The Planets of Our Solar System By: ella jeffries

Mercury

Mercury is the 1st planet in our solar system and is the planet closest to the sun. Although Mercury is closest to the sun, it still isn't the hottest. Mercury has a high temperature of 840°F and a low temperature of -275°F. Because Mercury gets so hot, it's surface is very barren and covered with craters; which makes this planet's surface very similar to the moons. Aside from it's surface, Mercury also has no atmosphere, which cause their to be no wind or weather of any kind. Along with no atmosphere, Mercury also has neither air or water, but their could be some beneath the planets surface. Mercury has a gravitational pull of 3.7m/s/s, the least amount of force compared to the other planets.

Venus

Venus is the 2nd closest planet to the sun and the second brightest natural object in the sky. The size of Venus is almost identical to Earth's, but Venus is still slightly smaller. Venus's gravitational pull is also similar to Earth's, which is 8.87m/s/s. Venus has the longest rotation period of any other planet and also rotates in the opposite direction than most planets. Venus has a high and low temperature of 870°F, which makes this planet the hottest. Venus has a surface of craters and numerous active volcanoes. The atmosphere is filled with carbon dioxide and clouds covering the planet create the most corrosive acid rain out of any other planets. Although their is acid rain, there is no known liquid water without containing acid.

Earth

Earth is the 3rd planet in the solar system and is the only known object in the universe to harbor life. Earth is the largest of the four terrestrial planets and is also the only inner most planet with a moon. Earth has a high temperature of 136°F and a low temperature of -129°F. These temperatures, along with its combination of: oxygen, water, and soil, make Earth the perfect living conditions for any living orgasm. Earth's surface is made up of many tectonic plates, the source of volcanoes and earthquakes. The tectonic plates cause Earth's surface to have almost no craters and the movement of land. Earth has a gravitational pull of 9.807m/s/s, which is very similar to Venus's gravitational pull.

Mars

Mars is the 4th planet in the solar system and can also be known as the "red planet". This name is due to the fact that Mar's thin atmosphere is filled with a rust-like dust, and the surface is covered with a rusty-rock. Because Mars is the next closest planet to Earth, this makes it the best destination to explore for signs of human life or potential of bringing human beings to Mars. But, since Mars has such a thin atmosphere, its unable to trap a lot of light from the sun, causing the planet to be very cold. Mar's temperatures can range from a high of 70°F and to a low of -195°F. Mars is smaller than Earth and Venus, but it is larger than Mercury and has a gravitational pull of 3.711m/s/s.

Jupiter

Jupiter is the 5th planet away from the sun and is the largest planet in the solar system. Jupiter is so big that it can fit 1300 Earth's inside of it. Another thing Jupiter is known for is it's 300 year old hurricane of poisonous gas. When looking at a picture of Jupiter you can see a large red blob. this is the hurricane. Living orgasms would never be able to survive living on Jupiter because of it's deadly atmosphere. Jupiter's atmosphere is made up of thick, colorful clouds that are filled with poisonous gas. Along with the atmosphere, Jupiter is also very cold. Temperatures on Jupiter range from -234°F to -145°F on the surface, but towards the core temperature could be over 42,000°F! Like Saturn, Jupiter also has some rings, but they are so faint that it's very hard to see them. Although only a few planets have moons, Jupiter has the most with 63 total moons! Due to the fact that Jupiter is so big, it has a gravitational pull of 24.79m/s/s, the highest compared to the other planets.

Saturn

Saturn is the 6th planet in our solar system and the second largest, next to Jupiter. Like Jupiter, Saturn is another big gas planet. This would make it impossible to live on, along with the fact that their is no water and constant wind storms that reach up to 800km/h. Saturn's atmosphere is made up of helium and hydrogen, and is considered to have no surface at all. If someone were to walk on Saturn, they would essentially "fall" into the planet and keep falling till they hit the core. Aside from it's surface, Saturn has 7 rings surrounding the planet. Some are large than others, but all are made up of millions of ice crystals, that differ depending on size. These rings can also stretch on for thousands of kilometers, which is like 3/4 of the way from the Earth to the moon. Another unique thing about Saturn is that it has 62 moons. This is the second highest amount of moons for one planet within our solar system. Saturn has a gravitational pull of 10.44m/s/s and a very strong magnetic field of 600.

Uranus

Uranus is the 7th planet in the solar system and was the first planet discovered by telescope. Uranus has very high levels of methane gas in its atmosphere, so that is why the planet is a shade of blue/green. Along with the the methane, Uranus's atmosphere is made up of hydrogen. The surface of Uranus is made up of a slushy ocean water and a rocky core. Although this fact has not been proven, scientists have made many predictions based on the color of Uranus and the amount of methane the planet contains. Uranus spins on its side, like a barrel, which is do to a large collision early on in it's formation. The temperature on Uranus can range from a high of -350°F and a low of -366°F. Because Uranus is the 2nd farthest planet away from the sun, it is one of the coldest planets. Uranus has a gravitational pull of 8.69m/s/s and is almost the exact same size as Neptune. Compared to the other planets, Uranus is slightly smaller than Saturn, but bigger then the 4 terrestrial planets.

Neptune

Neptune is 8th and final planet in our solar system. Out of all the other planets, Neptune experiences the most extreme atmospheric weather. Freezing ice storms rage constantly and winds blow about 10 times faster than a hurricane on Earth. These storms, along with the fact that Neptune is the furthest away from the sun, cause Neptune's temperatures around -392°F and for Neptune to be the coldest planet in our solar system. Neptune's atmosphere is made up of blue-hydrogen and methane. Neptune's surface is also almost entirely made up of water. This and the hydrogen-methane combination, cause Neptune to be blue. Neptune has a gravitational pull of 11.15m/s/s and is almost the exact same size of Uranus. If you were to look at a picture of Neptune and Uranus, you might say that they are the same size. But, Uranus is slightly bigger. Overall, Neptune is the smallest of the jovian and ice giant planets, but is bigger than the terrestrial planets.

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