Solar System Overview

Our solar system centers around the sun with the planets orbiting in elliptical patterns along roughly the same plane in space.

Here is a diagram of the major things in our solar system and their orbits around the sun.

I thought this artist's rendition of the formation of the solar system was quite interesting.
It looks quite violent!

The classical planets, in oder from the Sun: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars,
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune
(This diagram also shows Pluto, which has since been re-classified as a Dwarf Planet).

Mercury

Mercury is the planet orbiting closest to the sun and
it is the smallest classical planet in our Solar System.

It has virtually no atmosphere so the climate is extremely harsh;
the temperature varies by 600 Kelvins from day to night.
Mercury is geologically dead, therefore, its surface is quite cratered.


Mercury has a 3 to 2 orbit, meaning that Mercury has 2 days in each 3 year period,
making it the shortest sidereal year of all the planets in our Solar System.

Venus

Venus is the 2nd planet out from the Sun. It has a thick atmosphere of
Carbondioxide that causes an intense greenhouse effect
making the planet scorching hot and inhospitable.

Venus is one of the few things orbiting the Sun with a Retrograde Orbit.
Venus is volcanically active.

Our Planet Earth

We are lucky enough to reside on the planet Earth.
It is the 3rd planet from the Sun.

Fortunately for us, it has a greenhouse effect, which makes the climate
and weather pleasant enough to survive.

Earth does not have many visible craters on it's surface,
due mainly to plate tectonics and erosion.

Our moon is in synchronous rotation around the Earth. It was most likely formed from a large object crashing into Earth during it's formation and ejecting debris that became the Moon we see today. It's face is illuminated by the sun and we see it in phases.


The lunar surface is covered with craters and Maria. The moon does not have plate tectonics to renew it's surface and erase craters. It's face is illuminated by the sun and we see it in phases.

Mars- The Red Planet

Mars is given it's distinctive red color by rusty iron oxides.

Seasonal dust storms are visible on Mars, sometimes covering the entire planet.

Martian Ice Caps

Mars is believed to have had liquid water on it's surface at one time in the not too distant past.

We see craters, canyons and volcanoes covering the surface of Mars. Astronomer Percival Lowell believed he saw a network of canals covering the surface of the planet for carrying water and was a strong believer of life on Mars.....

Two oddly shaped moons orbit Mars.

Deimos

Phobos

Jupiter

Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system.
It is a gaseous planet , made of mainly hydrogen and helium. Jupiter has a differential rotation; the polar regions rotate slightly slower
than the equatorial regions.

Jupiter has a giant storm, called the Great Red Spot, in it's southern hemisphere.

Jupiter has the most known satellites of any other planet in our Solar System;
it's largest satellites are Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto.

Io is volcanic, Europa is covered with Ice,
Ganymede is the largest and covered with craters
and Callisto is covered with dirty ice and quite unreflective.

Saturn

Saturn is the least dense planet in the Solar System, it could float in water.
One day on Saturn is roughly 10 hours long.

Saturn has the most reflective rings of any planet in the Solar System.

The rings are made of ice and ice covered rock.

Color enhanced picture of Saturn's Rings

Saturn's Satellites

Titan is the largest satellite orbiting Saturn, though the planet has many moons. Titan has the most significant atmosphere of any other moon.

Uranus

Uranus was discovered by chance in 1871 by William Herschel,
he called it the Georgian Star.

Uranus' axis is tilted, it appears to roll almost along it's equator,
as opposed to spinning like most other objects.
Uranus has thin rings, made of dark material.

Many moons and satellites orbit Uranus,
the main ones are Umbriel, Oberon, Ariel and Titania.

Neptune

Neptune is the last classical planet, orbiting farthest from the Sun.
It is made up of mostly Hydrogen, Helium and a little Methane.

Neptune has a large storm, called the great dark spot.
Neptune has partial rings, made of dark material.

Neptune has 27 known satellites, the largest being Triton.