Characteristics of Planets in the Solar System from Mercury-Neptune, Students Must Know!

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One of the many celestial bodies scattered in the solar system and has an important role, namely the planet. But, do you know what it really means and what? characteristics of the planet?

In the Milky Way galaxy, we know 8 planets that revolve around the sun as the center of the solar system. The eight planets in the solar system are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

Each planet has characteristics or characteristics of the planet that make it different from one another so that we can recognize it. It’s not only the earth where we live that we must recognize, let’s have a look characteristics of the planet in general and more specifically from each planet in the Milky Way galaxy.

Definition of Planets

According to the NASA Solar System Exploration page, planet is a term whose answer is not simple. However, if quoting from International Astronomical Unionis said to be a planet if it meets the following 3 criteria:

• Orbiting a star, in the Milky Way the planet orbits the sun as a star
• Big enough to have gravity capable of forming it into a ball
• Its gravity is capable of clearing objects of the same size in near orbit around the sun

Another definition says, the origin of the word planet is from the Greek “planetai” which means wanderer. Behind that meaning, the meaning of a planet is a celestial body whose position to the star is not fixed. Therefore, this celestial body cannot emit its own light.

Planet Features

Still sourced from NASA, characteristics of the planet In general, they are quite similar to each other, including the following:

• Planets have atmospheres (except mercury)
• The planet continues to rotate on its axis
• Planets revolve around the sun
• Has enough mass to have its own gravity

What about the specific planetary characteristics of the 8 planets? Let’s see!

Planet Features Mercury

The name Mercury comes from the name of the god of the Roman empire. Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun. Characteristics of the planet Mercury is the surface temperature during the day reaches 400 degrees Celsius, but at night it drops to 180 degrees Celsius.

Although called the smallest planet in the solar system, Mercury has a weight that is almost similar to the weight of the earth with a diameter of 4,879 km. Mercury has an average distance from the Sun of 57.9 million km with a rotation period of 58.65 days and a revolution period of 88 days.

Characteristics of the Planet Venus

The planet Venus is also called the evening star or the morning star which we can observe in the evening and before sunrise. Characteristics of the planet Venus has a thick layer of atmosphere and can reflect sunlight well.

Venus is the hottest planet in the solar system with temperatures reaching more than 470 degrees Celsius. Venus is the only planet that rotates clockwise. Its diameter is 12,104 km, its average distance from the sun is 108.2 million km.

The period of rotation of Venus is 243 days while the time of its revolution is 224.7 days. On this planet the sun rises from the west, the opposite of the earth. This is because the direction of Venus’ rotation is from east to west.

Characteristics of Planet Earth

Earth is a planet that can be inhabited by living things because it has a relatively fixed temperature. This temperature maintains the availability of water and keeps oxygen-producing organisms alive.

The Earth’s surface is filled more than 70% while the rest is land. Earth’s atmosphere has a thickness of up to 700 km which mostly includes nitrogen and oxygen. The diameter of the Earth is 12,756.3 km with an average distance from the Sun of 149.6 million km.

Earth’s rotation period is 23 hours 57 minutes while the time of its revolution is 365, 242 days. The average temperature on Earth is 15 degrees Celsius. Earth has one natural satellite, namely the moon.

Characteristics of the Planet Mars

Mars is the name of the god of war and legend from the Romans. Mars is called the red planet. Characteristics of the planet Mars’s surface consists of volcanoes, valleys, ice sheets, and dry rivers.

Mars has two small satellites named Phobos and Deimos. It has a diameter of 6,794 km with an average distance from the Sun of 227.9 million km. Mars has a rotation period of 9 hours 56 minutes and a period of revolution of 11 years 10 months 3 days. While the average temperature reaches -65 degrees Celsius.

Characteristics of the Planet Jupiter

Jupiter, also known as the planet Zeus. The term is taken from the name of the ancient Greek god king. Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system. In fact, the diameter of this planet reaches 11 times the diameter of Earth and weighs about twice the total weight of all the planets in the solar system.

Characteristics of the planet Jupiter’s surface is covered by thick clouds made up of 10 percent helium gas and 90 percent hydrogen. Its diameter is 139,822 km with an average distance from the Sun of 778.3 million km. While the period of rotation is 10 hours 40 minutes and the period of revolution is 29, 42 years.

Has an average temperature of about 50 degrees Celsius. Jupiter has a total of 16 satellites and has rings. Jupiter can reflect 70 percent of the light from the sun to its surface.

Characteristics of the Planet Saturn

Most of the components of the planet Saturn are hydrogen and helium. On that planet, the winds are so strong that they even exceed the storms on earth. The wind rotates non-stop at the equator at a speed of 1,100 km/hour.

The characteristics of the planet Saturn is that it has a diameter of 120,536 km with an average distance from the Sun of 1433.5 million km. The period of rotation is 10 hours and 40 minutes, while the period of revolution is 29.42 years. On Saturn, the average temperature reaches -140 degrees Celsius.

This planet has 18 satellites and has rings of rock and ice. The surface is made up of ice crystals that float when placed in water.

Characteristics of the Planet Uranus

Uranus is the seventh planet from the sun at a distance of about 2,872 km. This makes one characteristics of the planet Uranus is able to make one revolution which takes almost 84 years.

The surface of Uranus is very cold because it is far from the Sun. In summer, the sun on Uranus can be received for 20 years. While in winter, Uranus is shrouded in darkness for more than 20 years.

In autumn, the sun rises and sets every 9 hours. The planet Uranus is 50,724 km in diameter. The period of rotation is 17 hours and 14 minutes and the period of revolution is 84 years. The average temperature on Uranus is -140 degrees Celsius.

Uranus has 27 satellites and has rings. It is a bluish-green color obtained from a thick methane atmosphere. Uranus’ axis of rotation coincides with the plane of the orbit; The north pole and south pole alternately face the sun.

Characteristics of the Planet Neptune

The planet Neptune has a diameter of 50,500 km with a distance to the sun of approximately 4,500 million km. The period of rotation is 16 hours 7 minutes and the time of revolution is 164.8 years.

Neptune was first discovered 65 years after Uranus was discovered. Characteristics of the planet Neptune is a bright turquoise color, often nicknamed the troublemaker because it often circulates outside the orbital line. In addition, Neptune is also known as the twin planet of Uranus.

The planet’s atmosphere is made up of 80% hydrogen, 19% helium and 1.5% methane. Its surface is covered with a very thick layer of ice. The temperature on the surface reaches approximately -223 degrees Celsius. Neptune has 14 satellites and has rings.

Well, that’s some characteristics of the planet in the solar system you need to know, detikers! Do you think there is a planet whose criteria are similar to Earth?

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