Our Solar System Study Sheet

Solar System Overview

  • Definition of Key Terms

    • Solar System: An astronomical system comprising the Sun and the celestial bodies bound to it by gravity, including planets, moons, asteroids, comets, and meteoroids.

  • The Sun

    • The only star in our Solar System.

  • Planets in Our Solar System

    • Inner Planets (Terrestrial Planets):
    1. Mercury: Closest planet to the Sun.
    2. Venus: Second planet from the Sun.
    3. Earth: Third planet from the Sun and the only planet known to support life.
    4. Mars: Fourth planet from the Sun.
    • Outer Planets (Gas Giants and Ice Giants):
    1. Jupiter: Largest planet in our Solar System.
    2. Saturn: Known for its prominent ring system.
    3. Uranus: Has a unique tilt and also possesses rings.
    4. Neptune: Farthest planet from the Sun.
    5. Pluto: Once classified as the ninth planet, now considered a dwarf planet.

  • Mnemonic for Planet Order

    • To help remember the order of the planets from the Sun, a mnemonic sentence is used:
    • "My very eager mother just served us nine pizzas."
    • Breakdown of the mnemonic:
    • Mercury (My)
    • Venus (Very)
    • Earth (Eager)
    • Mars (Mother)
    • Jupiter (Just)
    • Saturn (Served)
    • Uranus (Us)
    • Neptune (Nine)
    • Pluto (Pizzas)

  • Unique Features of Planets

    • Saturn and Uranus: Both planets are known to have rings, which are made up of ice, rock, and dust particles.
    • Uranus Tilt: Scientists hypothesize that a significant asteroid collision may have resulted in Uranus's distinctive sideways tilt, affecting its axial rotation and orientation in space.

  • Planet with Life

    • Earth: Noted as the sole planet in our Solar System that has life, characterized by the presence of water, suitable temperature ranges, and atmospheric conditions conducive to life.