A FA3 group activity that I did in 8th Standard @ Gregorian Public School, Maradu

1. From Mars to
Neptune

2. FACTFILE-INFORMATION-RECORDS-VISITORS-
MOONS-ABOUT A.HALL&G.SCHAPARELLI

3.  Distance from the Sun: 227.9 million km
 Equatorial diameter: 6790 km
 Weight: 6.4169 x 1023 Kg
 Temperature at surface: -120o
C to 25o
C
 Rotational Period: 24.37 hours/1.025957 days
 Orbital Period: 687.256 Earth Days
 Number of moons: 2(Deimos, Phobos)
 Main Gases: Carbon Dioxide(CO2 ) ,
Argon(Ar), Nitrogen(N)
 Largest Moon: Phobos

4.  Mars is the 4th nearest planet to the Sun. It is red in color
because of the presence of iron oxide (Ferrous Oxide).
 It is named after the Roman god of war. It is also called
Ares, after the Greek god of war. Egyptians named Mars
‘Her Desher’, which means The Red Planet.
 A terrestrial planet with a thin atmosphere(mostly contain
CO2), Mars has surface features reminiscent both of the
impact craters of the Moon and the volcanoes, valleys,
deserts and polar ice caps of Earth .
 The atmosphere is so thin that the pressure at surface is less
than 1% of that on Earth. Mars’ rotational period and
seasonal cycles are likewise similar to those of Earth. Mars
has 2 white polar regions, while the rest of the planet is in
red colour. The northern ice cap is formed mostly of water
ice, while the southern cap is dry ice (frozen carbon
dioxide).

5.  It has the highest mountain in our Solar
System-The Olympus Mons(27 kms high).
 It has the largest canyon- Valles Marineris.
 It has the smallest known planetary moon in
our Solar System- Daimyos.
 The Red Planet.

6. Sl.No Name Year Country Hit/Flop
1
Mariner-3, 4; 6,7;8:9
1964 - 1972
USA Hit, Hit, Hit, Flop, Hit
2 Viking-1,Viking-2 1975 USA Hit
3 Mars Observer 1992 Flop
4 Mangalyaan 2014 India Hit
5
Polar Lander, Mars Climate Orbiter,
Mars Polar Lander
1999,1998,1999 USA Flop3
6 Mars 4,5,6,7 1960 - 1973 Russia Partial Hit, Hit, Hit, Hit
7 Mars Express(M E O, Beagle 2) 2003 ESA
MEO was a hit and
Beagle2 failed.
8 Nosomi 1998 Japan Partial Hit

7.  As mentioned above, Mars
have 2 moons Phobos, Deimos.
Both were discovered by
American Astrologist Asaph
Hall in 1877, with the help of
principles of scientist Johannes
Kepler. It is believed that both
these moons have been
asteroids, which were pulled
into orbit by Martian Gravity.
 PHOBOS
The word ‘Phobos’ in Greek means
fear. It rotates 3 times around
Mars in one Earth-Day. It revolves
opposite to Mars(like Venus
around Sun). It is also called ‘The
Black Moon’ because of its black
rocks. It is not a sphere like Moon.
It is the nearest moon to Mars. It’s
lowest and highest distance is
6000-9378 kms. Average
Diameter of Phobos is only 22km.
Phobos appears to rise in the west
and set in east, as it orbits Mars in
less time, than Mars takes to
rotate on its axis.
 DEIMOS
The word ‘Deimos’ in Greek means
Anxiety. It is the smallest known
planetary moon in our Solar
System. It has black rocks, similar
to Phobos. Its surface is smudged
with meteors, but is more softer
than Phobos. It is not
spherical(which is again similar to
Phobos). The diameter of Deimos
is 12 km.

8. ASAPH HALL
Asaph Hall III (October 15, 1829 – November 22, 1907) was an
American astronomer who is most famous for having discovered the
moons of Mars, Deimos and Phobos, in 1877. He determined the
orbits of satellites of other planets and of double stars, the rotation of
Saturn, and the mass of Mars.
GIOVANNI SCHIAPARELLI
Giovanni Virginio Schiaparelli (14 March 1835 – 4 July 1910) was an
Italian astronomer and science historian. An observer of objects in
the solar systems, Schiaparelli worked with binary stars, discovered
the asteroid 69 Hesperia on 29 April 1861. He proved, for example,
that the orbit of the Leonidas meteor shower coincided with that of
the Comet Tempel-Tuttle. These observations led the astronomer to
formulate the hypothesis, subsequently proved to be correct, that the
meteor showers could be the trails of comets.

9. FACTFILE-INFORMATION-RECORDS-VISITORS-MOONS
-ABOUT G.GALILEI

10.  Distance from the Sun: 778.3 million km
 Weight: 1.8986 x 1016 Tons
 Equatorial Diameter: 139,822 km
 Atmospheric Temperature: -150o
C
 Rotational Period: 9hours, 50minutes
 Orbital Period: 11.86 Earth-Years
 Number of moons: 67
 Major Gases: Hydrogen(H), Helium(He)
 Largest Moon: Ganymede
 Rings:4( Inner Halo,2 Gossamer Rings and Main
Ring)

11.  It is the 5th nearest planet to the Sun.
 It is the largest planet in our Solar
System.
 Named after the king of the Roman
gods, Jupiter is the giant of our solar
system. Its stripes are dark belts and
light zones created by strong east-
west winds in the planet's upper
atmosphere. Within these areas are
huge storm systems that have raged
for years. The Great Red Spot, one
such giant spinning storm, has existed
for at least three centuries. This
hurricane turns counterclockwise
every six days.
 It is the largest and the first planet
among the Gaseous Planets.
 It has the second most number of
moons in our Solar System. It has the
largest moon in our Solar System –
Ganymede.
 Even though not bright as Saturn's,
Jupiter also has rings, that were
formed by moon debris, Meteors,
dusts, etc. and binded together by
Jupiter's Gravitational Force.
 Jupiter has white and orange bands.
Ammonia clouds cause the white
bands, while orange is due to
ammonium hydrosulfide clouds.
Jupiter have thin, dark rings.
 The gravitational force of Jupiter is
that of 2.54 times that of the Earth.
 The high speed of Jupiter’s rotation
causes it to bulge around its equator
and flatten at poles.

12.  Biggest planet in the solar system. It is so big that it can hold
more than 1600 Earths in it!
 Fastest spinning planet.
 Jupiter has some of the oldest clouds among the Solar
System.
 Planet having the highest gravity. So, it is the heaviest
planet. It is called The Vacuum Cleaner of Solar System,
because it attracts objects that are passing through its orbit
due its large gravitational force.
 It is the heaviest planet in our Solar System. It weighs more
than twice as much as all the other planets put together
 Jupiter have the highest atmosphere-5000 kms high. The
Jupiter-ian clouds are colorful.
 It has the largest moon in the solar system-Ganymede.

13. S.l.no Name Year Country Hit/Flop Status Image
1 Juno(Juno is the
wife of God Jupiter)
2011 USA Yet to be
decided
On its
way
2 Pioneer 10, 11 1973 USA Hit
3 Voyager1, 2 1977(Re
ached at
1979
March)
USA Hit Active(C
urrent
Position:
Outside
Solar
System)
4 Galileo 1989 USA &
Germany
Hit Deorbite
d

14.  Jupiter have 63 moons. Ganymede is the largest moon- in
Jupiter and Solar System.
 Ganymede, Calisto, Io, Europa are the largest moons in
Jupiter. Ganymede(5262 km) is bigger than Mercury. Io is
similar to our Moon(3643.2 km)The are collectively called
the Galilean Moons, because they are discovered by Galileo
Galilei in 1610.
 Europa(3121 km) is smallest of Galilean Moons. It is said
that Europa have a tiny speck of life. Europa is filled ice.
The high temperature core of Europa helps to maintain the
water content between the ice layers. Sometimes there will
be some anaerobic bacterias in Europa.
 Io is the innermost Galilean satellite. Yellow-Orange
Sulphur spewed out by active volcanos cover its surface.
 Callisto(4820 km) is the outermost of the Galilean Moons.

15.  Galileo Galilei (15 February 1564– 8 January 1642),was
an Italian astronomer, physicist, engineer, philosopher,
and mathematician who played a major role in
the scientific revolution during the Renaissance .
Galileo has been called the "father of observational
astronomy", the "father of modern physics” and the
"father of science”. His contributions to observational
astronomy include the telescopic confirmation of
the phases of Venus, the discovery of the four largest
satellites of Jupiter (named the Galilean Moons in his
honor), and the observation and analysis of sunspots.
Galileo also worked in applied science and technology,
inventing an improved military compass and other
instruments.

17. FACTFILE-INFORMATION-RINGS-
RECORDS-VISITORS-MOONS-ABOUT
G.CASSINI&C.HUYGENS

18.  Distance from the Sun: 1.43 billion km
 Equatorial Diameter: 116,464 km
 Volume: 8.2713 x 1014 Km
 Atmospheric Temperature: -180o
C
 Rotational Period: 10hours, 39minutes
 Orbital Period: 29.46 Earth-Years
 Number of moons: 62(53 are unnamed moons)
 Major Gases: Hydrogen(H),Helium(He), pale
Ammonia(which makes its clouds)
 Largest Moon: Titan

19.  The north of Saturn is blue and the south, pale yellow. The ring
around the planet blocks the Sun’s rays from reaching north.
 Saturn is visibly flattened (oblate) when viewed through a small
telescope; its equatorial and polar diameters vary by almost 10%
(120,536 km vs. 108,728 km). This is the result of its rapid rotation
and fluid state. The other gas planets are also oblate, but not so
much so.
 Saturn is probably best known for the system of planetary
rings that makes it visually unique.[The rings extend from
6,630 km to 120,700 km outward from Saturn's equator, average
approximately 20 meters in thickness and are composed of 93%
water ice with traces of tholin impurities and 7%
amorphous carbon. The particles that make up the rings range in
size from specks of dust up to 10 m. While the other gas
giants also have ring systems, Saturn's is the largest and most
visible.

20.  The scientist Christian Huygens discovered the rings of Saturn in
1665. The discovery surprised him that he was afraid to tell
anyone about it. So he wrote it in code. Earlier in 1610, Galileo
Galilei. Had noticed something around Saturn. However, he did
not realize that they were rings. The telescopes were not powerful
at his times. In the 17th century, Geovanni Cassini, an Italian
astronomer(and first director of Paris Observatory), discovered 4
satellites of Saturn. He also spotted a major gap in the rings of
Saturn. This gap is known as Cassini Division.
 All the 3 rings lie in the plane of Saturn’s equator. The rings
around the center of Saturn start at abut 11200km from the
surface. The outermost ring has a diameter of about 16000km. The
entire ring system measures 272000km in diameter and is 25 km
thick.
 The rings are made up of millions of small solid particles and ice
crystals. Saturn's rings are brighter than the planet itself. The
middle ring is the brightest. It is separated from the outer ring by
a dark space.

21.  It has less density that it can float in water!(The
density of Saturn is 30% less than that of
water.) This low density together with its rapid
rotation, gives its elliptical shape.
 Second largest planet in the solar system.
 It has the 2nd largest moon in the Solar System-
Titan(5150 km) , which is as big as Mercury.
Titan has its own atmosphere.(unique and one
of its kind.) It has resembles to the new-born or
primitive Earth.

22. Sl.No Name Year Country Hit/Flop Status Image
1 Cassini-
Huygens
(The
Saturn
Orbit
Insertion
n and
Cassini
Solstice
Mission)
1997 USA-
ESA
Hit Orbiting
Saturn
from
2014
2 Pioneer
11
1973(rea
ched the
planet in
Septemb
er 1979)
USA Hit 90.716 A
AU from
Earth,
Decommi
issioned
3 Voyager
1,2
1977(rea
ched the
planet in
USA Hit Active(C
urrent
Position:

23.  Saturn has 62 moons, in which 53 are unnamed. The
major moons are Titan, Iapetus, Mimas, Enceladus,
Tethys, Hyperion, Phoebe, Janus, Epimetheus and
Rhea. Moons orbit Saturn in either clockwise or
counterclockwise.
 Janus & Epimetheus: Janus and Epimetheus speed
around Saturn in same orbit. In spite sharing the same
orbit, they have never crashed into one another. The
velocity of a moon depends on its distance from its
planet. Both are about the same distance from the
planet and hence orbit at about the same speed.
 Iapetus :Iapetus has a dark hemisphere and a bright
hemisphere.
 Phoebe: Phoebe is about 13 million kilometers away
from Saturn.

24. CHRISTIANN HUYGENS
 Christiaan Huygens, (14 April 1629 – 8 July 1695) was a prominent
Dutch mathematician and scientist. He is known particularly as
an astronomer, physicist and horologist. Huygens was a leading scientist of
his time.
 His work included early telescopic studies of the rings of Saturn and the
discovery of its moon Titan, the invention of the pendulum clock, centrifugal
force and other investigations in timekeeping. He published major studies
of mechanics and optics, and a pioneer work on games of chance.
GIOVANNI DOMENICO CASSINI
 Giovanni Domenico Cassini (8 June 1625 – 14 September 1712) was an Italian
mathematician ,astronomer , astrologer and engineer.]Cassini is known for his
work in the fields of astronomy and engineering. Cassini discovered four
satellites of the planet Saturn and noted the division of the rings of Saturn;
the Cassini Division was named after him. Giovanni Domenico Cassini was
also the first of his family to begin work on the project of creating
a topographic of France.
 The Cassini probe, launched in 1997, was named after him and became the
fourth to visit Saturn and the first to orbit the planet.

26. FACTFILE-INFORMATION-RECORDS-
RINGS-VISITORS-MOONS-ABOUT W.HERSCHEL

27.  Discoverer: William Herschel
 Birthday:1781
 Average distance from the Sun: 2.87 billion km
 Approximate Diameter: 50,724 km
 Atmospheric Temperature: -216o
C
 Day/Night: 17hours,14minutes
 Length of year: 84 Earth-Years
 Number of moons: 27
 Colour: Green(Thx to its Methane clouds which
absorbs the Red light)
 Number of rings: 13

28.  The seventh planet from the sun is so distant that it
takes 84 years to complete one orbit.
 The faint, dark rings of Uranus are made by dust ,very
tiny pieces of rock and ice.
 It is the only planet in the Solar System to spin on its
side. Billions of years ago, when the planets form, one
of them might have crashed into Uranus, changing its
rotation forever. The Sun is seen above a pole for 42
years. Then it moves upwards. After 21 years, the Sun
appears right overhead. Then it spirals down to the
other pole. Our Sun appears as a brighter star in Sky of
Uranus, for it is a distant planet.
 The interior of Uranus is believed to contain water,
methane, ammonia and rock.

29.  The first planet found with the aid of a
telescope, Uranus was discovered in 1781 by
astronomer William Herschel.
 It is the farthest planet we can see with our
naked eyes.
 Third largest planet in the Solar System.
 Coldest planet in the Solar System. It is called
‘The Ice Giant of Solar System’
 It is the only planet in the Solar System to spin
on its side. It seems to roll around the Sun.

30.  The green planet has dull rings.
 The rings of Uranus are too faint to be seen with ordinary
telescopes. The individual ring particles hardly reflect any
light.
 The outermost ring, known as Epsilon Ring, is gray in color.
The Epsilon Ring is 100 kilometer wide.
 The rings of Uranus are quite different from those of Jupiter
and Saturn. The Epsilon Ring is made of ice boulders. These
ice boulders have a diameter of several feet. Fine dust is
spread throughout the rings of Uranus.
 The first 9 rings were discovered in 1977. There are small
rings and even incomplete rings. Some of these are only 50
metres wide.
 The rings of Uranus are too faint to be seen with ordinary
telescopes.

31. Sl.No Name Year Country Hit or
Flop
Status Image
1 Voyager 2 1986 USA Hit Active(Cu
rrent
Position:
Outside
Solar
System)

32.  Uranus has 27 moons. They are Titiana, Cordelia,
Ophelia, Miranda.
 They are also faint like Uranus’ rings.
 Even the brightest and biggest moon, Titiana, can
be sighted only with the latest telescopes.
 Uranus, the seventh planet of the Solar System, has
27 known moons, all of which are named after
characters from the works of William Shakespeare
and Alexander Pope.
 Uranus's moons are divided into three groups:
thirteen inner moons, five major moons, and nine
irregular moons.

33.  Though astronomers spotted Uranus in 1690, they
mistook it for a star. But it was William Herschel ,
in 1781, who discovered that Uranus was a planet.
He discovered Uranus, many new nebulae,
clusters of stars and binary stars.
 He was the first person to correctly describe the
form of our Galaxy, The Milky Way.
 He and his sister Caroline Herschel spent long
nights making the first detailed study of the size of
the Universe.
 In 1789, William Herschel completed his telescope.
This telescope was worlds largest telescope for
over 50 years.

34. FACTFILE-INFORMATION-RECORDS-RINGS-MOONS-
VISITORS

35.  Distance from the Sun: 4.49 billion km
 Equatorial Diameter: 49,244 km
 Atmospheric Temperature: -214o
C
 Rotational Period: 16Hours, 7Minutes
 Orbital Period: 164.9 Earth-Years
 Number of moons: 14
 Colour: Blue(Thx to its Methane content)
 Number of Rings: 4
 Largest Moon: Triton

36.  Neptune is the eighth and farthest known planet
from the Sun in the Solar System.; Neptune is 17
times the mass of Earth.
 Neptune’s atmosphere is primarily composed of
hydrogen and helium, with traces of methane that
account for the planet’s blue appearance.
Neptune’s blue colour is much more vivid than
that of Uranus, which has a similar amount of
methane, so an unknown component is presumed
to cause Neptune’s intense colour.
 Neptune’s rings are faint, dark but contain few
bright arcs. It is made of dust and made of ice, dust
and tiny particles of ice.

37.  It is the fourth largest planet by diameter, and
the third largest by mass.
 Outermost of the gas giants.
 If Neptune were hollow, it would contain
nearly 60 Earths!
 Windiest planet in the Solar System.
 Farthest planet from the Sun.
 Triton( Neptune’s largest Moon) is the coldest
place in The Solar System-The temperature
goes to -235o C.

38.  Neptune has a set of four narrow, faint rings.
 Dust rose when tiny meteorites crashed on
Neptune’s moons. Later, these dust particles
joint to form the rings of Neptune.
 The rings appear to be arcs when viewed from
Earth-based telescopes. However, Voyager 2
discovered that the arcs were bright spots or
clumps in the ring system.

39.  Neptune has 14 moons(six was discovered by
Voyager). Largest of them is Triton.
 Triton( 2700Km diameter) is the massive moon
of Neptune. Triton is the coldest place in the
Solar System( The temperature is -235o c)
Geysers of Liquid Nitrogen burst through the
surface of Triton. Physically, Triton is
somewhat similar to Pluto. Triton moves in the
direction opposite to Neptune’s. The
gravitational pull of Neptune attracted Triton
to its present orbit.

40. Sl.No Name Year Country Hit/Flop Status Image
1 Voyager 1989 USA Hit Active(o
utside
Solar
System)

41. A Frenchman and an Englishman predicted the
existence of Neptune and a German discovered it.
The French astronomer Urbain LeVerrier and the
Englishman John Couch Adams concluded that a
planet lay beyond Uranus. Following the discovery
of Uranus, scientists were puzzled by its orbit. An
unknown planet seemed to be tugging at Uranus
with its gravitational force. The existence of such a
planet would solve this mystery. The predication
came true. Uranus was discovered on 23rd
September,1846 by Johann Gottfried Galle of Berlin
Observatory. He spotted Neptune in the location
foretold by Urbain LeVerrier.

42. Thanks for Watching

44. Aditya Ganesh
Anirudh Anil
Amit Thomas
Sterin Roy
Tejas Binu
Yeldho Shem Mathew