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The Sun -- Composition about 75% hydrogen and 25% helium, Surface temperature 5500 C
Core temperature 14 million C. A piece of the sun just the size of a sand grain could
kill you from over 100 miles away.
Mercury -- Temperature range -184 C to 427 C
A rocky planet with a metallic core. Helium, sodium, potassium and oxygen have been
detected in Mercury's very weak atmosphere. Scientists thing that Mercury is almost 70%
iron. Most of this iron is probably concentrated in the planet's core. Temperatures on
Mercury can reach 800 F. If you landed here you would be roasted fairly quickly as
this temperature melts lead.
Venus -- Temperature 457 C. Atmosphere is 96% carbon dioxide, 3.5% nitrogen and less
than 1% is made up of carbon monoxide, argon, sulfer dioxide and water vapor.
Venus is covered in sulphuric acid clouds and 1600 volcanoes and lava plains.
It is hotter than Mercury because its atmosphere traps heat like a greenhouse. Also its
atmosphere is 90 times heavier than earth's thus crushing anything alive. It probably
has a molten metallic core.
Earth -- Temperature -89 C to 57 C. The surface is unique from other rocky planets
because it is the only one which has liquid water in such a large amount.
Mars -- Temperature -129 C to 0 C. The reddish color of Mars is caused by rust (iron
oxide) in the soil. Mars would be a chilly planet for humans to live on. Atmosphere is
carbon dioxide 95.3%, nitrogen 2.7% and argon 1.6%. It has a volcano called Olympus
Mons which rises 75000 feet. Twice as high as an airliner can fly. Also a 2500 mile
canyon called Valles Marineris which is 4 times deeper than the Grand Canyon. It also
has a polar ice cap.
Phobos -- Phobos and Deimos are the moons of Mars. They are believed to be captured
asteroids. Phobos is 22.2 KM wide. It is made of rock and ice. It is cratered and
covered in dust like earth's moon.
Jupiter -- Temperature at cloud tops is -150 C. Temperature as core estimated to be
35726 C. Largest planet in the Solar System. No solid surface to land on here. A ball
of gas with an extremely hot liquid center. The atmosphere is 90% hydrogen, 10% helium
and also ammonia, methane and sulfur. Descending below the clouds the hydrogen gas
gradually compresses into liquid hydrogen and then conductive metallic liquid hydrogen.
The core is thought to be mainly iron. Its great red spot is a hurricane storm larger
enough for 3 earths and is thought to have been raging for at least 400 years.
Io -- A highly colorful moon of Jupiter. It is covered in huge volcanoes and lava flows
that eject molten sulfur. Some eject as high as 300 KM. The red, yellow, orange and
black colors are a carpet of sulfur. The different colors of sulfur occur because as it
cools it changes color. Black is the hottest sulfur, then it turns brown, then orange,
then yellow. White is the coldest.
Saturn -- Temperature at top of clouds is -170 C. Core temperature is 11700 C.
Atmosphere is 75% hydrogen, 25% helium also methane and ice. No solid place to land on
here. The clouds are less colorful due to sulfur in them. Rings are rocks covered with
water ice. Particles in the rings range in size from a centimeter up to several meters.
A few are up to a kilometer. The rings are only 1 KM thick. Scientists think the rings
could have been made by a comet shattering one of Saturn's moons. Descending below the
clouds pressure increases gradually turning the hydrogen gas into liquid hydrogen, then
deeper down into liquid metallic hydrogen. The core is thought to be hot silicate rock
and is about the size of planet earth.
Titan -- Scientists are interested in Titan because it is the only moon known to have a
an atmosphere like a planet. Its smog may be so thick that it rains gasolene liquid.
Uranus -- Cloud tops temperature is -200 C. Core temperature is 6982 C. Uranus's blue
green color is caused by the methane in its atmosphere. The atmosphere is 83%
hydrogen, 15% helium and 2% methane. The core is made of rock and metal elements.
Underneath the atmosphere at the surface there is a hot 8000 degree Fahrenheit ocean of
water, ammonia and methane. No place to go surfing! There is no solid place to land
a vehicle here.
Neptune -- Cloud top temperature -210 C. Core temperature 7000 C. Neptune's blue color
is caused by the methane in its atmosphere. It has winds that blow at 1200 miles an
hour! Under the clouds it has a vast hot ocean (8000 F), mixed with smaller amounts of
methane and ammonia which doesn't evaporate because of the intense atmospheric pressure
many millions of times stronger than earth's atmosphere.
Halley's comet -- Is 6 miles across in length and is composed of rock, dust and ice. It
comes near earth every 76 years. Next visit is the year 2062
That is all for today. Thanks for watching. Remember: Do not forget a single detail
you learned today. There will be a test first thing tomorrow morning!
you learned today. There will be a test first thing tomorrow morning!