Planet ProjectBY Javon Watson

Mercury

NAME HISTORY-

Mercury got its name from the Roman God Mercury. He was the fastest messenger and Mercury orbits the sun the fastest.

THREE AWESOME FACTS-• Mercury is about the size of Earth’s

moon but weighs a lot more because of the heavier metals on the planet. It would take over 18 Mercurys to equal the Earth.

• One Mercury day equals 59 Earth days, but one Mercury year equals 88 Earth Days.

• Orbits at 57.9 Million km. Or 36 Million Miles

Mercury

What have we sent? Mariner 10 flew by Mercury in 1974-75 and now

“Messenger” is currently orbiting Mercury.

What is it made out of?• It is comprised of a liquid metal core like Earth with a

surface very similar to our Moon’s.

Features?The surface contains many craters with the largest being the Caloris Basin measuring 1550 km across or 963.12 miles.

Venus

Name History-

Venus was named after the Greek goddess of love as it represented Womanhood.

Three Facts! –

• Venus is bright enough to cast a shadow if the moon isn’t out.

• It rains sulfuric acid on Venus.• It takes 243 Earth days to complete

one Venus day and Venus rotates Clockwise compared to Earth’s counter-clockwise rotation.

Venus

What is it made out of? It is made out of and iron core and a rocky mantle with

the main gas in its atmosphere being comprised of carbon dioxide.

What have we sent? Venera 3 – Venera 14Features 2 Continents: Istar Terra and Aphrodite Terra

Earth

Name History-Named after the Old-English/anglo-saxxonword: ‘eartha’ meaning ground or soil.

Three Facts:• Atacama Desert in Chile and Peru has

places where rain has never been recorded.

• At one point Earth had one massive continent named Pangea.

• Our moon is a result of an object crashing into the Earth.

Earth

The Atmosphere? 21% Oxygen, 78% Nitrogen, 1% Other GasesWhat has been sent? YesFeatures Mt. Everest, 7 Continents, Amazon River, Grand Canyon

Mars

Name History-Named after the Roman God of War

Three Facts:• Mars has traces of water• One of Mars’ moons is going to crash

into it.• 10% the mass of EarthAtmosphere-

Thin layer of Carbon Dioxide and Methane.Features-Olympus Mons: a 14 mile high shield volcano.

Mars Missions:Curiosity, Phoenix Mars Lander, Opportunity Rover, Spirit Rover, Mars Pathfinder

Jupiter

Name History-Named after the Roman King of Gods

Three Facts: Fastest spinning planet in the solar

system. Has 63 moons Jupiter’s clouds are only 50km thick.

Jupiter MissionsPioneer 10 and 11, Voyager 1 and 2, Ulysses,

Galileo, Cassini, New Horizons

Features:The Great Spot. A massive hurricane that

has been active for all of recorded history.

Atmosphere-Molecular Hydrogen and Helium

Saturn

Name History-Named after the Roman God of

Agriculture and Harvest.

Three Facts: The rotational speed of Saturn

flattens the planet into an elliptical shape.

Least Dense planet in the solar system

Has 62 moons.Saturn MissionsPioneer 11, Voyager 1 and 2, CassiniFeatures:The. Rings.

Atmosphere75% Hydrogen 25% Helium

Uranus

Name History-Named after the Greek Got of the SkyThree Facts: Coldest Planet in solar system Planet rotates on its side at a 99 degree

tilt Summer would last 42 Earth years.Uranus MissionsVoyager 1 and 2FeaturesRings, 5 ice moonsAtmosphereMolecular Hydrogen, Helium, Methane, ice

ammonia and Methane.

Neptune

Name History-Named after the Roman God of the SeaThree Facts: Smallest of the Gas Giants The same force of gravity as Earth Captured Triton as a moonNeptune MissionsVoyager 2Features4 Rings, Massive storm system: The Great

Dark Spot.AtmosphereHydrogen, Helium, Methane, Ice: Water,

ammonia

The Planet Requirements and Pluto.

Requirements: 1. Orbit the Sun2. Have enough gravity to be spherical3. Be the dominate gravitational body in its orbit.

Pluto-Pluto has not cleared all of the objects in its orbit. Until it crashes into these objects and absorbs their mass it will remain a dwarf planet.