Solar System An introduction of the Solar System Unit What is the Solar System? The Solar System consists of the Sun and eight planets, their moons. Age: billion years Consists of the Inner and Outer Planets All planets have almost circular orbits that lie within a nearly flat disc called the ecliptic plane. Inner Planets MercuryVenusEarthMars These are composed of mostly rock and metal Outer Planets JupiterSaturnUranusNeptune Called the Gas Giants Comets Short-period comets have orbits lasting less than two hundred years. Short period comets are believed to originate in the Kuiper belt. Long-period comets have orbits lasting thousands of years. Long-period comets are believed to originate n the Oort cloud. Asteroid Belt Occupies the orbit between Mars and Jupiter. Asteroids range in size from hundreds of kilometres across to microscopic. MercuryVenus EarthMars JupiterSaturn UranusNeptune Space Booklet This will be your test grade for this chapter. It will be worth 100 points. The booklet will be done at school. It will be your responsibility to keep up with all the pages in booklet. If you lose pages that is points off your grade. The booklet consist of different things we will learn throughout the chapter. The Space booklet will be due on January 18, 2013.