SOLAR SYSTEM

• Our solar system is located in the milky way galaxy’s Orion star cluster.
• Only 15% of stars in our galaxy host planetary system, one which of which is our sun.
• Revolving around the sun are 8 planets, which are divided into 2 categories
I. Terrestrial Planets – planets made up of rocky material, solid surface, lacks rings system, very few to no
moon, relatively small.
a) Mercury - smallest and closest to the sun, shortest orbit in the solar system.
b) Venus – hottest planet due to an atmosphere of carbon dioxide and extensive lava flows.
c) Earth – water system of earth is capable to sustain life.
d) Mars – planet rich in iron, might have supported life billions of years ago due to remnants of water.
II. Jovian Planets – has multiple moons, support ring systems, no solid surface, relatively large.
A. Gas Giants – mainly composed of helium and hydrogen
a) Jupiter – largest planet
b) Saturn – second largest planet, has multiple rings
B. Ice Giants – composed rocks, ice, and mixture of water, methane, and ammonia
a) Uranus – famous for rotating on its side
b) Neptune – outermost planet in the solar system and coldest planet.
Asteroid Belt – orbiting around
the terrestrial planets, a flat disc
of rocky objects which are the
remnants of solar system’s
formation. Largest Dwarf
Planet Ceres is also found in
this region.

Kuiper Belt – icy disc of

asteroids, home to dwarf planet
Pluto.

Oort Cloud – collection of icy

debris, edge of the solar system.
A region where the
gravitational influences of the
sun ends.
 ASTEROIDS, METEORITES,
COMETS
• Asteroids are small, rocky objects that orbit the
Sun. Although asteroids orbit the Sun like planets,
they are much smaller than planets.

• Meteorites are tiny bits of asteroids that have

flown through our atmosphere and landed on
Earth’s surface.

• Comets are large objects made of dust and ice that

orbit the Sun. Best known for their long,
streaming tails, these ancient objects are leftovers
from the formation of the solar system 4.6 billion
years ago.