The Planets and Life

1. The Planets and Life Where could we find it?

2. Mercury • Slightly larger than Earth’s moon • Surface temp.= -300℉ - 800℉ • Possible iron core • Rocky outer layer • Thin, brittle crust • Once volcanic • No atmosphere Images courtesy of JPL

3. Mercury • Rotation on axis= 58.65 days • Orbits the sun= 88 days • Mean distance from sun= 36 million miles • No satellites • Gravity= .38 x Earth • Diameter= 3,030 miles

4. Venus • Very thick carbon dioxide atmosphere • Thick sulfuric acid clouds • Interior of planet similar to Earth • Surface temp.= 900℉ • Surface pressure 90x that of Earth • 1600 major volcanoes, large lava plains • Two large continents with high mountain ranges, and a few large islands

5. Venus • Surface still in motion • Diameter= 7,522 miles • Strong greenhouse effect • Rotation on axis= 243 days • Orbits the sun= 226 days • Mean distance from sun= 67.5 million miles • Gravity= .9 x Earth

6. Earth • Formed 4.6 billion years ago • Atmosphere 78% nitrogen, and 21% oxygen • Small greenhouse effect • Magnetic field that protects the Earth • Changes in climate • Hydrosphere 70% water • 97% of that is salt water

7. Earth • Rotation on axis 24 hours • Orbits the sun= 365 days • Range of temp.= -128℉-136℉ • Mean distance from sun= 92.75 million miles • Gravity=1 • Diameter= 7,926 miles

9. Mars • Red color caused by iron oxide in the soil • Core may be dead • Volcanoes extinct • Largest volcano in SS-Olympus Mons~75,000ft • Largest valley in SS-Valles Marineris~2,500 miles long & 4 miles deep

10. Mars • Surface pressure is 1/100th that of Earth • Temperature range= -200℉ - 32℉ • Temps at equator can reach 60-80℉ • Length of day= 24h 34m • Orbits the sun= 687 days • Martian atmosphere is 95.3% CO2 • Evidence of vast oceans, rivers and lakes on the surface • Large amounts of water ice below the surface • Gravity= .33 x Earth

11. Mars • Gravity= .37 x Earth • Mean distance from sun= 141.5 million miles • Diameter= 4,217 miles

12. Asteroid Belt • Left-over remnants of the beginning of the Solar System 4.6 billion years ago • More than 100,000 lie in the Asteroid Belt • 3 types: C-type or carbonaceous, S-type, siliconaceous, M-type or metallic

13. Asteroid Belt • Remnants of an unformed planet • Asteroid Apophis • Many contain valuable minerals • Asteroid mining

14. Ceres • Smallest dwarf planet • Largest body in the asteroid belt • Contains 1/3 of the asteroid belts total mass • Diameter = 590 miles

15. Jupiter • Less solid material in interior compared to terrestrial planets • Interior made of liquid hydrogen and helium, methane, and ammonia • Large magnetosphere and gravitational pull generates much internal heat • Still evolving

16. Jupiter • Magnetosphere is so large it engulfs its moons and reaches to Saturn-the sun could fit inside of it • Creates a quadrupole • At least 63 moons • Europa and Callisto have water ice • Gravity= 2.64 x Earth • Day= 9.8 hours • Orbits the sun= 12 years • Average temp.= -101℉ • Mean distance from sun= 484 million miles • Diameter= 88,736 miles

17. Europa • Water ice surface • Possible water ocean under surface • Trace of oxygen in atmosphere • Discoloration possibly due to bacteria

18. Saturn • Surface similar to Jupiter-mostly gases, but liquid at high pressure • More sulfur in atmosphere gives yellow color • Large magnetosphere • Similar to Jupiter’s • Still evolving

19. Saturn • Rotation on axis= 10.67 hrs • Orbits the sun= 29.5 years • Temperature= -274℉ • 62 moons – 48 have been named • Mean distance from sun= 889 million miles • Gravity= .92 x Earth • Diameter= 74,500 miles

20. Titan • Only moon with an atmosphere • Larger than all dwarf planets • Liquid hydrocarbon lakes • ½ water ice and ½ rock • Atmosphere of methane

21. Enceladus • Water below the surface • Cassini discovered water geysers erupting from below the surface • Ice surface • Diameter= 314 miles

22. Uranus • Interior mostly liquid methane • Methane slush in atmosphere • Uranus does have a solid iron core • Still evolving • Planet rotates on its side • Large magnetosphere similar to Jupiter and Saturn

23. Uranus • Rotation on axis= 17.24 hours • Orbits the sun= 84 years • Temperature= -328℉ • Moons= 27 • Mean distance from sun= 1.78 billion miles • Gravity= .89 x Earth • Diameter= 32,000 miles

24. Neptune • Similar to Uranus=methane ice atmosphere • Large magnetosphere • Clouds of methane crystals • Magnetosphere has extreme tilt=60° • Moons=13 • Triton may have water ice surface

25. Neptune • Rotation on axis= 17.24 hrs • Orbits the sun= 165 years • Temperature= -364℉ • Mean distance from sun= 2.78 billion miles • Gravity= 1.12 x Earth • Diameter= 30,760 miles

28. Scattered Disc & Kuiper Belt

29. Oort Cloud

30. Oort Cloud

31. Oort Cloud

32. Eris • Surface similar to Pluto • Larger than Pluto • Moon=1 • Rotates on axis=? • Orbits the sun=560 years • 4th brightest Kuiper Belt object • Surface temp.= -405℉ • Diameter= 1,500 miles

34. Pluto • Planet mainly frozen nitrogen and rock • Possible rocky core • Atmosphere mostly nitrogen • Magnetosphere ????? • Moons= 3 • Diameter= 1,485 miles

35. Pluto • Rotation on axis=6.4 days • Orbits the sun=248 years • Mean distance from sun=3.7 billion miles • Gravity= .06 x Earth

36. 2005 FY9 • Pluto-like surface • Orbits the sun=307 years • 2nd brightest Kuiper Belt object • Diameter= 1,120 miles • Orbits= 310 y

37. 2003 EL61 • Surface=water ice • Orbits the sun= 285 years • Moons= 2 • 3rd brightest Kuiper Belt object • Diameter= 932 miles • Orbits= 284.5 y

38. Sedna • Diameter= 1,500 miles • Orbits= 12,050 y

39. Orcus • Diameter= 745 miles • Orbits= 247.5 y

40. Quaoar • Diameter= 684 miles • Orbits= 286 y

41. Varuna • Diameter= 582 miles • Orbits= 283.2 y

42. Ixion • Diameter= 511 miles • Orbits= 248.6 y

43. 2004 XR190 • Diameter= 373 miles • Orbits= 431 y 2004 XR190

44. 2002 TX 300 • Diameter= 559 miles • Orbits= ???

45. 2002 TC302 • Diameter= 746 miles • Orbits= 408 y • Distance=39 to 71 AU

46. Plutinos : Pluto* | 1993 RO | 1993 RP | 1993 SB | 1993 SC | 1994 TB | 1995 QZ9 | 1996 SZ4 | 1996 TP66 | 38083 Rhadamanthus | 38628 Huya | 28978 Ixion | 2003 VS2 | 90482 Orcus Cubewanos: 1998 WW31 | 1992 QB1 | 1994 GV9 | 1994 JQ1 | 1994 VK8 | 1996 TO66 | 19521 Chaos | 53311 Deucalion | 2002 AW197 | 50000 Quaoar | 2002 MS4 | 2002 TX300 | 2002 UX25 | 58534 Logos | 2004 GV9| 2003 EL61 | 2005 FY9 | Unnumbered: 2003 AZ84 | 2003 QW90 | 2005 RN43 • Twotinos: Unnumbered: 1996 TR66 | 1998 SM165 | 1997 SZ10 | 1999 RB216 | 2000 JG81 • Scattered disc objects: Eris* | 2002 TC302 | 1995 TL8 | 1996 GQ21 | 1996 TL66 | 2000 OO67 | 2000 OM67 | 2001 KC77 | 2001 UR163 | 2002 CY224 | 2002 GX32 | 90377 Sedna** Unnumbered: 2004 XR190 • Unclassified Objects : 1994 JS | 1994 JR1 | 1995 DA2 | 1995 SM55 | 1996 TQ66 | 1997 CR29 | 1997 CS29 | 1997 CU29 | 1997 QJ4 | 1998 HJ151 | 1998 HK151 | 1998 HP151 | 1998 HM151 | 1998 KR65 | 1998 SM165 | 1998 SN1651998 US43 | 1998 VG44 | 1998 WW24 | 1998 WA31 | 1998 WU31 | 1998 WA25 | 1999 CP133 | 1999 CL158 | 1999 CC158 | 1999 DF9 | 1999 HT11 | 1999 HB12 | 1999 HC12 | 1999 KR16 | 1999 OY3 • Natural satellites : Charon (Pluto) | Hydra (Pluto) | Nix (Pluto) | Dysnomia (Eris) | S/2000 (1998 WW31) 1 | S/2005 (2003 EL61) 1 | S/2005 (2003 EL61) 2 | (58534) Logos I Zoe

47. Definition of Life • During this week we will be discussing the definition of life and where we may find it in the solar system. • Write down on a piece of paper what you think is the definition of life. Save that piece of paper because you will be revising your definition throughout the week. • Now, share that definition with a few of your neighbors. As a group, come up with a group definition of life.