Planets

Planets

Venus

Mars

Our planet Earth lies in the Solar System , a group of objects revolving around the Sun. The Sun is our closest star and is a huge ball of burning gas which provides heat and light to every planet. As well as planets, asteroids, moons and comets all orbit around the sun.

• Fourth planet from the Sun
• Named after Roman God of War
• mainly made up of rocks and metals
• solid outer surface called a crust
• cold thin atmosphere
• loose dust
• volcanic landforms e.g.small step sided cones, enormous planes coated in hardened lava
• minor volcanic eruptions
• canyons
• layered sediment
• channels, valleys, gullies
• water lies in cracks and pores in underground rock
• flat, low lying smooth plains
• finely layered stacks of water ice
• dust storms
• two moons

• Second planet from the Sun
• brightest planet in the solar system
• Named after the Roman Goddess of love and beauty
• mainly made up of rocks and metals
• solid outer surface called a crust
• thick atmosphere traps heat
• extremely dry surface
• flat, smooth plains
• lava flows carve long, winding canals
• mountain ranges
• ridges and valleys
• sluggish spin
• hurricane force winds
• winds much slower on surface
• lightning
• hottest planet in the solar system

Saturn & Jupiter

Neptune and Uranus

• seventh and eight planets from the sun
• Neptune named after the Roman god of the sea
• two smaller gas giants
• Neptune's atmosphere is stormy with high winds
• Neptune has a thin collection of rings
• high thin clouds drift in the atmosphere
• Uranus is described as rolling around the sun on it's side
• Uranus is known as the ice giant

Mercury

• closest planet to the sun
• smallest planet
• named after the Roman messenger to the gods
• has a molten core
• surface is covered in bumpy holes called craters
• sunlit side is burning hot
• the side not facing the sun is freezing cold
• solid outer surface called a crust
• mainly made up of rocks and metals

• fifth and sixth planets from the sun
• The two biggest planets
• named after the Roman gods Jupiter and Saturnus
• have solid cores
• outer layers are made of gas
• Jupiter has a red spot which is an enormous storm which is wider than earth and has been rumbling for more than 300 years
• Jupiter is the most colourful object in space
• have lots of moons
• oblate shape because of rapid rotation (Saturn is the flattest)
• interior is made of rock, metal and hydrogen
• have a thin ring system
• Saturn's rings are made of chunks of ice and rock and reflect light from the sun
• rings are mainly dust particles