The Solar System.(Brief Article)

Mars and Earth are two of the principal planets of what is commonly called the solar system. The planets in our solar system follow fixed paths in space, which are determined by the planets' relationships to the sun.

The gravitational attraction between the massive sun and these planets causes the planets to orbit, or move, in a fixed path around the sun.

The sun has a large number of orbiting bodies.

Complete this chart. First, complete the information about Earth: Use information you have learned in this unit or refer to an almanac or encyclopedia. Then read the information about the other planets and fill in the name of each planet.

 
        Diameter at   Hours in           Length of 
Planet  its equator   one day            a year 
 
Earth 
 
        89,000 miles  9.8 Earth hours    11.9 Earth years 
 
 
        4,200 miles   24.6 Earth hours   1.9 Earth years 
 
 
        7,500 miles   5,830 Earth hours  7.5 Earth months 
 
 
        31,600 miles  17.2 Earth hours   84.0 Earth years 
 
 
 
 
        75,000 miles  10.2 Earth hours   29.5 Earth years 
 
 
 
        1,370 miles   6.4 Earth hours    248 Earth years 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
        3,000 miles   1,408 Earth hours  3 Earth months 
 
 
 
        30,700 miles  16.1 Earth hours   165 Earth yeors 
 
 
 
 
 
        Orbit tilt measured  Known  Average orbital 
Planet  from its equator     moons  speed 
 
Earth 
 
        3.1 degrees          16     29,000 miles per hour 
 
 
        25.2 degrees         2      54,000 miles per hour 
 
 
        2.6 degrees          0      78,000 miles per hour 
 
 
        82.1 degrees         15     15,000 miles per hour 
 
 
 
 
        26.7 degrees         17     21,500 miles per hour 
 
 
 
        62.0 degrees         1      ...