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Written by L. Rigdon Illustrated by Jamie Pogue the Solar System

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Written by L. Rigdon Illustrated by Jamie Pogue the Solar System Written by L. Rigdon Illustrated by Jamie Pogue The Solar System Author: L.Rigdon Illustrator: Jamie Pogue ISBN Print: 978-1-63260-354-8 ePub: 978-1-63260-355-5 Copyright © 2013 SNAP! Learning® 4325 N. Golden State Blvd. #102 Fresno, Ca 93722 855.200.SNAP www.snaplearning.net ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This book contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author / publisher. TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction .................................................................................................................... 4 What is a Solar System? ................................................................................................... 5 Earth’s Place in the Solar System ................................................................................... 6-7 Objects in the Solar System .............................................................................................. 8 Moons ............................................................................................................................ 9 Exploring the Solar System ............................................................................................. 10 Other Solar Systems ...................................................................................................... 11 Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 12 Voices ........................................................................................................................... 13 Space Tourism ...........................................................................................................14-15 References .................................................................................................................... 16 Quick Writes .............................................................................................................17-18 Research Integrate and Synthesize ................................................................................. 19 Oral Reading Fluency Chart ............................................................................................ 20 Book Check ...............................................................................................................21-22 INTRODUCTION 1 The night sky is full of light. Some of those gap between the stars and Earth. Alpha lights appear very close and some seem Centauri provides a good example. to be far in the distance. Some are not Compared to many stars, that star is even visible without the aid of scientific considered very close to Earth. However, instruments. While the majority of these it is four light-years away, meaning that lights, stars for example, originate from light, which travels extremely fast, takes natural sources, frequently, light emitting four years to reach Earth from Alpha from manmade objects such as aircraft Centauri. and communication satellites can be observed in the night sky. However, space holds many wonders 3 that are much closer to Earth than Alpha 2 Most of the discernible light comes from Centauri. Among other objects, there are stars. Even though many appear to be planets, asteroids, comets, and even one very close to Earth, there is a substantial special star called a sun. Collectively, these bodies are known as the solar system. FUN FACT Alpha Centauri is actually three stars. They are about a trillion miles apart, but they look like a single star from Earth. 4 WHAT IS A SOLAR SYSTEM? 4 Each solar system has one or more suns. of its own. However, the planets are less Unlike many solar systems, the one powerful. While each planet tries to tug containing Earth only has one sun. This against the sun, the sun tugs back. sun is large and powerful, a power that stems from the force of gravity. Briefly In other terms, the two bodies are attracted 6 put, the larger the object, the more to each other. This mutual attraction gravitational pull the object has on other between the sun and planets keeps the objects. planets tethered to the sun in Earth’s solar system without letting them float away. As 5 Think of the force of gravity as an the planets pull against the sun, they also invisible game of tug-of-war in which the move around the sun in an oval-shaped sun is the dominant player. Like the sun, orbit known as an ellipse. each planet, such as Earth, has gravity THE SUN 5 EARTH’S PLACE IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM THE EIGHT PLANETS The diagram illustrates the relative size of the planets in Earth’s Solar System 7 Scientists recognize eight planets in Below are the eight planets. The number 8 Earth’s solar system, including Earth. next to each planet is the planet’s Other objects that behave differently proximity to the sun, in millions of miles. do not qualify as planets. PLANET PROXIMITY 6 PLANET EARTH 9 Of the eight planets, Earth is the third Life requires air and water to survive. A 10 planet from the sun. Earth’s solar system planet such as Mars is also terrestrial, has two types of planets: terrestrial and but it does not have liquid water or gas. Earth is terrestrial, which means that breathable air. Mars, however, does have it has a solid surface, while gas planets are water in the form of ice located in the composed of swirling gases and liquids. polar ice caps and, in places, beneath the Scientists believe that terrestrial planets shallow Martian surface. are most likely to support life and Earth is the only known planet that has The right temperature is also necessary to 11 living entities such as plants, animals, sustain life. The planets closest to the sun, and humans. such as Mercury, are much too hot and the farthest ones, Neptune for example, are too cold. However, Earth’s temperature, the product of Earth’s proximity to the EARTH: TERRESTRIAL sun, has proven to be conducive to various life forms. JUPITER: GAS 7 OBJECTS IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM 12 Other terrestrial objects exist in Earth’s size that they burn up in the atmosphere solar system besides planets. For instance, surrounding Earth. a group of asteroids orbits the sun between Mars and Jupiter. Rocks of all Comets also orbit within the solar system 14 shapes and sizes make up the asteroid belt. for various periods. In ancient times, Additionally, some asteroids orbit the sun some people thought comets were omens outside of the belt, sometimes crossing of good or bad events to come. Unlike the paths with Earth. rocky asteroids, comets are constituted of an icy core covered in space dust. As 13 Some scientists believe that an asteroid a comet orbits the sun, the ice melts and hit Earth and was responsible for the creates a gas tail. In fact, comets have extinction of the dinosaurs. However, two tails: one made of gas and the other most of these smaller bodies that made of dust. approach Earth are so insignificant in Halley’s Comet is expected to return July 18, 2061 8 MOONS EARTH’S MOON 15 A natural object that orbits a larger by gravitational fields that pull smaller natural object is called a natural satellite. items toward them. Despite the sun’s Earth’s moon is, therefore, a satellite of strong gravitational field, moons do not Earth. Every planet in the solar system orbit the sun. Moons are closer to planets. beyond Earth has moons. Since Earth’s moon is closer to Earth than the sun, Earth’s gravitational field 16 As noted previously, large objects, such controls the moon’s orbit. as the sun and Earth, are surrounded There are approximately 1,000 satellites currently in orbit. 9 EXPLORING THE SOLAR SYSTEM 17 People have observed the sky for potential danger, most missions have thousands of years. With the naked eye, been unmanned. ancient stargazers could see five planets as well as comets and meteors. Most of the The unmanned Luna 2 was the first 19 names for planets and moons come from spacecraft on the moon in 1959. Other either Greek or Roman mythology. For unmanned missions have flown by, example, Mars is named after the Roman orbited, or landed on all the planets. These god of war. missions have provided scientists with valuable pictures and information. The 18 Modern stargazers, on the other hand, most famous manned flight, of course, actually have ventured out into space in was the 1969 lunar landing when man the form of both manned and unmanned first walked on Earth’s moon. missions. Because of the cost and “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind” - Neil Armstrong Photo by Apollo 11 Commander, Neil Armstrong Neil Apollo 11 Commander, by Photo 10 OTHER SOLAR SYSTEMS From NASA Hubble Space Telescope NASA From ANTENNAE GALAXIES THE MILKY WAY ANDROMEDA GALAXY THE WHIRLPOOL GALAXY 20 Earth’s solar system is just one of many in solar systems and galaxies. They focus the universe. No one knows exactly how on the stars to determine which stars many other solar systems exist. also might be suns. These potential suns may have their own systems of planets 21 Within the universe, there are numerous revolving around them just as the planets galaxies. Some of these galaxies appear to in Earth’s solar system revolve around be swirling whirlpools of stars in space. the sun. 22 Scientists use manmade satellites, space probes, and telescopes
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