GENERAL KNOWLEDGE ABOUT PLANETS
GENERAL KNOWLEDGE ABOUT PLANETS
1. mercury
• Its distance from Sun is 58 million kms.
• Its revolution period is 88 days.
• Its rotation period is 58 days, 15 hours and 30 minutes.
• It has no moon.
• It is the nearest planet to the sun.
• It is also the smallest planet of the solar system.
• It is the fastest planet.
• Its radius is 2,433 kms and diameter is 4,878 kms.
• It is covered with holes called Craters.
• It has no atmosphere.
• The temperature on mercury vary between 420 0C (7900F) in the day and -180 0C (-2900F) at nights.
2. Venus
Venus Apart from the moon, Venus is the brightest object in the sky. Venus can be seen with naked eye in the morning or in the evening. Following are the main characteristics of the Venus.
• Its distance from the Sun is 108 million kms.
• Its revolution period is 224.7/225 days.
• Its rotation period is 243 days and 14 hours (longest day)
• It has no moon.
• It is the nearest neighbour of the earth in the solar system.
• It is the brightest planet.
• It is also the hottest planet.
• Its diameter is 12,102 kms.
• It is wrapped in thick clouds of CO2 gas.
• It rotates from east to west as opposite to most other planets.
3. Earth
The earth is the largest and the densest of the four terrestrial planets. It is the most wonderful planet of the solar system. Following are the features of the Earth.
• Its distance from the Sun is 150 million kms.
• Its revolution period is 365 ¼ days.
• Its rotation period is 23 hours, 56 minutes, 40 seconds.
• It has one moon.
• It is the densest planet.
• It is also the watery and bios planet.
• Its diameter is 12756 km (7927 miles equatorial and 7900 miles polar diameter)
• It has atmosphere which contains 78% Nitrogen, and 21% Oxygen.
• Its two-thirds surface is covered with oceans.
• The earth‘s surface is rich in Oxygen, Silicon, Aluminium, Iron, Calcium, Sodium etc.
4. Mars
• Distance form sun 228 million kms.
• Revolution period 687 days.
• Rotation period 24 h, 37 min and 22 sec.
• It has two moons Phobos and Deimos.
• Its diameter is 6794 kms.
• Mars is covered with red dust.
• It has an atmosphere composed almost entirely of CO2.
• Its average temperature is -53 0C.
5. Jupiter
• Its distance from sun is 778 million kms.
• Revolution period 12 years.
• Rotation period 9h, 50min, and 30 sec. (smallest day)
• It has 63 moons.
• It is the largest planet of the solar system.
• It has the largest number of satellites.
• Its diameter is 1, 24,800 kms.
• Its diameter is eleven times greater than the earth‘s diameter.
• It has a dense, cloudy atmosphere of hydrogen and helium.
• It has a rock-iron-ice core about 15, 000 km (9,000 miles) thick.
• Jupiter radiates 67% more heat than it receives from the sun. this is mainly due to dissipation of the primordial heat of the planet.
6. Saturn
In 1610, Galileo became the first person to look at Saturn through telescope.
• Distance from Sun 1427 million kms.
• Revolution period 30 years.
• Rotation period 10h, 14 mins.
• It has 62 moons.
• The largest moon of Saturn is the Titan and it is the second-largest moon in the solar system. Titan is larger than the planet Mercury.
• It is the second largest planet.
• It has a magnificent system of rings.
• Its diameter is 1, 20, 000 km.
7. Uranus
When sky is very dark and very clear Uranus can be seen with the naked eyes. The planet was discovered by William Herschel in March 1787.
• Its distance from Sun is 2869.9 million kms.
• Revolution period is 84 years.
• Rotation period is 16h, and 10 mins.
• It has 27 moons.
• Titania is the largest moon of Uranus.
• It has an atmosphere which is dominated by hydrogen and helium.
• Its diameter is 52, 400 km. 8. Neptune Neptune was discovered by the German astronomer Johann Galle.
• Distance from Sun 4496, 6 million kms.
• Revolution period 165 years (largest year)
• Rotation period 18 hours.
• Neptune has 13 moons that we know of. The largest moon is Triton.
• It is the coldest planet.
• It is the slowest to move around the sun.
• Its diameter is 49,100 kms.
• It is known as the twin of Uranus due to their similarity of size, mass and composition.
• Its distance from Sun is 58 million kms.
• Its revolution period is 88 days.
• Its rotation period is 58 days, 15 hours and 30 minutes.
• It has no moon.
• It is the nearest planet to the sun.
• It is also the smallest planet of the solar system.
• It is the fastest planet.
• Its radius is 2,433 kms and diameter is 4,878 kms.
• It is covered with holes called Craters.
• It has no atmosphere.
• The temperature on mercury vary between 420 0C (7900F) in the day and -180 0C (-2900F) at nights.
2. Venus
Venus Apart from the moon, Venus is the brightest object in the sky. Venus can be seen with naked eye in the morning or in the evening. Following are the main characteristics of the Venus.
• Its distance from the Sun is 108 million kms.
• Its revolution period is 224.7/225 days.
• Its rotation period is 243 days and 14 hours (longest day)
• It has no moon.
• It is the nearest neighbour of the earth in the solar system.
• It is the brightest planet.
• It is also the hottest planet.
• Its diameter is 12,102 kms.
• It is wrapped in thick clouds of CO2 gas.
• It rotates from east to west as opposite to most other planets.
3. Earth
The earth is the largest and the densest of the four terrestrial planets. It is the most wonderful planet of the solar system. Following are the features of the Earth.
• Its distance from the Sun is 150 million kms.
• Its revolution period is 365 ¼ days.
• Its rotation period is 23 hours, 56 minutes, 40 seconds.
• It has one moon.
• It is the densest planet.
• It is also the watery and bios planet.
• Its diameter is 12756 km (7927 miles equatorial and 7900 miles polar diameter)
• It has atmosphere which contains 78% Nitrogen, and 21% Oxygen.
• Its two-thirds surface is covered with oceans.
• The earth‘s surface is rich in Oxygen, Silicon, Aluminium, Iron, Calcium, Sodium etc.
4. Mars
• Distance form sun 228 million kms.
• Revolution period 687 days.
• Rotation period 24 h, 37 min and 22 sec.
• It has two moons Phobos and Deimos.
• Its diameter is 6794 kms.
• Mars is covered with red dust.
• It has an atmosphere composed almost entirely of CO2.
• Its average temperature is -53 0C.
5. Jupiter
• Its distance from sun is 778 million kms.
• Revolution period 12 years.
• Rotation period 9h, 50min, and 30 sec. (smallest day)
• It has 63 moons.
• It is the largest planet of the solar system.
• It has the largest number of satellites.
• Its diameter is 1, 24,800 kms.
• Its diameter is eleven times greater than the earth‘s diameter.
• It has a dense, cloudy atmosphere of hydrogen and helium.
• It has a rock-iron-ice core about 15, 000 km (9,000 miles) thick.
• Jupiter radiates 67% more heat than it receives from the sun. this is mainly due to dissipation of the primordial heat of the planet.
6. Saturn
In 1610, Galileo became the first person to look at Saturn through telescope.
• Distance from Sun 1427 million kms.
• Revolution period 30 years.
• Rotation period 10h, 14 mins.
• It has 62 moons.
• The largest moon of Saturn is the Titan and it is the second-largest moon in the solar system. Titan is larger than the planet Mercury.
• It is the second largest planet.
• It has a magnificent system of rings.
• Its diameter is 1, 20, 000 km.
7. Uranus
When sky is very dark and very clear Uranus can be seen with the naked eyes. The planet was discovered by William Herschel in March 1787.
• Its distance from Sun is 2869.9 million kms.
• Revolution period is 84 years.
• Rotation period is 16h, and 10 mins.
• It has 27 moons.
• Titania is the largest moon of Uranus.
• It has an atmosphere which is dominated by hydrogen and helium.
• Its diameter is 52, 400 km. 8. Neptune Neptune was discovered by the German astronomer Johann Galle.
• Distance from Sun 4496, 6 million kms.
• Revolution period 165 years (largest year)
• Rotation period 18 hours.
• Neptune has 13 moons that we know of. The largest moon is Triton.
• It is the coldest planet.
• It is the slowest to move around the sun.
• Its diameter is 49,100 kms.
• It is known as the twin of Uranus due to their similarity of size, mass and composition.
Short Note (Solar System)
Lunar Eclipse: The partial or complete obscuration of light of moon for an observer on the earth is called lunar eclipse. Lunar eclipse takes place when the earth comes in position between the sun and the moon. In this way, the shadow of the earth is cast on the moon and the moon does not get sunlight in this position. Lunar eclipse occurs only when there is full moon. But this does not happen on every full moon because of inclination of the axis of earth to its orbit.
Solar Eclipse:
Solar eclipse occurs when the moon comes in between the Sun and the earth and its shadow is cast across the face of the earth. The solar eclipse occurs when the moon moves to a position between the Sun and the Earth. During this process it throws shadow on the earth. This shadow is categorized in umbral and penumbra. The people who are in the umbral region are unable to see the sun at all. This condition is known as the total eclipse of the sun. While the people in penumbra region can see the sun partly this is known as the partial eclipse of the sun. This happens with the new moon when the moon is in conjunction with the sun. this does not happen at every new moon because of the inclination of the orbit of the moon to the orbit of earth around the sun.
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