Our Solar System

April 25, 2021

One fine day, I asked my friend about the largest moon of Jupiter checking whether he could answer the question. Surprisingly, he didn’t know (which by the way is Ganymede). I asked him about the boundary of our solar system, but he couldn’t answer that question too. So today you guys are going to read a blog on Our Solar System. Most of the people in our world know that there are 8 planets, 1 star and a few miscellaneous space debris in our solar system. Well that is right but that is not all of our solar system. So let’s discuss everything about our solar system step by step.

1. Sun – Our parent star in our solar system’s name is the Sun. It is 1.39 million km in diameter. About 1.3 million earths could fit in the sun. It is approximately 5 billion years old. It is 333,000 times heavier than the Earth. The surface temperature of the sun is 6000^oC. The sun is powered by a process called nuclear fusion. When the sun was born, it was mainly Hydrogen with traces of other elements. Due to it’s high temperature in its core, the hydrogen started fusing into helium. Now the energy released after the hydrogen fusion is what keeps us alive today. Such stars are called main sequence stars. The other gases are in very very tiny quantities.

2. Mercury – Mercury is the closest planet to the sun. The planet is 57 million km far from the sun. It has a diameter of 4878 km. Mercury is also the smallest planet in our solar system. Mercury has no moons. The planet is gray in colour. Mercury takes 88 days to orbit around the sun. Since Mercury is the closest planet to the sun, it has temperatures on its surface facing the sun measuring 400^oC. Mercury is the Roman God of Wealth.

3. Venus – Venus is the second closest planet to the sun and is also the closest planet to Earth. Venus is 108 Million km far from the sun. Venus has a diameter of 12,000 km. Venus takes 225 days to complete one orbit. Venus has no moons. Interesting fact! Venus takes 243 days to complete one rotation. Thus making Venus the slowest spinner. Venus is the hottest planet even though Mercury is the closest planet to sun. Don't you wonder why? It is so because Venus has a very thick atmosphere consisting of Carbon Dioxide, Nitrogen and Sulphur Dioxide. These gases create a greenhouse effect and trap the sun’s heat inside. Temperatures on Venus reach 500^oC. Venus is the brightest object in the night sky. Venus is also known as Earth’s sister planet because Venus is almost the same size of Earth. Venus is known as the morning and evening star as it is very clearly visible during the morning and evening. Venus is also known as the Roman God of Love.

4. We won’t discuss Earth as we all know about it.

5. Mars – Mars is fourth nearest planet to the sun. The Planet is 246 million km far from the sun. Mars is the second smallest planet in the solar system. Mars has a diameter of 6779 km. Mars has very cold temperatures. Mars is very close to being a habitable planet and is being deeply researched. Mars has a very interesting feature. A mountain on Mars called Olympus Mons is the tallest mountain in the solar system. The mountain is as tall as three Mt Everests stacked on each other. Mars has two moons. Phobos and Deimos. Deimos is the smallest moon in the solar system. Mars’s surface mainly consists of iron oxide and gives the soil a reddish brown colour. Thus Mars is known as the Red planet. Mars takes 687 days to complete one orbit. Mars is also known as the Roman God of War.

Now these were the terrestrial planets or the inner planets.

6. Asteroid Belt – Asteroid Belt is the massive ring of asteroids between Mars and Jupiter. It is 329 million km far from the Sun. The asteroid Belt contains more than 1 million asteroids larger than 1 km and many millions of smaller asteroids.

Now for the outer planets or the gas giants.

7. Jupiter – Jupiter is the fifth planet in the solar system. It is the largest planet in the solar system. It has a diameter of 140,000 km. Jupiter is 757 million km far from the Sun. It is known as a gas giant because it mainly consists of gas. The mass of Jupiter is equivalent to all of the planets combined 2 and a half times. The planet’s atmosphere is made up of hydrogen and helium. Jupiter has the second most moons in the solar system. Jupiter has 79 moons. Jupiter’s largest moon is Ganymede and Ganymede is the largest moon in the solar system. Its other prominent moons are Io, Callisto and Europa. Fascinating fact. Europa has more water than Earth. Jupiter has a red spot on its surface called The Great Red Spot. Scientists believe that the spot is a storm that has been raging for centuries. The Great Red Spot is shrinking very subtly these days and scientists predict that this storm will be over in a Millenium or two. Jupiter has the fastest rotation in the solar system about 10 hours only. Jupiter’s orbital period is 12 years. Jupiter is the Roman God of Sky and Thunder.

8. Saturn – Saturn is the sixth planet in the solar system. It is also the second largest planet. Saturn is 1.48 Billion km far from the Sun. Saturn has a diameter of approx of 120,000 km. Saturn is the least dense planet in the solar system. Saturn is also a gas giant. Saturn has the most moons in the solar system. Titan is Saturn’s largest moons. Saturn completes one orbit in 29 years. Saturn is the most beautiful planet in the solar system. It has a massive ring around it which is composed of 7 smaller layers. This ring is made up of cold and dusty space debris. Scientists believe that Saturn had a moon which collided with it and created this massive ring. Galileo Galilei discovered Saturn’s rings. Saturn has a reddish green cloud on its crown. Saturn is the Roman God of Agricultural.

9. Uranus – Uranus is the seventh planet in the solar system. It is the third largest planet. Uranus is 2.8 Billion km far from the Sun. Uranus has a diameter of 51000 km. Uranus has 27 moons. Uranus takes 84 years to complete one orbit. Uranus is the coldest planet in the solar system. One season in Uranus lasts 42 years. Interesting Fact! Uranus is tilted to an obtuse angle which makes it look like Uranus is spinning on its side. Uranus is the Roman God of Sky. Uranus was discovered by William Herschel.

10. Neptune – Neptune is the eighth and the last planet in our solar system. The Planet is 4.4 Billion km far from the Sun. Neptune’s diameter is 50,000 km. Neptune is also the densest planet in the solar system. It is the fourth largest planet in the solar system. It is also a gas giant. Neptune also has a spot like Jupiter’s. This spot is called The Great Blue Spot. Neptune’s gravity is similar to Earth’s. Neptune has one of the strongest winds in the solar system. The wind speeds reach a whopping 2000 km/hr unlike Earth’s winds which reach 400 km/hr. Neptune was discovered by Urban Leverier. Neptune has 13 moons. Neptune’s largest moon is Triton. Scientists predict that Triton will collide with Neptune in a few decades. Neptune is the Roman God of Fresh water.

Now these were the Planets. Let’s discuss the dwarf planets. There are 5 dwarf planets

1. Pluto - Pluto is the largest Dwarf Planet in the solar system. Pluto has a diameter of 2376 km. Pluto is 5.9 Billion km far from the sun. Pluto takes 248 years to complete one revolution around the sun. Pluto was originally a planet but in 2005, when astronomers studies Pluto carefully, they realized that Pluto was way too small and re-titled it to a dwarf planet. In 1930, Clyde Tombaugh an American Astronomer discovered Pluto. Pluto has 5 moons – Charon, Nyx, Hydra, Styx and Kerberos. Pluto is the Roman God of The Underworld.

2. Eris – Eris is the second largest dwarf-planet in the solar system. Eris has a diameter of 2326 km. Eris is 10.1 Billion km far from the sun. Eris takes 558 years to complete one revolution. Eris has 1 moon – Dysnomia. Eris is the Roman God of Strife.

3. Haumea – Haumea is the third largest Dwarf Planet in the Solar system. Haumea has a diameter of 1632 km. Haumea is 6.4 Billion km far from the sun. Haumea takes 285 years to complete one revolution around the sun. Haumea has a weird feature. Haumea is one of the fastest spinning objects in the solar system. Its fast spinning makes it look distorted and it appears as a rugby ball. Haumea has 2 moons Namaka and Hi’iaka.

4. Makemake – Makemake is the fourth largest Dwarf Planet in the Solar System. The D.Planet has a diameter of 1430 km. Makemake is 6.8 Billion km far from the sun. Makemake takes 306 years to complete one revolution. Makemake has 1 moon. The name is too complicated - S/2015 (136472) 1.

5. Ceres – Ceres is the smallest Dwarf Planet in the solar system. Ceres has a diameter of 940 km. Ceres is located in the Asteroid Belt and is the largest asteroid. Ceres is 413 Million km far from the sun. Ceres has no moons. Ceres takes 4.6 years to complete one revolution. Ceres is the Roman Goddess of Agriculture.

Now these were the Dwarf Planets, lets proceed to the last layers of our Solar system.

1. Kuiper Belt – The Kuiper Belt is another belt, situated after Neptune. The Kuiper belt is 14.9 Billion kilometres far from the sun. There are over 2000 Kuiper Belt objects.

The last layer of the Solar system – The OORT CLOUD

Oort Cloud – You may have wondered where all the comets come from. Well they come from the boundaries of our Solar System travelling astronomically long paths. The Oort Cloud. The Oort Cloud is this massive sphere shaped cloud which envelops our whole solar system. The Oort Cloud was discovered by a Dutch Astronomer Jan Oort. The Oort cloud is so enormous that it has a diameter of 3.2 Light Years.

Well, this is the end of this article, hope you enjoyed it. Next article – Space debris and terms.

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