solar system fact -01

7/28/2019 Solar System Fact -01

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The Solar System

The Solar System is made up of the Sun, 9 planets, many othersmall rocky, metallic and icy objects and a lot of empty space.

The nine planets move around the Sun in paths called orbits.

Moons, like our own Moon orbit most of the planets.

Nearest the Sun are the rocky planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth and

Mars). Further away from the Sun are the gas giants.


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The Sun

The Sun is a star, just like those you can see in the sky at night.

Those stars are billions of miles away, but the Sun is much closer

to us (150 million kilometres).

The Sun is at the centre of our Solar System. All of the 9 planets

including our Earth travel around the Sun.The Sun gives out light and heat without which life as we know

would be impossible.


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Mercury

Mercury is one of the 9 planets in our Solar System. It is theclosest planet to the Sun. It is smaller than all the other

planets except Pluto and is only 1 third the size of our own

planet Earth. Mercury is one of the rocky planets.

Mercury is so close to the Sun that the ground becomesreally hot (427 degrees Celsius (C)) - hot enough to even

melt some metals.


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Venus

Venus is one of the 9 planets in our Solar System. It is thesecond planet from the Sun (the closest is Mercury). Venus is

one of the rocky planets. Although, Venus is only slightly

smaller than our own planet Earth it would not be a very nice

place to live. It is hotter on Venus than on Mercury even

though Venus is further away from the Sun. This is because

Venus has thick clouds which stop the heat from escaping.


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The Earth

The Earth is the third closest planet to the Sun. The Earth is oneof the rocky planets.

The Earth is close enough to the Sun so that we can get sunlight

and warmth, but far enough away from the Sun so that we can

have water as a liquid. On Venus and Mercury, the temperaturesare so high that water would evaporate (boil away). All living

creatures need water, so the Earth is a perfect place to live.


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The Moon

The Moon is about one quarter the size of the Earth and is also

made of rock. It is the brightest object in the sky at night. This is

because it is closer to the Earth than any of the 9 planets in the

Solar System and reflects the Sun's light onto Earth.

The Moon moves around the Earth, with each round trip takingabout 29 days. As it travels, its shape appears to change in the

sky - from a circle, to a crescent. These are called the phases of

the Moon.


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Mars

Mars is one of the 9 planets in our Solar System. It is the fourthplanet away from the Sun. Mars is one of the rocky planets.

Mars is sometimes called The Red Planet. You can often see Mars

in the sky at night as a bright red dot. Pictures taken by spacecraft

that have landed on its surface show that the ground on Mars isalso red in colour.


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Jupiter

Jupiter is the largest of the 9 planets in our Solar System. It is thefifth planet from the Sun.

Unlike the rocky planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars), Jupiter

is made almost entirely of gases and so is called a gas giant.

Jupiter is easy to recognise because it has stripes and a big red spot

- these are actually clouds and a massive storm!


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Saturn

Saturn is one of the 9 planets in our Solar System. It is thesixth planet from the Sun.

Saturn is easy to recognise because it is surrounded by

rings made of dust and ice. Like Jupiter, Saturn is mainly

gas and so is called a gas giant.


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Uranus

Uranus is one of the 9 planets in our Solar System. It is the

seventh planet away from the Sun.

Like Jupiter and Saturn, Uranus is one of the gas giants, as it

is made almost entirely of gases.

Uranus is very unusual because it appears to be on its side,with its poles pointing towards the Sun.


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Neptune

Neptune is one of the 9 planets in our Solar System. It is the eighth planet

from the Sun.

Like Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus, it is one of the gas giants, made up almost

entirely of gases with some ice and dust. It is the Sun's reflection on the gases

that gives Neptune its blue colour, although it does not receive enough heat

from the Sun to make the planet warm like Earth.

Sometimes Neptune becomes the ninth planet from the Sun. The planet Pluto

moves around the Sun in a very odd path and every 238 years it becomes

closer to the Sun than Neptune.


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Pluto

Pluto is one of the 9 planets in our Solar System. It is the ninth planet and the

furthest from the Sun.

Pluto is the smallest planet in the Solar System and can only be seen using very

large telescopes.

Pluto is made of rock with lots of ice on the surface. This is because it is so far away

from the Sun it does not receive any heat or sunlight to warm the surface.

Sometimes (every 238 years) it becomes the eighth planet because the path that it

moves around the Sun is such an odd shape it can move closer to the Sun than

Neptune.

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