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Download: Report #1
(print and complete)
Jump to Planet Library: Report #2 |
The first step in your investigation should be to learn a little about our solar system. Below you will find some basic vocabulary terms followed by some general
information about the solar system that will help you answer the questions in Report #1. This information should also be used to help your team select the planet that you will recommend to the rest of the class as a future vacation location. Here is some of the basics about the solar system:
- Orbit means to circle around. The planets orbit the Sun.
- Our moon is a body in space that circles planet Earth. Other planets have moons, too.
- Our solar system includes the Sun and all the planets, moons, and stars.
- A star is a body which looks like a bright point in the sky at night. A star is not a planet or a moon. Our sun is a star.
- Scientists pretend that planets and stars have a line drawn through their middles. This line is called an axis.
- A satellite is anything that orbits another object. Earth is a satellite that orbits the Sun. The Moon orbits Earth and is our satellite.
An easy way to remember the order planets is the catchy song: My (Mercury) Very (Venus) Educated (Earth) Mother (Mars) Just (Jupiter) Served (Saturn) Us (Uranus) Nine (Neptune) PizzaPies (Pluto).
Our Solar System consists of the Sun, a family of planets, more than 100 moons orbiting the planets, millions of asteroids, and billions of comets. Our Solar System is an oasis of light, heat, and life. The planets that make up our solar include: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, & Pluto.
- Contains the nine planets and other smaller objects such as minor planets, comets, meteoroids and cosmic dust. All 9
planets revolve around the Sun.
- The first four inner planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars) are relatively small and resemble the Earth in composition (rocky).
- The next four planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune) are much larger planets and are very gaseous in nature. Pluto is the smallest planet and is the farthest away from the Sun.
- All the objects in our Solar System orbit the Sun. It is so big that everything in our Solar System could fit in it many times.
- Many scientists believe that our Solar System is over 4.6 billion years old.
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Quick Facts:
- Venus is the brightest planet in the sky (from Earth)
- Mars is covered with craters, volcanoes, and large canyons.
- The surface of Jupiter is made up of gas.
- Saturn is known for its rings
- One year on Saturn, or one orbit around the Sun for Saturn takes 165 years.
- Pluto is the smallest planet
- A good way to remember the order of the planets is to memorize the following sentence. My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas (Original NASA Video or
Updated MP3)
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Diameter (km) |
Mean Distance from Sun (km) |
Number of Moons |
| Sun |
1,391,900 |
0 |
- |
| Mercury |
4,878 |
57,910,000 |
0 |
| Venus |
12,104 |
108,200,000 |
0 |
| Earth |
12,756 |
149,600,001 |
1 |
| Mars |
6,794 |
227,940,000 |
2 |
| Jupiter |
142,984 |
778,330,000 |
52* |
| Saturn |
120,536 |
1,429,400,000 |
30 |
| Uranus |
51,118 |
2,870,990,000 |
20* |
| Neptune |
49,528 |
4,504,300,000 |
8 |
| Pluto |
2,300 |
5,913,520,000 |
1 |
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