SOLAR SYSTEM

The solar system is a large rotating system comprising the sun, the planets and their moons, asteroids, Mateors,
comets, and order body that revolved around the sun in definite part called Elliptical orbit.
The orbit is not perfectly round but oval in shape and that is what keeps the planet far away from the sun during the
Aphelion period and close during the Perihelion period
The solar system is grouped into two.
1. The inner solar system
2. The outer solar system
THE SUN
Characteristics of the sun
i. The sun is the biggest star in the solar system
ii. It is found at the centre of the solar system
iii. It is made up of hydrogen and helium
iv. ⁠It converts hydrogen into helium
v. Through nuclear fusion, and provides energy in the form of light and heat
vi. ⁠It provides light to the planets, through reflection
vii. ⁠It provides gravitational pull force that keeps all celestial bodies rotating around it
viii. ⁠It is 300,000 times bigger than the earth
ix. Its surface temperature is about 6000°c
x. ⁠It can rise up to 20 million in the inner core
xi. ⁠The sun is the biggest component in the solar system
xii. It accounts for 99.8% mass of the solar system
xiii. ⁠It moves on its own axis
THE PLANETS
The planets move around the sun. The movement of the planets around the sun is called REVOLUTION. The route
(path) of which planets move around the sun is known as orbit. The time taken by a planet to make a complete
revolution around the sun is known as a year. However, the planets are grouped into two
i. Major planets
ii. Dwarf planets
While major planets are also grouped into
1. Terrestrial (inner) planets
2. Jovian (outer) planets
NOTE: The Asteroid belt also separates the inner and the outer planets.
Terrestrial planets are otherwise called rocky planets, the name terrestrial is drive from the word "Terra" which means
rock and other name for Earth.
The name Jovian is drive from the word Jupiter simply because the planets in the Jovian or the outer solar system have
similar characteristics with Jupiter.

❖ List of planets in the solar system.

TERRESTRIAL PLANETS
1. M-Mercury
2. V- Venus
3. E- Earth
4. M- Mars
JOVIAN (GAS OR ICE GIANTS) PLANETS
5. J- Jupiter
6. S- Saturn
7. U- Uranus
8. N- Neptune
CHARACTERISTICS OF TERRESTRIAL PLANETS
1. They have Rocky surface
2. ⁠ They are the first four planets in the solar system
3. ⁠ They are closer to the sun
4. ⁠ Comprises of Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars
5. ⁠ They do not support ring system
6. ⁠ They have high temperature comparing to the Jovian planets
7. ⁠ They are relatively small comparing to the Jovian planets
CHARACTERISTICS OF JOVIAN (GAS OR ICE GIANTS) PLANETS
1. They are made up of gas or ice
2. ⁠ They are the last four planets in the solar system
3. ⁠ They are far away from the sun
4. ⁠ Comprise of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune
5. ⁠ They support ring system
6. ⁠ They are large than the terrestrial planets
7. ⁠ They have low temperature comparing to terrestrial planets

THE EIGHT PLANETS WITH THEIR CHARACTERISTICS ARE DISCUSSED AS FOLLOWS:

1. Mercury
1. Mercury is the smallest planet
2. Its the closest planet to the sun
3. Its has so many craters
4. It contains no living thing because it has the highest surface temperature.
5. It takes eighty-eight (88) days for mercury - to complete its orbit.
6. It has the shortest orbit around the sun.
7. Its distance from the sun is 57,600,000 km (36,000,000 miles).
8. It has no satellite.
9. It has a diameter of 4,800 km.
2. Venus (Hell Planet)
1. Venus is the second closest planet to the sun
2. Thick, toxic atmosphere that traps heat, making it the hottest planet
3. It also contains no living things.
4. It is often regarded as the " earth twin" because of their close proximity in size, mass and density.
5. It takes Venus 225 days to complete its revolution.
6. Its distance from the sun is
7. 107,200,000 km
8. It has no satellites.
9. It has a diameter of 12.309km

3. Earth (The Blue Planet)

1. Third planet from the Sun.

2. Only planet known to have life.

3. Has an atmosphere rich in oxygen, which we need to breathe.

4. Mostly covered with water (about 70%).

5. This is the only planet that supports the existence of plants and animals.
6. It has one natural satellite, the Moon which revolves eastward around the earth once in every twenty-seven
days.
7. It takes the earth 365 days to complete its orbit.
8. The distance between the sun and the Earth is 148,800,000km (93,000,000 miles).
4. MARS (THE RED PLANET)
1. Fourth planet from the Sun.
2. Mars is believed to be the next planet after earth to have the possibility of supporting some plants' life.
3. It has two satellites (Phobos and Deimos)
4. Has polar ice caps
5. Its distance from the sun is 227,200,000 km.
6. It takes Mars 687 days to complete its orbit.
7. It has a diameter of 6,790 km.

5. JUPITER (THE GAS GIANT)

1. Fifth and largest planet in the solar system
2. Mostly made of gas (hydrogen and helium).
3. Spins fast, with a day lasting about 10 hours.
4. Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system.
5. Famous for the Great Red Spot, a massive storm.
6. It has twelve satellites.
7. Its distance from the sun is 772,800,000km.
8. It takes Jupiter about 11.9 years to complete its orbit around the sun.
9. It has a diameter of 142, 100 km.

6. Saturn (The Ringed Planet)

1. Sixth planet from the Sun.
2. Saturn is the second largest planet after Jupiter.
3. It has a ring.
4. Known for its beautiful rings made of ice and rock.
5. Its distance from the sun is 1,417,600,000km.
6. It takes Saturn 29.5 years to
7. complete its orbit.
8. It has nine (9) satellites
9. It has a diameter of 119,700 km.
7. Uranus (The Ice Giant)
1. Seventh planet from the Sun.
2. Has a blue-green color due to methane in its atmosphere
3. Uranus' orbit, unlike other planets around the sun, is in a clockwise direction from east to west.
4. It has five satellites which revolve around it.
5. Its distance from the sun is 2,854,400,000km.
6. It takes Uranus 84 years to complete its orbit.
7. It has a diameter of 51,000 km.

8. Neptune (The Windy Planet)

1. Eighth and farthest planet from the Sun.
2. Similar in color to Uranus, due to methane
3. Neptune is very cold
4. Its distance from the sun is
5. 4,468,800,000km
6. It takes about 164.8 years to complete its orbit.
7. It has two satellites
8. It has a diameter of 45,000 km.
DWARF PLANETS
Dwarf planets are celestial bodies that orbit the Sun and are similar to planets but do not clear their orbits of other
debris.
• The most famous dwarf planet is Pluto, located in the Kuiper Belt.
• Other recognized dwarf planets include Ceres, found in the asteroid belt, and Eris, Haumea, and
Makemake, located in the Kuiper Belt as well.
❖ Pluto
Characteristics
1. Pluto disappeared in the Kuiper belt
2. it has the longest orbit around the sun.
3. It takes about 247.7 years to complete its orbit.
4. Its distance from the sun is about 5,850,000,000km.
5. It has no satellite.
6. It has a diameter of 5,800 km.
OTHER COMPONENTS OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM
Satellites
✓ A satellite is a celestial body that orbits a planet or another larger body due to gravitational forces.
There are two types:

• Natural satellites: Moons that naturally form around planets (e.g., Earth’s Moon).
• Artificial satellites: Man-made objects placed in orbit for various purposes (e.g., GPS satellites).
Asteroids
✓ Asteroids are small, rocky objects that primarily orbit the Sun in the Asteroid Belt between Mars and Jupiter.
✓ They are remnants from the early solar system that never formed into planets.
✓ Some large asteroids, like Ceres, are classified as dwarf planets.
Comets
✓ Comets are composed of ice, dust, and rocky material. When they approach the Sun, they heat up and release
gas and dust, forming a glowing head and tail that points away from the Sun.
✓ They primarily originate from the Kuiper Belt and the Oort Cloud.
 ✓ Famous comets include Halley’s Comet, which is visible from Earth approximately every 76 years.
Meteoroids, Meteors, and Meteorites
✓ Meteoroids are small particles from asteroids or comets.
✓ When they enter Earth’s atmosphere and burn up, they create a streak of light called a meteor (commonly
known as a “shooting star”).
✓ If they survive the atmosphere and land on Earth, they are called meteorites.

Prepared by Mr Jallow Geo