Unusual facts about the planets of the solar system. Interesting facts about planets
Our Solar System is the least mysterious part of the Universe, but that doesn't mean we know everything about it. Here are 10 facts you may not have heard.
10. Jupiter Eats Space Debris
We all know that Jupiter is a planet with a big red spot on its surface and a storm that never stops. Did you know that Jupiter is vital to the safety of the Earth? This is the largest planet and its correspondingly large gravitational force attracts space debris, which would be extremely dangerous if it entered our orbit. Scientists have recorded a number of cases when, thanks to the gravitational force of Jupiter, space debris went beyond the solar system.
9. There are five dwarf planets in our solar system
It’s amazing how different cosmic bodies such as “dwarf planets”, the moon and full-fledged planets differ. Dwarf planets are fairly large celestial bodies that do not dominate their orbit to be called true planets. However, they do not orbit other planets like the Moon. The five dwarf planets include the recently demoted Pluto, Ceres, Eris, Haumea and Makemake.
8. There are not so many asteroids in the solar system
Although it has been scientifically proven that our solar system has a large asteroid belt between Jupiter and Mars, and also not large groups asteroids, we believe movies more. We present spaceships scurrying between asteroids. In fact, there is so much space between them that there is no need to scurry around.
7. Venus is the hottest planet
Most would think that Mercury should be the hottest because it is closest to the Sun. However, Mercury does not have an atmosphere that stores heat precisely because it is so close to the Sun. Venus is the hottest because of its dense atmosphere that traps heat. Do you want more? It rotates in the opposite direction compared to most planets.
6. Pluto's status has long been questioned
Although many of us have long known that Pluto is a planet, the recent decision to deprive it of this status is not at all spontaneous. In fact, Pluto's status as a planet has been debated in astronomical academic circles for nearly thirty years. The main reason for such discussions was the tiny size of Pluto. It is one hundred and seventy times smaller than the Earth.
5. One day on Mercury is 58 Earth days
Mercury has an unusual orbital trajectory that makes its day (a full rotation) equal to almost sixty Earth days. And if you were to look at the Sun from Mercury, its orbit would make the Sun appear to move forward and backward across the sky.
4. The seasons on Uranus last twenty years
Uranus has an inclination angle of 82 degrees, making it appear to be lying on its side in orbit. Each season on the planet is equal to 20 Earth years. It is quite possible that this is the reason for such strange weather phenomena on this “littered” planet.
3. The mass of the solar system is 99% the mass of the sun
We all know that the Sun is big, VERY big, but because it is small in the sky, it is difficult for us to imagine how big it is. Here are some measurements. The Sun makes up more than 99% of the total mass of the Solar System (including planets, moons, asteroids, etc.).
2. You would weigh less on the moon
We all know that the mass of the Moon is much less than the mass of the Earth, which means the gravitational force there is much less, more precisely six times. Who is looking for a quick weight loss program?
1. Saturn isn't the only planet with rings
Despite what we were told in school, Saturn is not the only planet that has rings made of small rocks, ice and other particles. This is simply the only planet where we can see these rings from Earth. In fact, Jupiter, Neptune and Uranus also have rings. Uranus has nine bright rings and several fainter ones. It seems that our school knowledge about the solar system is quite poor. We bet you'd pay more attention in school if you were told these ten facts.
The solar system is a group of planets revolving in specific orbits around a bright star - the Sun. This star is the main source of heat and light in the solar system.
It is believed that our planetary system was formed as a result of the explosion of one or more stars and this happened about 4.5 billion years ago. At first, the Solar System was an accumulation of gas and dust particles, however, over time and under the influence of its own mass, the Sun and other planets arose.
Planets of the Solar System
At the center of the solar system is the Sun, around which eight planets move in their orbits: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.
Until 2006, Pluto also belonged to this group of planets; it was considered the 9th planet from the Sun, however, due to its significant distance from the Sun and small size, it was excluded from this list and called a dwarf planet. More precisely, it is one of several dwarf planets in the Kuiper belt.
All of the above planets are usually divided into two large groups: the terrestrial group and the gas giants.
The terrestrial group includes such planets as: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars. They are distinguished by their small size and rocky surface, and in addition, they are located closest to the Sun.
Gas giants include: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune. They are characterized by big sizes and the presence of rings representing ice dust and rocky chunks. These planets consist mainly of gas.
Sun
The Sun is the star around which all the planets and satellites in the solar system revolve. It consists of hydrogen and helium. The Sun is 4.5 billion years old and is only halfway through its life cycle, gradually increases in size. Now the diameter of the Sun is 1,391,400 km. In just the same number of years, this star will expand and reach the orbit of the Earth.
The sun is the source of heat and light for our planet. Its activity increases or becomes weaker every 11 years.
Due to extremely high temperatures On its surface, a detailed study of the Sun is extremely difficult, but attempts to launch a special apparatus as close to the star as possible continue.
Terrestrial group of planets
Mercury
This planet is one of the smallest in the solar system, its diameter is 4,879 km. In addition, it is closest to the Sun. This proximity predetermined a significant temperature difference. The average temperature on Mercury during the day is +350 degrees Celsius, and at night - -170 degrees.
If we take the Earth year as a guide, Mercury makes a full revolution around the Sun in 88 days, and one day there lasts 59 Earth days. It was noticed that this planet can periodically change the speed of its rotation around the Sun, its distance from it and its position.
There is no atmosphere on Mercury; therefore, it is often attacked by asteroids and leaves behind a lot of craters on its surface. Sodium, helium, argon, hydrogen, and oxygen were discovered on this planet.
A detailed study of Mercury is very difficult due to its close proximity to the Sun. Sometimes Mercury can be seen from Earth with the naked eye.
According to one theory, it is believed that Mercury was previously a satellite of Venus, however, this assumption has not yet been proven. Mercury does not have its own satellite.
Venus
This planet is the second from the Sun. In size it is close to the diameter of the Earth, the diameter is 12,104 km. In all other respects, Venus differs significantly from our planet. A day here lasts 243 Earth days, and a year lasts 255 days. The atmosphere of Venus is 95% composed of carbon dioxide, which creates on its surface Greenhouse effect. This results in an average temperature on the planet of 475 degrees Celsius. The atmosphere also contains 5% nitrogen and 0.1% oxygen.
Unlike the Earth, most of whose surface is covered with water, there is no liquid on Venus, and almost the entire surface is occupied by solidified basaltic lava. According to one theory, there used to be oceans on this planet, however, as a result of internal heating, they evaporated, and the vapors were carried away by the solar wind into outer space. Near the surface of Venus, weak winds blow, however, at an altitude of 50 km their speed increases significantly and amounts to 300 meters per second.
Venus has many craters and hills that resemble earth's continents. The formation of craters is associated with the fact that the planet previously had a less dense atmosphere.
A distinctive feature of Venus is that, unlike other planets, its movement occurs not from west to east, but from east to west. It can be seen from Earth even without the help of a telescope after sunset or before sunrise. This is due to the ability of its atmosphere to reflect light well.
Venus has no satellite.
Earth
Our planet is located at a distance of 150 million km from the Sun, and this allows us to create on its surface a temperature suitable for the existence of liquid water, and, therefore, for the emergence of life.
Its surface is 70% covered with water, and it is the only planet to contain such an amount of liquid. It is believed that many thousands of years ago, steam contained in the atmosphere created the temperature on the Earth's surface necessary for the formation of liquid water, and solar radiation contributed to photosynthesis and the birth of life on the planet.
The peculiarity of our planet is that under earth's crust there are huge tectonic plates, which, moving, collide with each other and lead to changes in the landscape.
The diameter of the Earth is 12,742 km. An earthly day lasts 23 hours 56 minutes 4 seconds, and a year lasts 365 days 6 hours 9 minutes 10 seconds. Its atmosphere is 77% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and a small percentage of other gases. None of the atmospheres of other planets in the solar system has such an amount of oxygen.
According to scientists, the age of the Earth is 4.5 billion years, approximately the same age that its only satellite, the Moon, has existed. It is always turned to our planet with only one side. There are many craters, mountains and plains on the surface of the Moon. It reflects very little sunlight, so it is visible from Earth in the pale moonlight.
Mars
This planet is the fourth from the Sun and is 1.5 times more distant from it than the Earth. The diameter of Mars is smaller than Earth's and is 6,779 km. The average air temperature on the planet ranges from -155 degrees to +20 degrees at the equator. The magnetic field on Mars is much weaker than that of Earth, and the atmosphere is quite thin, which allows solar radiation to unimpededly affect the surface. In this regard, if there is life on Mars, it is not on the surface.
When surveyed with the help of Mars rovers, it was found that there are many mountains on Mars, as well as dried up river beds and glaciers. The surface of the planet is covered with red sand. It is iron oxide that gives Mars its color.
One of the most frequent events on the planet are dust storms, which are voluminous and destructive. It was not possible to detect geological activity on Mars, however, it is reliably known that significant geological events previously occurred on the planet.
The atmosphere of Mars consists of 96% carbon dioxide, 2.7% nitrogen and 1.6% argon. Oxygen and water vapor are present in minimal quantities.
A day on Mars is similar in length to those on Earth and is 24 hours 37 minutes 23 seconds. A year on the planet lasts twice as long as on Earth - 687 days.
The planet has two satellites Phobos and Deimos. They have small sizes and an uneven shape reminiscent of asteroids.
Sometimes Mars is also visible from Earth with the naked eye.
Gas giants
Jupiter
This planet is the largest in the solar system and has a diameter of 139,822 km, which is 19 times larger than Earth. A day on Jupiter lasts 10 hours, and a year is approximately 12 Earth years. Jupiter is mainly composed of xenon, argon and krypton. If it were 60 times larger, it could become a star due to a spontaneous thermonuclear reaction.
The average temperature on the planet is -150 degrees Celsius. The atmosphere consists of hydrogen and helium. There is no oxygen or water on its surface. There is an assumption that there is ice in the atmosphere of Jupiter.
Jupiter has a huge number of satellites - 67. The largest of them are Io, Ganymede, Callisto and Europa. Ganymede is one of the largest moons in the Solar System. Its diameter is 2634 km, which is approximately the size of Mercury. In addition, a thick layer of ice can be seen on its surface, under which there may be water. Callisto is considered the most ancient of the satellites, since it is its surface that has greatest number craters.
Saturn
This planet is the second largest in the solar system. Its diameter is 116,464 km. It is most similar in composition to the Sun. A year on this planet lasts quite a long time, almost 30 Earth years, and a day lasts 10.5 hours. The average surface temperature is -180 degrees.
Its atmosphere consists mainly of hydrogen and a small amount of helium. In her upper layers Thunderstorms and auroras often occur.
Saturn is unique in that it has 65 moons and several rings. The rings are made up of small particles of ice and rock formations. Ice dust perfectly reflects light, so Saturn's rings are very clearly visible through a telescope. However, it is not the only planet with a diadem; it is just less noticeable on other planets.
Uranus
Uranus is the third largest planet in the solar system and the seventh from the Sun. It has a diameter of 50,724 km. It is also called the “ice planet”, as the temperature on its surface is -224 degrees. A day on Uranus lasts 17 hours, and a year lasts 84 Earth years. Moreover, summer lasts as long as winter - 42 years. This a natural phenomenon This is due to the fact that the axis of that planet is located at an angle of 90 degrees to the orbit and it turns out that Uranus seems to be “lying on its side.”
Uranus has 27 moons. The most famous of them are: Oberon, Titania, Ariel, Miranda, Umbriel.
Neptune
Neptune is the eighth planet from the Sun. It is similar in composition and size to its neighbor Uranus. The diameter of this planet is 49,244 km. A day on Neptune lasts 16 hours, and a year is equal to 164 Earth years. Neptune is an ice giant and for a long time it was believed that no weather phenomena occurred on its icy surface. However, it was recently discovered that Neptune has raging vortices and wind speeds that are the highest among the planets in the solar system. It reaches 700 km/h.
Neptune has 14 moons, the most famous of which is Triton. It is known to have its own atmosphere.
Neptune also has rings. This planet has 6 of them.
Interesting facts about the planets of the solar system
Compared to Jupiter, Mercury seems like a dot in the sky. These are the actual proportions in the solar system:
Venus is often called the Morning and Evening Star, since it is the first of the stars visible in the sky at sunset and the last to disappear from visibility at dawn.
An interesting fact about Mars is the fact that methane was found on it. Due to the thin atmosphere, it constantly evaporates, which means that the planet has a constant source of this gas. Such a source could be living organisms inside the planet.
There are no seasons on Jupiter. The biggest mystery is the so-called “Great Red Spot”. Its origin on the surface of the planet has not yet been fully elucidated. Scientists suggest that it was formed by a huge hurricane, which has been rotating at very high speed for several centuries.
An interesting fact is that Uranus, like many planets in the solar system, has its own ring system. Due to the fact that the particles that make up them do not reflect light well, the rings could not be detected immediately after the discovery of the planet.
Neptune has a rich blue color, so it was named after the ancient Roman god - the master of the seas. Due to its distant location, this planet was one of the last to be discovered. At the same time, its location was calculated mathematically, and after time it was able to be seen, and precisely in the calculated place.
Light from the Sun reaches the surface of our planet in 8 minutes.
The solar system, despite its long and careful study, still conceals many mysteries and secrets that have yet to be revealed. One of the most fascinating hypotheses is the assumption of the presence of life on other planets, the search for which is actively continuing.
The solar system is a complex of planets, asteroids, comets and other celestial bodies that revolve around the Sun. This is our cosmic home, and for hundreds of years it has been the subject of close observations by astronomers. Given in this article Interesting Facts about the solar system and still excite the minds of scientists and amateurs.
Jupiter is an underdeveloped star
This ball of gas is so large and heavy that it accounts for almost three-quarters of the mass of all the planets in the solar system. Moreover, it consists of 99% hydrogen and helium - those elements that are characteristic of stars, including our Sun. All this leads to the conclusion that Jupiter is a failed star, and that under a different set of circumstances our planet would be warmed by not one, but two suns. However, this second sun would be relatively dim and not so hot.
Not only Saturn has rings
When artists paint planets of the solar system, they usually depict a series of balls, of which only one, Saturn, is surrounded by rings. In fact, Neptune and Uranus also have similar rings. And although they are not as noticeable as those of Saturn, they are still full-fledged multilayer rings consisting of stones and ice. Most likely, this is what remains of the unfortunate former satellites, which were broken by the gravitational field of these planets.
The sun "squeezes out" satellites?
Among the most interesting facts about the planets of the solar system- the mysterious absence of satellites from Mercury and Venus. Although even Pluto has a satellite, which does not reach the title of planet! It is possible that the reason is in our selfish star - Mercury and Venus are closest to the Sun, which is why they cannot compete with its gravity and keep their satellites near them. By the way, the Moon is also moving away from the Earth by several centimeters per year...
Sister of the Earth is also FIFA
Venus can be called the twin sister of our planet - they are almost identical in size and mass. But at the same time, Venus is the hottest planet; even Mercury, which is closer to the Sun, is not so hot! The reason is that our sister was wrapped in the furs of the densest atmosphere. In fact, this is the same greenhouse effect that environmentalists scare us with. They are scared for good reason - the average temperature on Venus is 470 °C. The finishing touch to the portrait of this “not like everyone else” lady: everything planets of the solar system rotate around their axis counterclockwise, and Venus - vice versa.
The sun not only shines, but also blows
Our star literally exudes itself into outer space - a constant stream of charged microparticles rushes from the Sun in all directions. This is called the solar wind, it fills all solar system, thanks to him she is protected from interstellar gas. Due to the solar wind, our star loses the mass of the Earth in 150 million years. Such a flow of energy would have done bad things on our planet if it had not magnetic field. And so - we just enjoy the beautiful auroras.
We are somewhere in the residential area of the galaxy
If we take our galaxy Milky Way for Moscow, then our solar system will be in the place of Maryino. We are located far from the center, but if for a Muscovite this is a reason for despondency, then we, the inhabitants of the solar system, can only rejoice at this. After all, in the center of the galaxy there are so many large and bright stars that everything and everyone there is permeated with powerful radiation. This is not counting the supermassive black hole in the very center of the Milky Way.
For some reason, planets love multiple distances
Scientists Titius and Bode derived from observations a formula that can be used to quite accurately calculate where each subsequent planet will be located. When Uranus and Ceres were discovered, it turned out that their orbits fit into this formula. But, for example, Neptune drops out of the Titius-Bode rule, but Pluto takes its place. There is still no theoretical explanation for why the formula works. Some scientists even believe that this is just an accident.
The stability of the system is in question
Science has no problems solving the equations of orbital motion of two bodies, but the problem of three or more bodies cannot be solved analytically. Planets, asteroids, and comets influence each other with their attraction, and such disturbances disrupt the accuracy of the orbits. Because of this, and based on the principles of general relativity, all bodies in the solar system will sooner or later fall into the Sun. We can only hope that we will no longer be here by then.
Many interesting facts about the solar system are known, but some still remain unknown. Thanks to astronomy, we know what the solar system is. Not everyone knows interesting facts about this. Astronomical knowledge is amazing and extraordinary, and you won’t be lost with it.
1. Jupiter is considered the most big planet Solar system.
2. There are 5 dwarf planets in the Solar System, one of which has been reclassified as Pluto.
3. There are very few asteroids in the Solar System.
4. Venus is the most hot planet Solar system.
5. About 99% of the space (by volume) in the Solar System is occupied by the Sun.
6. Saturn’s satellite is considered one of the most beautiful and original places in the solar system. There you can see a huge concentration of ethane and liquid methane.
7. Our solar system has a tail that resembles a four-leaf clover.
8. The sun follows a continuous 11-year cycle.
9. There are 8 planets in the solar system.
10. The solar system is fully formed thanks to a large gas and dust cloud.
11. Spacecraft flew to all the planets of the solar system.
12. Venus is the only planet in the solar system that rotates counterclockwise around its axis.
13. There are 27 satellites.
15. A huge mass of solar system objects fell on the Sun.
16. The solar system is part of the Milky Way galaxy.
17. The sun is the central object solar system.
18. The solar system is often divided into regions.
19. The sun is a key component of the solar system.
20. The solar system was formed approximately 4.5 billion years ago.
21. The most distant planet in the solar system is Pluto.
22. Two regions in the Solar System are filled with small bodies.
23. The solar system was built contrary to all the laws of the Universe.
24. If you compare the solar system and space, then it is just a grain of sand in it.
25. Over the past few centuries, the solar system has lost 2 planets: Vulcan and Pluto.
26. Researchers claim that the solar system was created artificially.
27. The only satellite of the Solar System that has a dense atmosphere and whose surface cannot be seen due to cloud cover is Titan.
28. The region of the solar system that lies beyond the orbit of Neptune is called the Kuiper belt.
29. The Oort cloud is the region of the solar system that serves as the source of a comet and a long orbital period.
30. Every object in the solar system is held there due to the force of gravity.
31. The leading theory of the solar system involves the emergence of planets and satellites from a huge cloud.
32. The solar system is considered the most secret particle of the Universe.
33. There is a huge asteroid belt in the Solar System.
34. On Mars you can see the eruption of the big volcano Solar system, which is named Olympus.
35. Pluto is considered to be the outskirts of the solar system.
36. On the satellite Europa there is a global ocean in which there may be life. The oxygen content in the water on Europa allows it to support not only single-celled life forms but also larger ones.
37. The largest satellite of the solar system is Ganymede, which is located in the orbit of the planet Jupiter. Diameter - 5286 km. He is greater than Mercury.
38. Pallas is considered the largest asteroid in the solar system.
40. The solar system mainly consists of hydrogen.
41. The Earth is an equal member of the solar system.
42. The sun heats up slowly.
43. Oddly enough, the largest reserves of water in the solar system are in the sun.
44. The equator plane of each planet in the solar system diverges from the orbital plane.
45.The satellite of Mars called Phobos is an anomaly of the Solar system.
46. The solar system can amaze with its diversity and scale.
47. The planets of the solar system are influenced by the sun.
48. A haven for companions and gas giants considered to be the outer shell of the solar system.
49. A huge number of planetary satellites of the solar system are dead.
50. In 1802, the largest asteroid, with a diameter of 950 km, was Ceres. But on August 24, 2006, it was recognized as a dwarf planet by the International Astronomical Union.
Throughout the existence of the Solar System, its planets, and the entire cosmos, scientists have been studying these substances with great inspiration.
The planets revolving around the sun never cease to amaze with their exciting beauty, because each of them is diverse and unique in its own way and each has interesting features and facts. It seems that we know quite a lot about the solar system, and yet today astronomy is making mind-blowing discoveries.
Space is not only cold, vacuum and darkness, everything is interconnected there and life is in full swing. The first scientist to make a space project was Hipparchus back in 150 BC.
Even before 2006, in school curriculum in physics and geography, students studied, of which there were only 9. But in 2006, the Astronomical Union decided to exclude the farthest planet Pluto from the solar system, due to its very small size and distance, Neptune took its place.
Saturn is unique in its lightness, and if it were possible to conduct an experiment by placing the planet in a vessel of water, it would not drown, but such an interesting fact can hardly be confirmed. The Earth slows down its rotation every day, and because of this, the Moon is gradually moving away from us, by 4 centimeters every year.
Our planet is a unique living organism, it regulates its temperature, breathes, renews itself and consumes energy, and there are many interesting facts.
The Earth is a metal ball in a stone shell, rushing at a speed of 107 thousand km. at one o'clock. Interestingly, it is the Moon that has a great influence on climate change, thanks to which life on Earth is possible.
Another fact is that in some places on the planet a person may feel a little heavier than in others. It's all about gravity, which is low off the coast of India, and in Pacific Ocean, it is in its southern part that it is high. Scientists still cannot explain the reason for this phenomenon; it is known that NASA launched the GRACE satellites in 2002 to measure the gravity field in detail; perhaps we will learn interesting facts about planet Earth very soon.