SUN ATON - G2V spectral class star (top %5 of hottest star) which orbits the center of the galaxy at a distance of 8.5kpc. Each orbit last 240 million years. Radius in Km = 695950. This shinning star of ours is a huge thermonuclear reactor of hydrogen and helium. These two sets of fusion, the CNO cycle and the proton-proton chain are responsible for the heat produce which sustains life on earth and other planets in our solar system. Distance from Earth(au) : 0.989588 MERCURY APOLLO(a morning star) HERMES(an evening star) - Second smallest planet, discovered over 5,000 years ago, has an 87 day orbit around the sun with a equatorial radius in KM of 2440. Unknown origin. Asteroid impacted crater surface mantel is composed of Fe2 silicate and basalt with metallic core. Contains water ice at polar regions, yet poles are hot during alternating perihelion passage. Distance from Sun(au) : 0.348298 VENUS Brightest object in the sky after the sun and the moon, also discovered over 5,000 years ago by the Babylonians and has played an important role in myth and literature throughout history. Known as a feminine essence. With a sidereal orbit(around the sun) of 245 days and a sidereal rotation period of 243 days retrograde causes one Venusian day of 166.75 Earth days. Venus is often called the twin planet of Earth, yet, the sun rises in the west and sets in the east. It consist of a "greenhouse" gas atmosphere abundant in CO2, SO2, HCL and other gases, and the surface has many volcanoes and evidence of tectonic regions. Distance from sun(au) : 0.728234 EARTH's MOON Distance from Earth is about 384.400 KM. With the passing of time the angular momentum of the Earth-Moon system causes the moon to move further away from Earth causing the Earth's rotation to slow down. Only 59% of the moons surface can ever be seen from the Earth. The Moon is 27% as big as Earth, but only 1.2% in mass due to its low density. Scientific models for the origin of the moon fall into four major categories. 1) Fission from the Earth, purposed by George Darwin. 2) gravitational capture. 3) cocreation of earth and the moon. 4) a giant impact of a Mars sized planetesimal of the earth. The last is most accepted hypothesis. MARS Known to be the source of aliens on Earth (just kidding) We can thank H.G.Wells and Eager Burroughs for this notion embedded in the public imagination. A masculine and war planet in mythology. This planet is 53% as big as Earth but only 11% as massive. The lack of a magnetic field may indicate either complete solidification of the core or a very slow rotation of any liquid core. A feature of the Martian atmosphere is that solar UV photolysis of gases occur all the way down to the surface so H2O2 and other reactive species are able to react with surface rocks. Probably the source of life detection by a Viking lander experiment. The largest known mountains (or volcanoes in the solar system are on the Martian surface called Arsia Mons, Pavonis Mons and Ascraneans Mons. The erosion or sculptured mountain on the Cydonia plain which resembles an ape-like face is referred to through the Paranormal/UFO link. And why did Rumsfield say "and even the monkeys on Mars know ...........?" Distance from sun(au) : 1.500495 JUPITER The largest of all planets in our solar system, is actually more of a hydrogen/helium star without the thermonuclear reaction as with our sun. I once wrote a science fiction short story about the fading sun, and for earth to survive and sustain plant life more light was need, so a journey to Jupiter was embarked upon to reignite Jupiter's nuclear fusion, and then there was two suns in the sky. Of course, I received yet another pink rejection slip, The Editor (unknown) of the magazine said my story line had already been written. I disagreed .Less than a year later, Clarke got a book published, with a similar plot. I wonder???? Did you know Jupiter also has ring system comparable to Saturn's? It consist of a halo, main ring and gossamer ring. And the Jovian moons are quite akin to planets not moons. Europa, Io and Ganymede actually have magnetic fields. Distance from sun(au) : 5.455672 SATURN The most distant planet visible with the naked eye has the most speculator ring system and more moons ( 18 satellites) than any of the gas giant planets. The ring were first observed by Galileo in 1610, who called them ears. The 7 ears were later identified by Huygens as rings. The inner rings are meteor size, where as the outer are microscopic particles. Saturn's moon, Titan, is actually 6% larger than Mercury and has an extensive atmosphere, possibly oceans of water not methane and maybe little dolphins who are safe from the fishermen's cruel nets. Distance from sun(au) : 9.067034 URANUS Discovered by Sir William Herschel in 1781. Uranus is another gas planet, yet with no internal heat source. It also has a ring system and of all planets of our solar system it's rotation axis or orbital plane is antiparallel, or lopsided as if it was knocked over or pulled by some mysterious force (probably the gravity of Neptune). Distance from sun(au) : 20.063308 NEPTUNE Is smaller than Uranus but is more massive with a mean density of 1.638g cm. It does not have a solar compositoin, nence its elements are heavier than helium. It actually emit 2.6 times more heat thanreceived by the sun. It has six ring and six moons none of which are that intesting to the novice astromoner, but I could be wrong. Distance from sun(au) : 30.063088 PLUTO The picture above of Pluto also includes Charon, it's moon. This photo is actually difficult to obtain. 50 years after the discovery of Pluto, James W Chrisy discovered Charon. Although, it might be better stated that Charon is a planet due to their similar size and mass. Yet Charon is almost half the size of Pluto, this is often reffered to as a double planet system, a system of ice planets. The question is, why is Pluto's ice mainly nitrogen, while Charon's is mainly hydrogen. Distance from sun(au) : 30.915182
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