the solar system and the universe

Transcription

THE
SOLAR SYSTEM
AND
THE UNIVERSE
TEACHER INFORMATION SHEETS
MERCURY
Composition:
Mass (Earth =1): 0.055
Temp (min / max): Min -170°C (-280°F) Max 430°C (800°F)
Distance from Sun:
0.39 AU
Mean Distance to Earth:
0.61 AU
Length of Day: 59 days (just under 2 months)
Length of Year: 88 days
Surface Gravity (Earth=1):
0.38
Diameter:
4,879km (3,032 miles)
Volume (Earth=1):
0.056
No. of moons:
None
Current Missions:
Mercury Messenger Orbiter (2004)
Gigantic iron core (70% of interior);
perhaps partially molten
Thin silicate mantle (25%)
Thin crust perhaps <100km (60miles) thick
Special Features:
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Closest planet to Sun.
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Highly cratered in appearance, similar to Earth’s moon.
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Slightly larger than the Moon (diameter X 1.4)
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Highly elliptical orbit and slow rotation = extreme temp variation.
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Hot enough to melt lead/cold enough to freeze person.
© Armagh Planetarium 2007
VENUS
Composition:
Large nickel-iron (solid) core (50% of interior)
Thick silicate mantle
Thin rocky crust perhaps 50km (30 miles) thick
Dense CO2 atmosphere
Temp (min / max): 464°C (867°F); little variation
Distance from Sun:
0.72 AU
0.28 AU (closest planet to Earth)
Length of Day: 243 days
0.91
Diameter:
12,104 km (7,521 miles)
Volume (Earth=1):
0.86
No. of moons:
None
Current Missions:
Venus Express Orbiter (2005)
Special Features:
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Spins in opposite direction to the other terrestrial planets.
Volcano-covered surface; most craters erased by volcanic activity.
Dense CO2 atmosphere causing greenhouse effect on planet.
Hot enough to melt lead; clouds of sulphuric acid.
Atmospheric Pressure is x 92 that of Earth.
Can be seen from Earth as bright evening/morning ‘star’.
EARTH
Composition:
Only planet with 2 part core:
Solid inner core at very high temperature;
Outer liquid core is half radius of planet.
Both iron-nickel
Thick mantle of solid silicate rock
Thin outer crust of volcanic rocks
Atmosphere:
78% nitrogen; 21% oxygen; 1% argon
Water vapour also present
Mass:
5.974 x 1024 kg
Temp (min / max): Distance from Sun:
Min -88°C (-126°F) Max 58°C (136°F)
Length of Day: 23.93 hrs
Length of Year: 365.25 days
Surface Gravity:
1(g)
Diameter:
Volume:
12,756 km (7,926 miles)
No. of moons:
One
149.6 million km (92.9 million miles); 1AU
1.08 trillion km³
Special Features:
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Earth is the only planet we know of that has life.
The area in which life occurs is called the biosphere.
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71% of Earth is covered by water.
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Earth’s crust is split into 7 large plates which ‘float’ on the semi-molten mantle below.
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Where these plates meet are tectonic features such as deep sea trenches, oceanic ridges, high mountain ranges and volcanoes.
THE MOON
Composition:
Small metallic core (<4% total mass) partially
molten?
Rocky mantle
Thick rocky crust (thicker than Earth’s as it
cooled and solidified much faster)
Temp (min / max): Mean Distance to Earth:
Min -233°C (-387°F) Max 123°C (253°F)
Length of Day: 27.32 days
0.165
Diameter:
3,476 km (2,160 miles)
Volume (Earth=1):
Current Missions:
0.02
384,400 km
None
Special Features:
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The Moon is thought to have been formed from material ejected
from the Earth during an asteroid collision about 4.5 billion years ago.
It is covered in craters caused by heavy meteorite bombardment.
The Moon is moving away from us at around 4cm every year.
The same side of the Moon (the ‘near side’) always faces the Earth.
In 1968, Apollo 8 was first manned spacecraft to leave Earth orbit,
carrying 3 men around the Moon.
Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were the first men on the moon
on July 20 1969, with Michael Collins in the Apollo 11 command module.
Twelve people have walked on the Moon, all American male astronauts.
MARS
Composition: Iron & iron sulphide (solid) core
(30-40% of interior)
Mantle of silicate rock
Crust thicker than Earth’s; 120km (75 miles)
Thin atmosphere (95% CO2)
Mass (Earth =1): Temp (min / max): 0.11
Distance from Sun:
1.52 AU
0.52 AU
Length of Day: 24.62 hrs (v. similar to Earth)
0.38
Diameter:
6,794 km (4,222 miles)
Volume (Earth=1):
0.15
No. of moons:
2 (Phobos & Deimos)
Current Missions:
Mars Odyssey Orbiter (2001)
Mars Express Orbiter (2003)
Spirit & Opportunity Rovers (2003)
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (2005)
Phoenix Lander (2007) Min -133°C (-207°F) Max 27°C (80°F)
Special Features:
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Called Red Planet due to ‘rusty’ rocks of iron oxide.
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Surface similar to Earth, with mountains, valleys and polar ice caps.
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Largest mountain in Solar System - Olympus Mons 27 km (17miles) high.
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Largest canyon in Solar System – Valles Marineris 7km (4.5 miles) deep
and 3,800 km (2,400 miles) long.
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Evidence that Mars once had lakes, seas and oceans in distant past;
perhaps water still remains in lowest areas?
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Sandstorms can last for months.
JUPITER
Composition:
Possibly has small solid core of ice and rock
Inner mantle (>66% of interior) of
dense liquid metallic hydrogen
Outer mantleof liquid hydrogen and helium
Thin atmosphere 90% hydrogen, 10% helium
Mass (Earth =1): Temp: 317.8
Distance from Sun:
5.2 AU
Length of Day: Length of Year: 10 hrs
2.64 (at cloud tops)
Diameter:
142,984 km (88,846 miles)
Volume (Earth=1): No. of moons:
1,321 (over 1000 Earths could fit inside)
63 known at present
Current Missions:
None
-110°C (-160°F) at cloud tops
4.2 AU
12 years
Special Features:
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Largest planet in Solar System.
Rapid rotation causes banding - bright ‘zones’ and darker ‘belts’.
Great Red Spot – giant storm system over 400 years old.
Could fit three Earths inside it.
Thin, dark ring system, invisible to even powerful telescopes.
Four Galilean Moons: Ganymede (largest moon in Solar System);
Callisto (most cratered moon in Solar System); Io (most volcanic moon);
Europa (may have ocean beneath its icy surface).
SATURN
Composition:
Small core of rock and ice
Inner mantle of liquid metallic hydrogen
Outer mantle of liquid hydrogen
(50% of planet)
Thicker atmosphere than Jupiter;
96% hydrogen 4% helium
Temp:
-140°C (-220°F) at cloud tops
Distance from Sun:
9.6 AU
8.6 AU
Length of Day: 11 hrs
Length of Year: 29 yrs
Diameter:
Volume (Earth=1):
No. of moons:
120,536 km (74,898 miles)
Current Missions:
Cassini Orbiter (1997)
763.6
60 known at present
Special Features:
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Extensive ring system composed of dirty water ice ranging in size from dust grains to boulders several metres across.
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Rapid rotation causes visible flattening at poles and banding
similar to Jupiter.
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Least dense of all the planets – it would float in water.
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Saturn’s moon Titan is the second largest moon in the Solar System,
and is also the only known moon to have a substantial atmosphere.
URANUS
Composition:
Slushy inner mantle of ice compounds of water,
methane and ammonia
Outer mantle of liquid hydrogen and
other elements
Atmosphere of 83% hydrogen, 15% helium
and 2% methane
Discovered by:
William Herschel in 1781
Temp:
-214°C (353°F) at cloud tops
Distance from Sun:
19.2 AU
18.2 AU
Diameter:
51,118 km (31,763 miles)
Volume (Earth=1):
63.1
No. of moons:
27 known at present
Current Missions: None (Only mission- Voyager 2 flyby in 1986) Special Features:
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Methane in atmosphere absorbs red light giving the planet a
blue-green colour.
Uranus orbits on its side, possibly due to a massive collision
in the distant past.
It has a ring system of eleven dark rings thought to be ice particles covered in sooty organic compounds.
All moons named after characters by William Shakespeare &
Alexander Pope (e.g. Titania, Oberon are from a Midsummer Night’s Dream)
NEPTUNE
Composition:
Slushy inner mantle of water, methane
and ammonia (similar to Uranus)
Outer mantle of hydrogen and other
compounds in icy liquid (similar to Uranus)
Atmosphere of 79% hydrogen; 18% helium;
3% methane Discovered by:
Johann Galle in 1846
Temp: -200°C (-320°F)
Distance from Sun:
30 AU
29 AU
1.2 (at cloud tops)
Diameter:
49,528 km (30,775 miles)
Volume (Earth=1):
57.7
No. of moons:
13 known at present
Current Missions: None (Only mission - Voyager 2 flyby in 1989) Special Features:
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Dark ring system similar to that of Uranus.
Due to Pluto’s eccentric orbit, Neptune is sometimes the
furthest planet from the Sun.
Cloud belts, zones and turbulent storms similar to Jupiter.
Storms have fastest winds in Solar System at 670 m per second.
Great Dark Spot observed by Voyager 2 in 1989, disappeared by 1994.
Triton is Neptune’s only large satellite and is bigger than Pluto. It is the coldest known object in the Solar System at -235°C (-391°F)
PLUTO
Composition:
Giant rocky core makes up most of planet
Mantle rich in water ice
Thin icy crust
Thin atmosphere 98% nitrogen;
2% methane and CO2
Discovered by:
Clyde Tombaugh in 1930
Temp:
-223°C (369°F)
Distance from Sun:
39.5 AU
29.5AU
Length of Day: 6.4 days (almost a week)
Length of Year: 248 years
0.06
Diameter:
2,390 km (1,485 miles)
Volume (Earth=1):
0.006
No. of moons:
3 – Charon, Nix and Hydra
Current Missions:
New Horizons (2006) due to reach
Pluto in 2015
Special Features:
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Charon’s mass is 15% of Pluto’s, making it the largest moon
in relation to its parent body in Solar System.
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Pluto and Charon rotate at same speed, so always keep the same
face to each other.
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Nix and Hydra are tiny satellites of Pluto discovered in 2005.
They are thought to be between 48-165 km wide.
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In 2006, the IAU re-classed Pluto as a dwarf planet.
THE SUN
The Sun is 71% hydrogen; 27% helium and 2% other elements like carbon,
nitrogen and iron.
Core – nuclear reactions (hydrogen nuclei smashing together to form helium)
produce heat and light.
Radiation zone – energy from core transported outwards.
Convection zone – energy carried to
surface by convection.
Photosphere – visible surface of Sun
where e.g. sunspots are observed.
Chromosphere – irregular lower
atmosphere.
Corona – outermost layer of
atmosphere extending millions of km
into space. Can be seen during a
solar eclipse.
Temp:
Core: 15,500,000°C (28 million°F)
Surface (photosphere): 5,500°C (9,900°F)
149.6 million km (92.9 million miles); 1 AU
Axial Rotation Period: 25.38 days
28
Diameter:
1,392,000 km (865,000 miles)
Volume (Earth=1):
1,304,000
Current Missions:
Several missions including:
STEREO (2006); Hinode (2006); SOHO (1995)
Sunspots are cooler regions which appear as dark patches in the
photosphere and can be 80,500 km (50,000 miles) in diameter.
They occur in regions where the Sun’s magnetic field is
concentrated, inhibiting energy flow.
The Sun’s magnetic field also causes solar flares (huge eruptions); coronal loops (streamers of gas joining two points on the Sun’s surface); and prominences (huge strands of cool gas).
ASTEROIDS
Asteroids are ‘minor planets’, most ( but not all )
of which are located in the Asteroid Belt
between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.
The Asteroid Belt is 2.1 – 3.3 AU from the Sun.
There are millions of asteroids here, but their
combined mass is only 1/20th the mass
of the Moon.
Asteroids range in size in the following approximate amounts:
100 asteroids >200km (125 miles) across
100,000 asteroids >20km (12.5 miles) across
1 billion asteroids >2km (1.25 miles) across
They were originally divided into three different classes,
although there are now many more classes and sub-classes
C-type asteroids : carbonaceous; 75% of known asteroids;
outer region of belt
S-type asteroids : silicaceous (stony); 17% of known asteroids;
inner region of belt
M-type asteroids : metallic (nickel and iron); 5% of known asteroids;
middle of belt
Ceres was by far the largest asteroid – bigger than Pluto and containing approx 25% of the combined mass of all
the other asteroids in the belt. It has now been re-classified as
a ‘dwarf planet’ – the only one in the Asteroid Belt.
Some asteroids have tiny moons
e.g. Ida (above) has a moon
called Dactyl.
Others comprise two similar-sized
asteroids orbiting a
common centre of mass.
These are called double asteroids.
Near Earth Asteroids (NEAs) orbit
within 1.3 AU of the Sun and come
close to Earth’s orbit. Only a few
thousand have been found, but over
100,000 which are >100m are
estimated to exist. In 2001, the NEAR
Shoemaker probe landed on Eros,
an NEA. Before landing, the probe
orbited and photographed the asteroid.
KUIPER BELT
& OORT CLOUD
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The Kuiper Belt is a region beyond the orbit of Neptune, from 30-55 AU from the Sun, which contains many small icy bodies left over from the formation
of the Solar System. There are an estimated 10 million – 1 billion deep-frozen
Kuiper Belt Objects (KBOs) of which >1000 are known.
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The belt is named after Gerrard Kuiper, a Dutch American astronomer who
had such good eyesight he was able to see stars four times fainter than those
visible to normal eyes.
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The dwarf planet Pluto is the largest known object in the Kuiper Belt.
Another dwarf planet, Eris, is found beyond the belt. Neptune’s moon Triton is
thought to be a captured KBO.
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KBO’s are sometimes disturbed by the gravitational influence of the outer
planets. They enter the inner solar system in highly elliptical orbits and become
short-period comets (orbit <200yrs) e.g. Halley’s Comet which orbits every 75-76
years.
A comet is a body of ice, rock and
dust (a ‘dirty snowball’). When it
enters the inner solar system its
nucleus becomes surrounded by a
bright cloud of gas called a coma.
Large comets also produce a long
glowing tail of gas and dust as they
come close to the Sun.
Long-period comets (orbit >200 yrs) are
thought to originate in the Oort Cloud,
named after Dutch astronomer
Jan H. Oort. This is a cloud of
trillions of icy fragments orbiting from
the edge of the Kuiper Belt
(50 AU) – 50,000 AU.
Comet Hale-Bopp, which orbits every
2,320 years is a long-period comet.
MILKY WAY
A galaxy is a giant rotating island of stars. The Milky Way Galaxy is a spiral galaxy
with a central bar of stars - a ‘barred spiral’ galaxy. It is the second biggest galaxy
in our local group of around 30 galaxies, after the Andromeda galaxy.
The Milky Way contains about 200
billion stars. The stars at the centre of the
galaxy are the oldest and coolest stars
and appear yellow/orange in
colour. The stars in the outer arms of the
galaxy are the younger, hotter stars and
appear blue/white in colour.
The galaxy is about 100,000
light years in diameter.
Our Solar System is found
about 26,000 LY from the
centre in the Orion Arm. It
takes the Sun 225 million
years to complete one
circuit of the galaxy.
In 2004, astronomers
in Chile determined
that the galaxy was
13.6 billion years old,
making it nearly as
old as the Universe
itself.
The main disk of the galaxy is about 1000 LY thick. The central core of the galaxy
contains a bulge of stars around 15,000 LY thick. We think that a supermassive
black hole may lie here.
The Milky Way is named after the faint ‘milky’
band of light which can be seen stretching
across a dark sky. Dark rifts on the band
appear to contain no stars, but the starlight
here is simply blocked out by interstellar
dust.
EXOPLANETS
An extra solar planet or exoplanet is a planet
existing outside our Solar System. To date, over
250 exoplanets have been discovered.
In 1995, the first exoplanet was discovered
orbiting a star called 51 Pegasi. Unexpectedly, the
planet appeared to be a gas giant like Jupiter.
Astronomers were amazed to discover the planet
orbiting so closely to its star that one orbit took only
four days (Jupiter’s orbit takes twelve years!)
This illustrated that exoplanets are quite different to
those in our Solar System, and prompted much more
research into finding these strange worlds.
In April 2007, Gliese 581c was reported in the press as being a potential ‘New
Earth’. This planet may be located within its host star’s habitable zone, meaning
that water could exist in liquid form on the planet. Gliese 581c is thought to be
50% larger than Earth and almost 5 times its mass.
We have no images of exoplanets as
they are too distant, but astronomers
can detect their presence by various
means e.g. the ‘wobbling’ effect the
planet has on its parent star; and
also by the transit of the exoplanet
across the star, causing its light to
dim slightly.
These ‘micro-eclipses’ will be
observed by telescope on the
COROT mission, launched in
2006, as it searches for rocky
planets beyond our
Solar System.

the solar system and the universe

Transcription

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