Sunday Observer Online
SUNDAY OBSERVER - SILUMINA eMobile Adz    

Home

Sunday, 7 July 2013

Untitled-1

observer
 ONLINE


OTHER PUBLICATIONS


OTHER LINKS

Marriage Proposals
Classified
Government Gazette

Planets in the solar system

Mercury is a small planet which orbits closer to the sun than any other planet in our solar system. It is very hot and features a barren, crater covered surface which looks similar to Earth's moon.

The surface of Mercury is very similar to our moon. It has a barren, rocky surface covered with many craters.Being so close to the Sun, the daytime temperature on Mercury is scorching - reaching over 400 Degrees Celsius.

At night, however, without an atmosphere to hold the heat in, the temperatures plummet, dropping to -180 Degrees Celsius. Mercury has a very low surface gravity.

Mercury has no atmosphere which means there is no wind or weather to speak of. There is also no water on the surface of Mercury, it is possible however that there could be water underneath the surface. Likewise, there is no air on the surface but it could be trapped underneath.

Mars facts

Mars, or the Red Planet as it is sometimes known, has a dusty, rocky surface and a thin atmosphere. Its relatively calm conditions and close proximity to earth make it the most likely destination for future planet exploration by humans.It has already been visited by a number of Mars Rovers in successful (and unsuccessful) robotic missions.

These highly advanced robots gather samples and record important scientific data for scientists back on Earth to study.

Mars is nicknamed the red planet because it is covered with rust-like dust. Even the atmosphere is a pinkish red, coloured by tiny particles of dust thrown up from the surface.

Mars experiences violent dust storms which continually change its surface. Mars has many massive volcanoes and is home to Olympus Mons, the largest volcano in our solar system.

It stands 21km high and is 600km across the base. Mars has a very thin atmosphere made mostly of carbon dioxide.

It is not thick enough to trap the sun's heat like Venus, so the planet is very cold. Temperatures range from -120 Degrees Celsius on winter nights to 25 Degrees Celsius in the summer.

Mars has many channels, plains and canyons on the surface which could have been caused by water erosion in the past. Mars has very weak gravity which cannot hold on to the atmosphere well. The polar ice caps consist of frozen Co2 (dry ice) which lies over a layer of ice.

Saturn facts

Perhaps the most beautiful planet in our solar system (other than earth of course) due to its spectacular ring system, Saturn is a gas giant that features many extreme physical features and atmospheric conditions.

Saturn is the second largest planet in our solar system and is another gas giant. Saturn has a small rocky core covered with liquid gas.It is surrounded by a system of rings that stretch out into space for thousands of kilometres.

The rings are made up of millions of ice crystals, some as big as houses and others as small as specks of dust.

Saturn is very light as it is made up of more hydrogen than helium so it is less dense. If we could fit Saturn into a bathtub it would float (but that would have to be one big bathtub!)

Like Jupiter, Saturn has many moons which surround it. Saturn is not a peaceful planet. Storm winds race around the atmosphere at 800kmp/h. Saturn has a very strong magnetic field which traps energy particles resulting in high levels of radiation.

- Internet

EMAIL |   PRINTABLE VIEW | FEEDBACK

Donate Now | defence.lk
www.apiwenuwenapi.co.uk
LANKAPUVATH - National News Agency of Sri Lanka
Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL)
www.army.lk
www.news.lk
www.defence.lk
 

| News | Editorial | Finance | Features | Political | Security | Sports | Spectrum | Montage | Impact | World | Obituaries | Junior | Youth |

 
 

Produced by Lake House Copyright © 2013 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.

Comments and suggestions to : Web Editor