El Solar system It is the planetary system where the Earth is located, but did you know that approximately 99,86% of the mass of the Solar System is occupied by the Sun? A gigantic star around which the rest of the planets, dwarf planets, natural satellites and other celestial bodies revolve. In this extensive article, we will explore in detail the eight planets that revolve around the Sun.
Mercury
Mercury Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun and the smallest in the Solar System. Being one of the so-called rocky planets, it has no moons. For a long time it was believed that Mercury had a rotation period equal to its orbital period (88 days), but it was later discovered that its rotation period is much shorter, 58,7 Earth days.
Mercury is very similar in appearance to the Moon, with craters resulting from meteorite impacts. Due to its proximity to the Sun, this planet experiences extremes of temperature, varying between 430 °C during the day and dropping to -180 °C at night. This thermal contrast is caused by the lack of a significant atmosphere, which also causes rapid heat loss once the Sun sets.
Mercury has been the subject of several space missions, such as the Mariner 10 and the probe MESSENGER, which helped to obtain data on its composition and characteristics. The study of this small planet is crucial to better understand the formation and evolution of rocky bodies in the Solar System.
Venus
Venus, the second planet from the Sun, is similar to Earth in size and mass, and is often called Earth’s “sister planet.” Despite this, conditions on Venus are extremely hostile: its dense carbon dioxide atmosphere creates a greenhouse effect that raises the surface temperature to about 465 °C, making it the hottest planet in the Solar System, even hotter than Mercury.
Another curious aspect of Venus is its retrograde rotation, meaning it spins clockwise, the opposite of most planets. It also has the longest day in the solar system at about 243 Earth days. Despite its hellish climate, astronomers have speculated about the possible presence of microscopic life forms in the upper layers of its atmosphere, where conditions are more moderate.
Venus It has been widely studied by several spacecraft, including probes Venera sent by the Soviet Union and more recently the Akatsuki from Japan, in the search to better understand its atmospheric dynamics and evolution.
Earth
The earth It is the third planet from the Sun and the only place known so far where life exists. It was formed about 4.567 billion years ago, and life emerged approximately one billion years later. The Earth's surface is composed of continents, oceans, and an atmosphere rich in nitrogen (78%) and oxygen (21%), which has allowed the development and evolution of life. In addition, the Earth has a natural satellite, the moon, unique in its category due to its relative size with respect to our planet.
The presence of liquid water in large quantities on the Earth's surface is the characteristic that distinguishes it from other planets. Likewise, its atmosphere and magnetic field protect organisms from harmful solar radiation and allow the regulation of global temperatures, making the presence of diverse ecosystems possible.
Several factors have contributed to making Earth a habitable planet, such as its position in the "habitable zone", which allows temperatures suitable for the permanence of liquid water on its surface. Geological formations and plate tectonics also play a fundamental role in regulating the planet's climate.
Mars
Mars, also known as the "red planet", is the fourth planet from the Sun. Its characteristic color comes from the iron oxide that covers its surface. Mars is particularly interesting from an astronomical point of view, since much evidence points to it having once housed liquid water, which raises the possibility that it may have been a habitable planet.
Currently, Mars has a very thin atmosphere, composed mostly of carbon dioxide (CO2), which limits its ability to retain heat and causes temperatures to fluctuate dramatically. Winters can be extremely cold, with temperatures dropping to -125 °C. Two satellites orbit Mars: Phobos y Deimos, both probably asteroids captured by the planet's gravity.
Recent missions such as Curiosity y Perseverance have explored the surface of Mars in search of signs of past life and investigating the possibility that the planet may have had habitable conditions at some point in its history. It is hoped that future manned missions to Mars will unravel more mysteries about this fascinating planet.
Jupiter
Jupiter is the largest planet in the Solar system and the fifth from the Sun. Its mass is 318 times greater than that of the Earth and it has more than 79 known moons, among which the most important are Ganymede, Calisto, Io y Europe —the latter is of special scientific interest due to the possible existence of an ocean beneath its icy surface.
Jupiter is famous for its Great Red Spot, a gigantic storm that has been active for centuries and is large enough to house several Earth-sized planets within it. Composed primarily of hydrogen and helium, Jupiter lacks a solid surface, and its atmosphere is known for its impressive bands of clouds that swirl around the planet at incredible speeds.
Jupiter has been visited by numerous space probes, both in passing and on specific missions, such as the Galileo and the current mission Juno, which continues to study its magnetosphere and atmospheric dynamics.
Saturn
Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and is easily recognizable thanks to its ring system, the most extensive and complex in the Solar System. These rings are composed of ice and rock particles of different sizes. Although all giant planets have some type of rings, Saturn's are the most prominent.
Saturn is also a gas giant, composed primarily of hydrogen and helium, and has over 80 known moons. TitanIts largest moon, Mercury, is even more massive than the planet Mercury and is of special interest due to its dense atmosphere and the presence of hydrocarbon lakes and rivers.
Space probes Cassini y Huygens They have provided valuable information about Saturn and its moons, revealing fascinating data about the structure of its rings and the composition of its moons.
Uranus
At night, Uranus It is visible. However, astronomers did not catalog it in the past due to its low light and slow orbit. Uranus has the coldest planetary atmosphere in the Solar System with a temperature -224 ° C.
Neptuno
This is the eighth planet of the System Solar and it was the first to be discovered through mathematical predictions. Its mass is 17 times larger than Earth and it is also slightly larger than its twin, Uranus. In the solar system, the strongest winds are at Neptuno.