The Vast Solar System Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Vast Solar System - Assignment Example To further understand our solar system, it is important to get to know each planet that makes up the whole solar system. First of all, the earth in which we live in is the only planet that is able to support life. This is because of the fact that it consists of a thin layer of atmosphere that will protect living beings from cold and airless space outside. It is the third planet from the sun and is considered the fifth largest among other planets, with just a few hundred kilometers larger than planet Venus. Mercury, on the other hand is known to be the sun-scorched planet that is just slightly larger than the moon. It allows very little atmosphere and is covered with craters. During daytime, mercury is heated by the sun while at night, temperature in this planet drops hundreds of degrees below freezing that makes ice exist in its craters. Mercury has an egg-shaped orbit that revolves around the sun every 88 days. Venus, is another planet that is known for its having intense heat and v olcanic activity. It has a similar structure and size with the earth however Venus have thick and toxic atmosphere that traps heat in a â€Å"greenhouse effect†. This planet’s temperature is able to melt lead. A glimpse below the clouds would reveal volcanoes and deformed mountains. What is strange about Venus is that it spins slowly in the opposite direction of most planets in the solar system. Mars, is one that is considered a cold desert world. It has a size half of the Earth’s diameter and has the same amount of dry land. Just like Earth, Mars also goes through seasons, has polar ice caps, volcanoes, canyons, and weather. However, the difference between the two is that Mars has a very thin atmosphere for liquid water to exist for long in the surface. Research shows that Mars shows signs of ancient floods but evidence for water can only be seen through its icy soil and thin clouds. Jupiter is the biggest planet in the solar system. This is because of the fact that it has dozens of moons and an enormous magnetic field which forms a kind of its own solar system. Jupiter does not resemble a star when speaking of its composition but it does not grow big enough to ignite. The planet consists of swirling cloud stripes that are punctuated by massive storms such as the Great Red Spot which is continuously raging for years now. If you are looking for a unique planet among all that is in the solar system, Saturn is the one that will perfectly meet the description. It is adorned with thousands of beautiful ringlets where all four gas giant planets have rings, which are basically made up of chunks of ice and rock but no other planet could compare to the spectacular and at the same time complicated rings Saturn has. Like other gas giants, Saturn consists mostly of a massive ball of hydrogen and helium. However, according to astronomers, Saturn is the most distant of the five planets first known. Saturn has a volume which is 755 times greater than th at of the Earth where winds in its upper atmosphere would reach 500 meters per second in the equatorial region. These fast and strong winds combined with heat rising from within Saturn’s interior are the ones that cause the yellow and gold bands visible in the atmosphere that makes it unique. Uranus is the only giant planet who has an equator nearly at the right angles to its orbit. It has a size nearly the same with Neptune however, Uranus has more methane and is mainly made up of hydrogen and helium atmosphere than Jupiter or Saturn. Uranus has a blue tint which is caused by the methane. This planet was the first planet to be found using a telescope and