with only the moon and Venus being brighter. So chances are, you've seen Jupiter while looking out into the night sky and didn't even know it!
the great red spot
jupiter's red spot
saturn
the planet saturn
The "Great Red Spot" on Jupiter is actually a great storm that has been blowing on the planet for many years. You can fit about two Earths into the spot. Recently, it has been shown that the spot is growing smaller in size, and its color has also been changing.
The planet Saturn is the sixth planet from the sun, and although the last four planets in the solar system all have rings, Saturn's are the most
noticeable. Saturn's rings are made of ice and rocks; they are not solid.
Saturn is the second largest planet in the solar system, and it is also the flattest planet in the solar system. It has 62 moons, and is mostly made up of hydrogen. Four spacecraft have visited Saturn so far.
Saturn's rings are thin and flat, and they stretch out across the same distance that is in between the moon and the Earth. Saturn is also one of the planets that can be seen from earth in the night sky.
uranus
the planet neptune
neptune
the planet uranus
Uranus is the seventh planet from thesun. Although it has 9 rings, they are very difficult to see, since Uranus is so far away from Earth.
Uranus's color comes from the
chemicals it is made of. It has a pale green-blue color.
Fun Fact: Uranus spins in a very odd way, It seems to be lying down, whereas the other planets stand up.
The eighth and final planet in the solar system is Neptune. It is a very cold planet, since it is the furthest from the sun.
Neptune's atmosphere is made up of hydrogen, helium and methane, and its ring system is extremely thin.
Fun Fact: Neptune take 165 Earth years to make one complete revolution around the sun.
