Planet Uranus is the seventh from the sun. solar system

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 large sizes and the presence of rings, which are ice dust and rocky pieces. These planets consist mainly of gas.

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.

1. Mercury is the first planet from the Sun.
2. There are no seasons on Mercury. The tilt of the planet's axis is almost perpendicular to the plane of the planet's orbit around the Sun.
3. The temperature on the surface of Mercury is not the highest, although the planet is located closest to the Sun. He lost first place to Venus.
4. The first research vehicle to visit Mercury was Mariner 10. It conducted a number of demonstration flights in 1974.
5. A day on Mercury lasts 59 Earth days, and a year is only 88 days.
6. Mercury experiences the most dramatic temperature changes, reaching 610 °C. During the day, temperatures can reach 430 °C, and at night -180 °C.
7. The gravity on the planet's surface is only 38% of Earth's. This means that on Mercury you could jump three times as high, and it would be easier to lift heavy objects.
8. The first observations of Mercury through a telescope were made by Galileo Galilei in the early 17th century.
9. Mercury has no natural satellites.
10. The first official map of Mercury's surface was published only in 2009, thanks to data obtained from the Mariner 10 and Messenger spacecraft.

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% carbon dioxide, which creates a greenhouse effect on its surface. This results in an average temperature on the planet of 475 degrees Celsius. The atmosphere also contains 5% nitrogen and 0.1% oxygen.

1. Venus is the second planet from the Sun in the Solar System.
2. Venus is the hottest planet in the solar system, although it is the second planet from the sun. Surface temperature can reach 475 °C.
   
3. The first spacecraft sent to explore Venus was sent from Earth on February 12, 1961 and was called Venera 1.
4. Venus is one of two planets whose direction of rotation around its axis is different from most planets in the solar system.
5. The planet's orbit around the Sun is very close to circular.
6. The day and night temperatures of the surface of Venus are practically the same due to the large thermal inertia of the atmosphere.
7. Venus makes one revolution around the Sun in 225 Earth days, and one revolution around its axis in 243 Earth days, that is, one day on Venus lasts more than one year.
8. The first observations of Venus through a telescope were made by Galileo Galilei at the beginning of the 17th century.
9. Venus has no natural satellites.
10. Venus is the third brightest object in the sky, after the Sun and Moon.

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 water in liquid form, and solar radiation contributed to photosynthesis and the birth of life on the planet.

1. Earth in the solar system is the third planet from the sunsA;
2. Our planet revolves around one natural satellite - the Moon;
   
3. Earth is the only planet not named after a divine being;
4. The Earth's density is the greatest of all the planets in the solar system;
5. The Earth's rotation speed is gradually slowing down;
6. The average distance from the Earth to the Sun is 1 astronomical unit (a conventional measure of length in astronomy), which is approximately 150 million km;
7. The Earth has a magnetic field of sufficient strength to protect living organisms on its surface from harmful solar radiation;
8. The first artificial Earth satellite, called PS-1 (The simplest satellite - 1), was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on the Sputnik launch vehicle on October 4, 1957;
9. In orbit around the Earth, compared to other planets, there is the largest number of spacecraft;
10. Earth is the largest terrestrial planet in the solar system;

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.

1. Mars is located in the fourth orbit from the Sun;
2. The Red Planet is home to the tallest volcano in the solar system;
   
3. Of the 40 exploration missions sent to Mars, only 18 were successful;
4. Mars is home to some of the largest dust storms in the solar system;
5. In 30-50 million years, there will be a system of rings around Mars, like Saturn’s;
6. Debris from Mars has been found on Earth;
7. The Sun from the surface of Mars looks half as big as from the surface of the Earth;
   
8. Mars is the only planet in the solar system that has polar ice caps;
9. Two natural satellites revolve around Mars - Deimos and Phobos;
10. Mars has no magnetic field;

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.

1. Jupiter is located in the fifth orbit from the Sun;
2. In the Earth's sky, Jupiter is the fourth brightest object, after the Sun, Moon and Venus;
   
3. Jupiter has the shortest day of all the planets in the solar system;
4. In the atmosphere of Jupiter, one of the longest and most powerful storms in the solar system rages, better known as the Great Red Spot;
5. Jupiter's moon Ganymede is the largest moon in the solar system;
6. Jupiter is surrounded by a thin system of rings;
7. Jupiter was visited by 8 research vehicles;
   
8. Jupiter has a strong magnetic field;
   
9. If Jupiter were 80 times more massive, it would become a star;
10. There are 67 natural satellites orbiting Jupiter. This is the largest in the Solar System;

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. Thunderstorms and auroras often occur in its upper layers.

1. Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun;
2. Saturn's atmosphere contains the strongest winds in the solar system;
   
3. Saturn is one of the least dense planets in the solar system;
   
4. Surrounding the planet is the largest ring system in the Solar System;
5. One day on the planet lasts almost one Earth year and is equal to 378 Earth days;
6. Saturn was visited by 4 research spacecraft;
7. Saturn, together with Jupiter, constitutes approximately 92% of the total planetary mass of the Solar System;
8. One year on the planet lasts 29.5 Earth years;
9. There are 62 known natural satellites orbiting the planet;
10. Currently, the automatic interplanetary station Cassini is studying Saturn and its rings;

Uranus

Uranus, computer artwork.

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 natural phenomenon 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.”

1. Uranus is located in the seventh orbit from the Sun;
2. The first person to learn about the existence of Uranus was William Herschel in 1781;
   
3. Uranus has only been visited by one spacecraft, Voyager 2 in 1982;
4. Uranus is the coldest planet in the solar system;
5. The plane of Uranus' equator is inclined to the plane of its orbit at almost a right angle - that is, the planet rotates retrograde, "lying on its side slightly upside down";
6. The moons of Uranus bear names taken from the works of William Shakespeare and Alexander Pope, rather than Greek or Roman mythology;
7. A day on Uranus lasts about 17 Earth hours;
8. There are 13 known rings around Uranus;
9. One year on Uranus lasts 84 Earth years;
10. There are 27 known natural satellites orbiting Uranus;

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 occur 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.

1. Neptune is the most distant planet in the Solar System and occupies the eighth orbit from the Sun;
2. Mathematicians were the first to know about the existence of Neptune;
   
3. There are 14 satellites circling around Neptune;
4. Neputna's orbit is removed from the Sun by an average of 30 AU;
5. One day on Neptune lasts 16 Earth hours;
6. Neptune has only been visited by one spacecraft, Voyager 2;
7. There is a system of rings around Neptune;
8. Neptune has the second highest gravity after Jupiter;
9. One year on Neptune lasts 164 Earth years;
10. The atmosphere on Neptune is extremely active;

1. Jupiter is considered the largest planet in the 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 hottest planet in the solar system.
5. About 99% of the space (by volume) is occupied by the Sun in the Solar System.
6. The satellite of Saturn 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 have flown 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. Uranus has 27 satellites.
14. The largest mountain is on Mars.
15. A huge mass of objects in the solar system fell on the sun.
16. The solar system is part of the Milky Way galaxy.
17. The sun is the central object of the 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 moons 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 largest volcano in the solar system, which is called Olympus.
35. Pluto is considered to be the outskirts of the solar system.
36. Jupiter has a large ocean of liquid water.
37. The Moon is the largest satellite of the Solar System.
38. Pallas is considered the largest asteroid in the solar system.
39. The brightest planet in the solar system is Venus.
40. The solar system is mostly made 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 in 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. The outer shell of the Solar System is considered to be the haven of satellites and gas giants.
49. A huge number of planetary satellites of the solar system are dead.
50. The largest asteroid, with a diameter of 950 km, is called Ceres.

Planets of the Solar System

According to the official position of the International Astronomical Union (IAU), the organization that assigns names to astronomical objects, there are only 8 planets.

Pluto was removed from the planet category in 2006. because There are objects in the Kuiper belt that are larger/equal in size to Pluto. Therefore, even if we take it as a full-fledged celestial body, then it is necessary to add Eris to this category, which has almost the same size as Pluto.

By MAC definition, there are 8 known planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.

All planets are divided into two categories depending on their physical characteristics: terrestrial planets and gas giants.

Schematic representation of the location of the planets

Terrestrial planets

Mercury

The smallest planet in the solar system has a radius of only 2440 km. The period of revolution around the Sun, equated to an earthly year for ease of understanding, is 88 days, while Mercury manages to rotate around its own axis only one and a half times. Thus, his day lasts approximately 59 Earth days. For a long time it was believed that this planet always turned the same side to the Sun, since periods of its visibility from Earth were repeated with a frequency approximately equal to four Mercury days. This misconception was dispelled with the advent of the ability to use radar research and conduct continuous observations using space stations. The orbit of Mercury is one of the most unstable; not only the speed of movement and its distance from the Sun change, but also the position itself. Anyone interested can observe this effect.

Mercury in color, image from the MESSENGER spacecraft

Its proximity to the Sun is the reason why Mercury is subject to the largest temperature changes among the planets in our system. The average daytime temperature is about 350 degrees Celsius, and the nighttime temperature is -170 °C. Sodium, oxygen, helium, potassium, hydrogen and argon were detected in the atmosphere. There is a theory that it was previously a satellite of Venus, but so far this remains unproven. It does not have its own satellites.

Venus

The second planet from the Sun, the atmosphere is almost entirely composed of carbon dioxide. It is often called the Morning Star and the Evening Star, because it is the first of the stars to become visible after sunset, just as before dawn it continues to be visible even when all the other stars have disappeared from view. The percentage of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is 96%, there is relatively little nitrogen in it - almost 4%, and water vapor and oxygen are present in very small quantities.

Venus in the UV spectrum

Such an atmosphere creates a greenhouse effect; the temperature on the surface is even higher than that of Mercury and reaches 475 °C. Considered the slowest, a Venusian day lasts 243 Earth days, which is almost equal to a year on Venus - 225 Earth days. Many call it Earth's sister because of its mass and radius, the values ​​of which are very close to those of Earth. The radius of Venus is 6052 km (0.85% of Earth's). Like Mercury, there are no satellites.

The third planet from the Sun and the only one in our system where there is liquid water on the surface, without which life on the planet could not have developed. At least life as we know it. The radius of the Earth is 6371 km and, unlike other celestial bodies in our system, more than 70% of its surface is covered with water. The rest of the space is occupied by continents. Another feature of the Earth is the tectonic plates hidden under the planet's mantle. At the same time, they are able to move, albeit at a very low speed, which over time causes changes in the landscape. The speed of the planet moving along it is 29-30 km/sec.

Our planet from space

One revolution around its axis takes almost 24 hours, and a complete passage through the orbit lasts 365 days, which is much longer in comparison with its closest neighboring planets. The Earth's day and year are also accepted as a standard, but this is done only for the convenience of perceiving time periods on other planets. The Earth has one natural satellite - the Moon.

Mars

The fourth planet from the Sun, known for its thin atmosphere. Since 1960, Mars has been actively explored by scientists from several countries, including the USSR and the USA. Not all exploration programs have been successful, but water found at some sites suggests that primitive life exists on Mars, or existed in the past.

The brightness of this planet allows it to be seen from Earth without any instruments. Moreover, once every 15-17 years, during the Confrontation, it becomes the brightest object in the sky, eclipsing even Jupiter and Venus.

The radius is almost half that of Earth and is 3390 km, but the year is much longer - 687 days. He has 2 satellites - Phobos and Deimos .

Visual model of the solar system

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• Sun

  The Sun is a star that is a hot ball of hot gases at the center of our Solar System. Its influence extends far beyond the orbits of Neptune and Pluto. Without the Sun and its intense energy and heat, there would be no life on Earth. There are billions of stars like our Sun scattered throughout the Milky Way galaxy.

• Mercury

  Sun-scorched Mercury is only slightly larger than Earth's satellite the Moon. Like the Moon, Mercury is practically devoid of an atmosphere and cannot smooth out the traces of impact from falling meteorites, so it, like the Moon, is covered with craters. The day side of Mercury gets very hot from the Sun, while on the night side the temperature drops hundreds of degrees below zero. There is ice in the craters of Mercury, which are located at the poles. Mercury completes one revolution around the Sun every 88 days.

• Venus

  Venus is a world of monstrous heat (even more than on Mercury) and volcanic activity. Similar in structure and size to Earth, Venus is covered by a thick and toxic atmosphere that creates a strong greenhouse effect. This scorched world is hot enough to melt lead. Radar images through the powerful atmosphere revealed volcanoes and deformed mountains. Venus rotates in the opposite direction from the rotation of most planets.

• Earth is an ocean planet. Our home, with its abundance of water and life, makes it unique in our solar system. Other planets, including several moons, also have ice deposits, atmospheres, seasons and even weather, but only on Earth did all these components come together in a way that made life possible.

• Mars

  Although details of the surface of Mars are difficult to see from Earth, observations through a telescope indicate that Mars has seasons and white spots at the poles. For decades, people believed that the bright and dark areas on Mars were patches of vegetation, that Mars might be a suitable place for life, and that water existed in the polar ice caps. When the Mariner 4 spacecraft arrived at Mars in 1965, many scientists were shocked to see photographs of the murky, cratered planet. Mars turned out to be a dead planet. More recent missions, however, have revealed that Mars holds many mysteries that remain to be solved.

• Jupiter

  Jupiter is the most massive planet in our solar system, with four large moons and many small moons. Jupiter forms a kind of miniature solar system. To become a full-fledged star, Jupiter needed to become 80 times more massive.

• Saturn

  Saturn is the farthest of the five planets known before the invention of the telescope. Like Jupiter, Saturn is composed primarily of hydrogen and helium. Its volume is 755 times greater than that of the Earth. Winds in its atmosphere reach speeds of 500 meters per second. These fast winds, combined with heat rising from the planet's interior, cause the yellow and golden streaks we see in the atmosphere.

• Uranus

  The first planet found using a telescope, Uranus was discovered in 1781 by astronomer William Herschel. The seventh planet is so far from the Sun that one revolution around the Sun takes 84 years.

• Neptune

  Distant Neptune rotates almost 4.5 billion kilometers from the Sun. It takes him 165 years to complete one revolution around the Sun. It is invisible to the naked eye due to its vast distance from Earth. Interestingly, its unusual elliptical orbit intersects with the orbit of the dwarf planet Pluto, which is why Pluto is inside the orbit of Neptune for about 20 years out of 248 during which it makes one revolution around the Sun.

• Pluto

  Tiny, cold and incredibly distant, Pluto was discovered in 1930 and was long considered the ninth planet. But after discoveries of Pluto-like worlds that were even further away, Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet in 2006.

Planets are giants

There are four gas giants located beyond the orbit of Mars: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune. They are located in the outer solar system. They are distinguished by their massiveness and gas composition.

Planets of the solar system, not to scale

Jupiter

The fifth planet from the Sun and the largest planet in our system. Its radius is 69912 km, it is 19 times larger than the Earth and only 10 times smaller than the Sun. The year on Jupiter is not the longest in the solar system, lasting 4333 Earth days (less than 12 years). His own day has a duration of about 10 Earth hours. The exact composition of the planet's surface has not yet been determined, but it is known that krypton, argon and xenon are present on Jupiter in much larger quantities than on the Sun.

There is an opinion that one of the four gas giants is actually a failed star. This theory is also supported by the largest number of satellites, of which Jupiter has many - as many as 67. To imagine their behavior in the planet’s orbit, you need a fairly accurate and clear model of the solar system. The largest of them are Callisto, Ganymede, Io and Europa. Moreover, Ganymede is the largest satellite of the planets in the entire solar system, its radius is 2634 km, which is 8% greater than the size of Mercury, the smallest planet in our system. Io has the distinction of being one of only three moons with an atmosphere.

Saturn

The second largest planet and the sixth in the solar system. In comparison with other planets, it is most similar to the Sun in the composition of chemical elements. The radius of the surface is 57,350 km, the year is 10,759 days (almost 30 Earth years). A day here lasts a little longer than on Jupiter - 10.5 Earth hours. In terms of the number of satellites, it is not much behind its neighbor - 62 versus 67. The largest satellite of Saturn is Titan, just like Io, which is distinguished by the presence of an atmosphere. Slightly smaller in size, but no less famous are Enceladus, Rhea, Dione, Tethys, Iapetus and Mimas. It is these satellites that are the objects for the most frequent observation, and therefore we can say that they are the most studied in comparison with the others.

For a long time, the rings on Saturn were considered a unique phenomenon unique to it. Only recently it was established that all gas giants have rings, but in others they are not so clearly visible. Their origin has not yet been established, although there are several hypotheses about how they appeared. In addition, it was recently discovered that Rhea, one of the satellites of the sixth planet, also has some kind of rings.

solar system– these are 8 planets and more than 63 of their satellites, which are being discovered more and more often, several dozen comets and a large number of asteroids. All cosmic bodies move along their own clearly directed trajectories around the Sun, which is 1000 times heavier than all the bodies in the solar system combined. The center of the solar system is the Sun, a star around which the planets orbit. They do not emit heat and do not glow, but only reflect the light of the Sun. There are now 8 officially recognized planets in the solar system. Let us briefly list them all in order of distance from the sun. And now a few definitions.

Planet is a celestial body that must satisfy four conditions:
1. the body must revolve around a star (for example, around the Sun);
2. the body must have sufficient gravity to have a spherical or close to it shape;
3. the body should not have other large bodies near its orbit;
4. the body should not be a star

Star is a cosmic body that emits light and is a powerful source of energy. This is explained, firstly, by the thermonuclear reactions occurring in it, and secondly, by the processes of gravitational compression, as a result of which a huge amount of energy is released.

Satellites of the planets. The solar system also includes the Moon and the natural satellites of other planets, which they all have except Mercury and Venus. Over 60 satellites are known. Most of the satellites of the outer planets were discovered when they received photographs taken by robotic spacecraft. Jupiter's smallest satellite, Leda, is only 10 km across.

is a star without which life on Earth could not exist. It gives us energy and warmth. According to the classification of stars, the Sun is a yellow dwarf. Age about 5 billion years. It has a diameter at the equator of 1,392,000 km, 109 times larger than that of Earth. The rotation period at the equator is 25.4 days and 34 days at the poles. The mass of the Sun is 2x10 to the 27th power of tons, approximately 332,950 times the mass of the Earth. The temperature inside the core is approximately 15 million degrees Celsius. The surface temperature is about 5500 degrees Celsius. In terms of its chemical composition, the Sun consists of 75% hydrogen, and of the other 25% elements the majority is helium. Now let’s figure out in order how many planets revolve around the sun, in the solar system and the characteristics of the planets.
The four inner planets (closest to the Sun) - Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars - have a solid surface. They are smaller than the four giant planets. Mercury moves faster than other planets, being burned by the sun's rays during the day and freezing at night. Period of revolution around the Sun: 87.97 days.
Diameter at the equator: 4878 km.
Rotation period (rotation around an axis): 58 days.
Surface temperature: 350 during the day and -170 at night.
Atmosphere: very rarefied, helium.
How many satellites: 0.
The main satellites of the planet: 0.

More similar to Earth in size and brightness. Observing it is difficult due to the clouds enveloping it. The surface is a hot rocky desert. Period of revolution around the Sun: 224.7 days.
Diameter at the equator: 12104 km.
Rotation period (rotation around an axis): 243 days.
Surface temperature: 480 degrees (average).
Atmosphere: dense, mostly carbon dioxide.
How many satellites: 0.
The main satellites of the planet: 0.

Apparently, the Earth was formed from a gas and dust cloud, like other planets. Particles of gas and dust collided and gradually “grew” the planet. The temperature on the surface reached 5000 degrees Celsius. Then the Earth cooled and became covered with a hard rock crust. But the temperature in the depths is still quite high - 4500 degrees. Rocks in the depths are molten and during volcanic eruptions they flow to the surface. Only on earth there is water. That's why life exists here. It is located relatively close to the Sun in order to receive the necessary heat and light, but far enough so as not to burn out. Period of revolution around the Sun: 365.3 days.
Diameter at the equator: 12756 km.
Period of rotation of the planet (rotation around its axis): 23 hours 56 minutes.
Surface temperature: 22 degrees (average).
Atmosphere: Mainly nitrogen and oxygen.
Number of satellites: 1.
The main satellites of the planet: the Moon.

Because of its resemblance to Earth, it was believed that life existed here. But the spacecraft that descended to the surface of Mars found no signs of life. This is the fourth planet in order. Period of revolution around the Sun: 687 days.
Diameter of the planet at the equator: 6794 km.
Rotation period (rotation around an axis): 24 hours 37 minutes.
Surface temperature: –23 degrees (average).
The planet's atmosphere: thin, mostly carbon dioxide.
How many satellites: 2.
The main satellites in order: Phobos, Deimos.

Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are made of hydrogen and other gases. Jupiter exceeds Earth by more than 10 times in diameter, 300 times in mass and 1300 times in volume. It is more than twice as massive as all the planets in the solar system combined. How long does it take for planet Jupiter to become a star? We need to increase its mass by 75 times! Period of revolution around the Sun: 11 years 314 days.
Diameter of the planet at the equator: 143884 km.
Rotation period (rotation around an axis): 9 hours 55 minutes.
Planet surface temperature: –150 degrees (average).
Number of satellites: 16 (+ rings).
The main satellites of the planets in order: Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto.

It is number 2, the largest of the planets in the solar system. Saturn attracts attention thanks to its ring system formed of ice, rocks and dust that orbit the planet. There are three main rings with an outer diameter of 270,000 km, but their thickness is about 30 meters. Period of revolution around the Sun: 29 years 168 days.
Diameter of the planet at the equator: 120536 km.
Rotation period (rotation around an axis): 10 hours 14 minutes.
Surface temperature: –180 degrees (average).
Atmosphere: Mainly hydrogen and helium.
Number of satellites: 18 (+ rings).
Main satellites: Titan.

A unique planet in the solar system. Its peculiarity is that it rotates around the Sun not like everyone else, but “lying on its side.” Uranus also has rings, although they are harder to see. In 1986, Voyager 2 flew at a distance of 64,000 km, he had six hours to take photographs, which he successfully implemented. Orbital period: 84 years 4 days.
Diameter at the equator: 51118 km.
Period of rotation of the planet (rotation around its axis): 17 hours 14 minutes.
Surface temperature: -214 degrees (average).
Atmosphere: Mainly hydrogen and helium.
How many satellites: 15 (+ rings).
Main satellites: Titania, Oberon.

At the moment, Neptune is considered the last planet in the solar system. Its discovery took place through mathematical calculations, and then it was seen through a telescope. In 1989, Voyager 2 flew past. He took stunning photographs of the blue surface of Neptune and its largest moon, Triton. Period of revolution around the Sun: 164 years 292 days.
Diameter at the equator: 50538 km.
Rotation period (rotation around an axis): 16 hours 7 minutes.
Surface temperature: –220 degrees (average).
Atmosphere: Mainly hydrogen and helium.
Number of satellites: 8.
Main satellites: Triton.

On August 24, 2006, Pluto lost its planetary status. The International Astronomical Union has decided which celestial body should be considered a planet. Pluto does not meet the requirements of the new formulation and loses its “planetary status”, at the same time Pluto takes on a new quality and becomes the prototype of a separate class of dwarf planets.

How did the planets appear? Approximately 5–6 billion years ago, one of the disk-shaped gas and dust clouds of our large Galaxy (Milky Way) began to shrink toward the center, gradually forming the present Sun. Further, according to one theory, under the influence of powerful forces of attraction, a large number of dust and gas particles revolving around the Sun began to stick together into balls - forming future planets. As another theory says, the gas and dust cloud immediately broke up into separate clusters of particles, which compressed and became denser, forming the current planets. Now 8 planets revolve around the Sun constantly.

Uranus is the seventh planet. Located at a distance of 2.8 billion km from the star, this planet is a gas giant. Having an equator radius of 26.6 thousand km, and a mass 14.6 times that of the Earth, Uranus rushes in an almost circular orbit, developing a speed of 6.8 km/sec. The planet's density is 4.4 times less than its density. Uranus rotates around its axis in 17 hours. But areas remote from the equator turn around in 14 hours. It turns out that the gas structure of the surface is not a single whole. It follows its own laws, representing an uncontrollable mass.

Structure

Atmosphere

Tiny crystals of methane in the upper atmosphere give the planet a greenish tint. The lower ones consist of liquid hydrogen (83%) and helium (15%). Beneath the atmosphere is a liquid, very dense ammonia-water mantle.

Core

It is not known for sure whether Uranus has a solid core. Most scientists believe that it does have a core, and it consists of silicon and metals.

Rings

Uranus has 13 rings. They cannot be compared with the magnificent rings, and they are dark in color, so they are practically invisible. Their discovery occurred in 1977 based on indirect evidence - they blocked the glow of the observed stars.
Rings are not all the same. The middle 11 are almost black in color, while the extreme ones stand out from them. The outer ring is painted blue, and the inner ring is red. The rings consist of rocky particles, tiny and several meters in size. The width of the rings is from 1 to 10 km, and only the widest, outer one, swollen to 96 kilometers.

Satellites

There are 27 satellites in total, 5 are considered the main ones. Their composition: ice (consisting of ammonia, carbon dioxide and methane) mixed with rocks. And the satellites revolve around their owner, turning one side towards him, like our Moon.

The smallest of the main satellites has a density less than Uranus itself. The distance to the planet is almost 130,000 km, with a diameter of 472 km, and it flies around it in 1.41 Earth days. Miranda's surface temperature is 185°C.

The brightest satellite of Uranus. This is explained by the water frost covering its surface. Ariel is located 191,240 km from the planet. The diameter of the satellite is 1158 km, the density is 1.67 g/cm³, and one revolution around Uranus takes 2.52 days. The surface of Ariel is dotted with canyons up to 10 km deep and has a temperature of 215°C.

This is the darkest satellite of Uranus, located at a distance of 266,000 km from it. Its diameter is only 585 km, and its orbital period around the planet is 4 days. On a very dark surface, the temperature drops to -198°C. The density of Umbriel is 1.4 g/cm³. The entire surface is densely pitted with craters. The largest crater, with a diameter of 140 km, is particularly white. It is believed that this is pure ice, which the one who struck Umbriel was able to reach.

The largest satellite of Uranus has a diameter of 1,577 km and is 436,000 km away from the planet, revolving around it in 8.71 days. Density is 1.71 g/cm³, and surface temperature is 203°C. There are very few craters on Titania. But enough canyons and valleys. Some canyons stretch over distances of up to 1000 km.

It is smaller than Titania - 1,526 km in diameter, and 582,600 km away. Density is 1.63 g/cm³, and surface temperature is 198°C. The surface of the satellite bears traces of intense meteorite bombardment. The largest crater, Hamlet, reaches 205 km in diameter.

Magnetosphere

The magnetic field of Uranus has its own characteristics. The main one is the discrepancy between the rotation and magnetic axes; the shift reaches a third of the radius of the planet. Plus, the magnetic axis is inclined at an angle of 60 degrees to the axis of rotation. The magnetic field strength is also not stable, varying in different areas. In addition to the main magnetic poles, there are two less powerful ones. The magnetosphere of Uranus itself is curled into a tailspin, while on other planets it stretches out in a wide strip following the solar wind. This is due precisely to the tilt of the magnetic axis.

Internal heat

In terms of temperature, Uranus is the coldest of the gas giants, having a tropopause of 224°C. In the troposphere, the temperature is already 47°C, and the lower it is, the greater the heating, reaching up to 5000°C. The most curious thing is that in the stratosphere, the temperature rises, reaching 520°C, and does not fall to an altitude of 50,000 km.

The heat flow of Uranus is very low. Even one similar to it emits 2.6 times more thermal energy than it receives from. Uranus gives almost nothing away. Perhaps some layer in the upper layers retains the internal heat of the planet.

Seasons

The giant's rotation axis is tilted by 98°, so it appears to be lying on its side. Because of this location, one of the poles, the equator, or the middle latitudes alternately face the Sun.

The rapid change of day and night occurs only at the equator, when the sun is low above the horizon. It turns out that 42 years alternately at each of the poles are either day or night. And only during the equinoxes, when the Sun is located in front of the equator, are the usual changes of day and night possible.

Climate

The atmosphere of Uranus is unusually calm compared to the atmospheres of the other giant planets. Voyager 2 detected only 10 cloud bands in the visible southern hemisphere. Wind speeds at the equator (here they are directed against the rotation of the planet) are 50 - 100 m/sec. Moving away from the equator to latitudes of ±20°, the winds subside, almost becoming zero. And higher up, a gradual increase in wind speed begins up to latitudes of ±60°, where their direction is already direct. There is almost no wind at the poles.

It’s too early to talk about seasonal changes on Uranus, but one thing is clear: the structure and thickness of the clouds change noticeably in some periods.

Puzzles

Lateral rotation. This is perhaps the main mystery of the planet. Why is she lying on her side? There is an assumption that in the distant times of its origin, Uranus collided with a protoplanet, which laid it on its side, which changed the direction of the magnetic axis. It also cooled the planet’s heat flow.

Chevron. This is Miranda's mystery. When processing satellite images, an area of ​​regular shape was revealed, almost not attacked by meteorites. This “tick” measuring 140x200 km was called “chevron”; its origin is still unknown.

Studying

Research on this giant is ahead. The only spacecraft to visit the vicinity of Uranus in 1986 was Voyager 2. He approached it at a distance of 81,500 km. The atmosphere was studied, the device discovered 10 new satellites. It became possible to see two more rings of the planet and photograph the main satellites.

We have learned so little about the beautiful green-blue planet. But its secrets and mysteries are certainly countless. It will probably not be long before these secrets will be revealed to researchers. But this only makes them more desirable and important.

And Saturn), is notable, first of all, for its unusual movement around the Sun, namely, unlike all other planets, Uranus rotates “retrograde”. What does it mean? And the fact is that if other planets, including our Earth, are like moving spinning tops (due to torsion, the change of day and night occurs), then Uranus is like a rolling ball, and as a result, the change of day/night, as well as the seasons on this the planets are significantly different.

Who discovered Uranus

But let's start our story about this unusual planet with the history of its discovery. The planet Uranus was discovered by the English astronomer William Herschel in 1781. Interestingly, observing its unusual movement, the astronomer first mistook it for, and only after a couple of years of observations did it receive planetary status. Herschel wanted to call it “Georg’s Star,” but the scientific community preferred the name proposed by Johann Bode - Uranus, in honor of the ancient god Uranus, who is the personification of the sky.

The god Uranus in ancient mythology is the oldest of the gods, the creator of everything and everyone (including other gods), and also the grandfather of the supreme god Zeus (Jupiter).

Features of the planet Uranus

Uranium is 14.5 times heavier than our Earth. Nevertheless, it is the lightest planet among the giant planets, since its neighboring planet, although smaller in size, has a greater mass than Uranus. The relative lightness of this planet is due to its composition, a significant part of which is ice, and the ice on Uranus is the most diverse: there is ammonia, water, and methane ice. The density of Uranus is 1.27 g/cm3.

Temperature of Uranus

What is the temperature on Uranus? Due to its distance from the Sun, it is, of course, very cold, and the point here is not only its remoteness, but also the fact that the internal heat of Uranus is several times less than that of other planets. The planet's heat flow is extremely small, less than that of the Earth. As a result, one of the lowest temperatures in the solar system was recorded on Uranus - 224 C, which is even lower than that of Neptune, located even further from the Sun.

Is there life on Uranus

At the temperature described in the paragraph above, it is obvious that the origin of life on Uranus is not possible.

Atmosphere of Uranus

What is the atmosphere like on Uranus? The atmosphere of this planet is divided into layers, which are determined by temperature and surface. The outer layer of the atmosphere begins at a distance of 300 km from the conventional surface of the planet and is called the atmospheric corona; this is the coldest part of the atmosphere. Further closer to the surface there is the stratosphere and troposphere. The latter is the lowest and densest part of the planet’s atmosphere. The troposphere of Uranus has a complex structure: it consists of water clouds, ammonia clouds, and methane clouds mixed together in a chaotic manner.

The composition of the atmosphere of Uranus differs from the atmospheres of other planets due to the high content of helium and molecular helium. Also, a large proportion of the atmosphere of Uranus belongs to methane, a chemical compound that makes up 2.3% of all molecules in the atmosphere there.

Photo of the planet Uranus

Surface of Uranus

The surface of Uranus consists of three layers: a rocky core, an icy mantle and an outer shell of hydrogen and helium, which are in a gaseous state. It is also worth noting another important element that is part of the surface of Uranus - methane ice, which creates what is called the signature blue color of the planet.

Scientists also used spectroscopy to detect carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide in the upper layers of the atmosphere.

Yes, Uranus also has rings (as do other giant planets), albeit not as large and beautiful as those of its colleague. On the contrary, the rings of Uranus are dim and almost invisible, as they consist of many very dark and small particles, ranging in diameter from a micrometer to a few meters. Interestingly, the rings of Uranus were discovered earlier than the rings of other planets with the exception of Saturn; even the discoverer of the planet W. Herschel claimed that he saw rings on Uranus, but then they did not believe him, since the telescopes of that time did not have enough power for other astronomers to confirm what Herschel saw. Only two centuries later, in 1977, American astronomers Jameson Eliot, Douglas Mincom and Edward Dunham, using the Kuiper Observatory, were able to observe the rings of Uranus with their own eyes. Moreover, this happened by accident, since scientists were simply going to observe the atmosphere of the planet and, without expecting it, discovered the presence of rings.

There are currently 13 known rings of Uranus, the brightest of which is the epsilon ring. The rings of this planet are relatively young; they were formed after its birth. There is a hypothesis that the rings of Uranus are formed from the remains of some destroyed satellite of the planet.

Moons of Uranus

Speaking of moons, how many moons do you think Uranus has? And he has as many as 27 of them (at least those known at the moment). The largest are: Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Oberon and Titania. All of Uranus' moons are a mixture of rock and ice, with the exception of Miranda, which is made entirely of ice.

This is what the satellites of Uranus look like compared to the planet itself.

Many satellites do not have an atmosphere, and some of them move inside the rings of the planet, through which they are also called inner satellites, and all of them have a strong connection with the ring system of Uranus. Scientists believe that many moons were captured by Uranus.

Rotation of Uranus

The rotation of Uranus around the Sun is perhaps the most interesting feature of this planet. Since we wrote above, Uranus rotates differently than all other planets, namely “retrograde”, just like a ball rolling on the earth. As a result of this, the change of day and night (in our usual understanding) on ​​Uranus occurs only near the equator of the planet, despite the fact that it is located very low above the horizon, approximately like in the polar latitudes on Earth. As for the poles of the planet, “polar day” and “polar night” replace each other once every 42 Earth years.

As for the year on Uranus, one year there is equal to our 84 earthly years; it is during this time that the planet circles in its orbit around the Sun.

How long does it take to fly to Uranus?

How long is the flight to Uranus from Earth? If, with modern technologies, a flight to our closest neighbors, Venus, and Mars, takes several years, then a flight to such distant planets as Uranus can take decades. To date, only one spacecraft has made such a journey: Voyager 2, launched by NASA in 1977, reached Uranus in 1986, as you can see, the one-way flight took almost a decade.

It was also planned to send the Cassini apparatus, which was engaged in studying Saturn, to Uranus, but then it was decided to leave Cassini near Saturn, where it died quite recently - in September last 2017.

• Three years after its discovery, the planet Uranus became the setting for a satirical pamphlet. Science fiction writers often mention this planet in their science fiction works.
• Uranus can be seen in the night sky with the naked eye, you just need to know where to look, and the sky must be perfectly dark (which, unfortunately, is not possible in modern cities).
• There is water on the planet Uranus. But the water on Uranus is frozen, like ice.
• The planet Uranus can confidently be awarded the laurels of “the coldest planet” in the solar system.

Planet Uranus, video

And in conclusion, an interesting video about the planet Uranus.