Planet Information: We explain what a planet is and its main characteristics. Also, we explain the planets of the solar system and what a natural satellite is. Please read other MTV articles for more information. If you share it, it will be of little help to us.
What is a planet?
A planet is a celestial object that orbits a star, is spherical in shape, and does not share its orbit with other similar objects, according to the definition proposed by the International Astronomical Union in 2006.
The Earth, like the other seven planets in the solar system, orbits the Sun. They all share the characteristics that define a body as a planet, but differ depending on their composition and location relative to the Sun. Must Read About Anger Once.
In this sense, there are two groups of planets in the solar system: the four inner planets, called terrestrial or rocky (Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars), and the four outer planets, which are gaseous (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune). Outside the solar system, more than 5,000 planets, called exoplanets, are believed to exist.
Characteristics of a Planet
The main characteristics of planets are the following:
- They are celestial objects that orbit a star.
- They are spherical in shape.
- They are not accompanied by similar objects orbiting them.
- They perform two movements: rotation on their own axis and translation around their star.
- They can be classified as terrestrial and gaseous.
- They may have moons or natural satellites orbiting them.
- They may have rings.
- If they are found outside the solar system, they are known as exoplanets.
Types of Planets
Planets can be classified into three main categories: terrestrial, gas giants, and dwarf planets.
- Terrestrial planets: These are rocky planets with a solid surface. They usually have mountains, volcanoes, valleys, and craters on their surfaces. They are smaller compared to gas giants and have a relatively thin atmosphere. Most terrestrial planets are located closer to their star, so their temperatures are usually high.
- Gas giants: These are planets composed primarily of gases such as hydrogen and helium, although they can also contain other elements. They are much larger than terrestrial planets, lack a defined solid surface, and have a very extensive atmosphere. Gas giants have enormous ring systems and moons, and, due to their size and composition, possess tremendous gravity. They are the most massive planets in the solar system and are found in the outer regions of the system.
- Dwarf planets: These are celestial bodies that share some characteristics with planets, but do not meet all the criteria to be considered as such. They are generally smaller than terrestrial planets and share orbital space with other objects of similar size. They are found in the outer regions of the solar system and also in more distant areas, such as the Kuiper Belt.
Must Read About Vice Once.
Planets of the Solar System
There are eight planets in the solar system. In order, from closest to farthest from the Sun, they are:
- Mercury: With a diameter of 4,879 kilometers, it is the smallest planet in the solar system. It is located 58 million kilometers from the Sun. The average temperature of its atmosphere is 167°C. Its rotation time is 59 days, and it takes 88 days to complete one orbit around the Sun. It has no natural satellites.
- Venus: At 12,104 kilometers, it has a diameter similar to that of Earth. It is located 108 million kilometers from the Sun, and its atmosphere has an average temperature of over 450°C. Its rotation time is 243 days, and it takes 225 days to complete one orbit around the Sun. It has no natural satellites.
- Earth: It has a diameter of 12,742 kilometers and is located 150 million kilometers from the Sun. The average temperature of its atmosphere is 14.7°C. Its rotation time is 24 hours, and it takes 365 days and 6 hours to complete one orbit around the Sun. It has only one natural satellite, the Moon. It is the densest planet in the solar system and the only one with water on its surface.
- Mars: With a diameter of 6,779 kilometers, it is the second smallest planet in the solar system. It is located 228 million kilometers from the Sun, and the average temperature of its atmosphere is -65°C. Its rotation time is 24.6 hours, and it takes 687 days to complete one orbit around the Sun. It is known as the Red Planet due to its reddish appearance caused by the iron oxide on its surface. It has two small natural satellites: Phobos and Deimos.
- Jupiter: With a diameter of 139,820 kilometers, it is the largest planet in the solar system. It is located 750 million kilometers from the Sun, and its atmosphere averages -160°C. Its rotation time is only 10 hours, and it takes 11.8 years to complete one orbit around the Sun. It is a gaseous planet, composed mostly of hydrogen and helium. It has 95 natural satellites.
- Saturn: It is 120,660 kilometers in diameter. It is located 1.448 billion kilometers from the Sun, and its atmosphere averages -176°C. Its rotation takes only 10 hours and 33 minutes, and its orbit around the Sun takes 29 years and 167 days. It is the gaseous planet with the most visible rings and has more than 80 natural satellites.
- Uranus: It has a diameter of 50,724 kilometers. It is located 3 billion kilometers from the Sun and has the coldest atmosphere in the solar system, with temperatures below -220°C. Its rotation time is 17 hours and 14 minutes, and it takes 84 years to orbit the Sun. It has rings and 27 moons.
- Neptune: With a diameter of 49,244 kilometers, it is the fourth largest planet. It is located 4.5 billion kilometers from the Sun, and its atmosphere has an average temperature of -218°C. Its rotation takes 16 hours and its orbit 165 years. Its composition is similar to that of Uranus, with a large proportion of ice and rock in its interior. Its surface appears blue due to the presence of methane gas. It has rings and 14 known satellites.
Natural Satellite
A natural satellite is a celestial body that revolves around a planet and accompanies it in its orbit around the star. It is characterized by being solid, smaller than the star it orbits, and can be bright or opaque in appearance. Some planets can have multiple natural satellites, such as Jupiter, which has 95.
Earth’s natural satellite is the Moon, whose diameter is approximately a quarter of that of our planet. It is the fifth largest satellite in the solar system. The Moon takes 27 days to orbit the Earth, and the same amount of time to rotate on its axis. Its orbital distance is approximately 30 times the diameter of our planet.
Natural satellites differ from artificial satellites in that they are man-made. Like natural satellites, they remain in orbit around bodies in space, but once their useful life ends, they remain in orbit as space debris or can disintegrate if they pass through the atmosphere on their return. Must Read About Laziness Once.
References
All the information we offer is supported by authoritative and up-to-date bibliographic sources, ensuring reliable content in line with our editorial principles.
- GeoEncyclopedia. (2022). What are the planets? geoenciclopedia.com
- StarChild. (n.d.). The planets and dwarf planets. starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov
- TBox. (2011). The planets. tboxplanet.com
