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Planetary Science
Planetary Science is the study of Planets and the Solar System, a combination of Astronomy and Earth Sciences. Find questions about the different planets and more.
25,144 Questions
What does a planet have to be to be a planet?
In our solar system, a planet needs to revolve directly around the Sun.
Also, it has to be (more or less) spherical due to its own gravity.
Finally it has to have cleared its orbital neighborhood so that it is the dominant body.
Which part of our solar system is the farthest from the sun?
The farthest-away from the sun measured object/series of objects in our solar system is the Oort Cloud, a large asteroid belt, which orbits approximately 7.479893535 x 1012 kilometers away from the sun, or 50,000 AU (astronomical units).
Every 29.5 days the moon returns to the same phase, i.e new moon to new moon. This takes longer than the actual orbital period of the moon around the earth relative to background stars, this is down to the earths progression around the sun during the month.
How many astronomical units is the planet from the sun?
Astronomical units (AU) is a unit of measurement equivalent to the distance between the Earth and the Sun. Thus, Earth is 1 AU from the Sun. Other planets in our solar system are at varying distances from the Sun, with Mercury at about 0.39 AU, Venus at about 0.72 AU, and Mars at about 1.52 AU.
What do you wear to protect your eyes during a solar eclipse?
those goggles. but make sure you don't look at it. Here's a fact (a big fact)
In everyday life, we're all smart enough to know not to look at the sun. Not only is it an uncomfortable thing to do, but we've been taught that looking straight at the sun can damage our eyes, and we've gotten used to the idea.
During a solar eclipse, wierd things are happening all around: There may be sudden cold breezes, daylight is turning gloomy, birds and small animals may be nesting for night, shadows through trees and bushes are looking strange, and if we catch a glimpse of the sun, it's looking like a big cashew in the sky, with a part of the disk missing. Most important ... the sun looks and feels weak, to our eyes and on our skin.
At a moment like that, you're more likely to let your curiosity take hold, and to take a good long gaze at the sun to see exactly what's going on up there. Although it feels weak and dim to your eyes, the unobstructed portion of the sun is still just as potent, and a focused image of the "cashew" on the retina can still leave you with permanent damage to your vision. That's why it's a good idea to have protective eye gear available.
There was a question in this space this morning that relates to this one. The earlier questioner asked "Why are the sun's rays more dangerous during a solar eclipse ?" The answer to him ... and to you too ... is that the "rays" aren't any different during the eclipse; it's just that you're more likely than usual to look at the sun during an eclipse, and since nobody can convince you to completely avoid looking at it, you should at least have something with you to protect your eyes with, when you absolutely must look at the sun.
hope it helped :)
What would the earths weather be with the earth at a 0 degree tilt or a 12 degree tilt?
If the Earth had a 0 degree tilt, there would be no seasons, and the weather would be more uniform across all latitudes.
With a 12 degree tilt, the seasons would be more pronounced, resulting in more extreme weather patterns and temperature variations between summer and winter.
Do any planets orbit the moon?
No. An object must orbit the sun to be considered a planet. No natural object orbits the moon. Since the moon is so close to the far more massive Earth it is unlikely that an orbit around the moon will remain stable for very long.
Is the sun expanding its size or is it getting closer to earth?
At the moment the world is using too many fossil fuels. When fossil fuels are formed green house gases are produced. The sun shoots light beams over to the earth and then the light beams go back to the sun after a while, however the green house gases trap some of these light beams creating piles of heat.
Some of the first citizens of the world were called the ancient Mayans. They thought we had 12 planets in our solar system, when in fact we only have 11. The 12th planet called "Planet X" comes around every 37,000 years and will pass the earth. Their are gravitational forces around the earth keeping the world where it is at this very moment! And when planet X comes around it will cause gravitational problems. The world is meant to end in December in 2012, because of Planet X.
There is a movie called 2012 out soon and this movie shows what is meant to happen. Apparently water is going to take over earth and everything is going to sink.
Our planet is reverting back to a tropical age, opposite to an ice age. Ancient Mayans calculated our galactic cycle to last 25,000 years. They predicted a new dawn in 2012.
What observations are needed to tell whether an Earth like planet is geologically alive or dead?
Key observations to determine if an Earth-like planet is geologically alive or dead include studying its surface features for evidence of tectonic activity like mountain ranges or volcanoes, examining its atmosphere for signs of active outgassing from the planet's interior, and analyzing seismic activity or the presence of magnetic fields to indicate a molten core. These indicators can help scientists assess the level of geologic activity on the planet.
Which planet search technique is currently best suited to finding Earth like planets?
The transit method is currently best suited for finding Earth-like planets. This technique involves detecting the dip in a star's brightness as a planet passes in front of it, indicating the presence of a planet. It has been successful in identifying many exoplanets, including those that are similar in size and composition to Earth.
What are the inner planets and the outer planets and how do the planets in the two groups differ?
The inner planets are Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. The outer planets (they are separated by the asteroid belt) are Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. The outer planets are different than the inner planets because the outer planets are not solid. They are all made up of gas. However, the inner planets are rocky and hard.
What does Earths' revolution around the sun cause?
The increment of one calendar and solar year per revolution (by definition), the changing pattern of different stars and constellations, and, to an extent, planets visible from the night side of Earth, tidal effects, and tiny gravitational perturbations of the Sun and nearby planets' positions. Very tiny.
The Earth's revolution around the Sun does not, by itself, cause the changing seasons. That is a common misconception. The Earth's polar spin axis is not exactly perpendicular to its orbital plane. It is tilted. This accounts for the seasons far more than revolving around the Sun, although neither would work without the other.
No, individuals cannot legally own planets as they are part of outer space, which is considered the common heritage of all mankind under international law. However, some companies and organizations have sold novelty gifts or symbolic deeds to plots of land on planets, but these claims do not have any legal standing.
What planet axis lies only 8 degrees from plane of its orbit?
Uranus has an axial tilt of about 8 degrees, which means its axis lies almost parallel to the plane of its orbit around the Sun. This unique orientation causes extreme seasonal variations on the planet, with poles experiencing extended periods of sunlight and darkness.
How many blue planets are there?
Earth is often called the "Blue Planet". Its surface is mostly covered in water (around 71%).
Neptune appears blue because of methane gas in its atmosphere. Uranus is also blue, although the color is lighter (closer to aquamarine).
Does plastic wrap reflect sun light?
Plastic wrap can reflect heat and keep it within a contained area for a limited amount of time. Plastic wrap is a poor conductor of heat and that is why it can be used to keep some foods fresh and warm for some time.
What forces cause the planets to go around the sun and stay in their orbits?
The force of gravity between the planets and the sun is what keeps the planets in their orbits. Gravity pulls the planets towards the sun, but their forward velocity keeps them moving in a circular or elliptical path around it. This balance between gravity and velocity enables the planets to stay in their orbits around the sun.
What forces keep the Earth moving?
The Earth's movement is primarily due to its inertia and the gravitational pull from the Sun. Inertia causes the Earth to continue moving in a straight line, while the Sun's gravity keeps it in orbit around the Sun. Other factors, such as the gravitational pull from the Moon and other planets, also influence the Earth's movement.
The four inner planets, in order of closest to furthest from the Sun, are Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. These are the four terrestrial planets, composed of mostly rock instead of mostly gas.
The rotation of the moon, or the time it takes to rotate on it's axis exactly once, is
27.322 days (rounded), and the moon's orbital period, or the time the moon takes
to complete one full revolution around the Earth, is exactly the same. That's why the
Moon appears to always show the same face. We see the same side of the moon
and never get to view the far side from Earth.
Does how fast earth spins effect gravity?
There is no effect to gravity due to earth fast spins because gravity is other thing and spin of earth is different thing. So we could not compare to each other. Gravity is made of mass of earth and spin of earth is due to sun, as earth revolving around the sun.
Who was the first to discover Saturn without a telescope?
The ancient Babylonians were likely the first to observe Saturn without a telescope around 700-600 BCE. They noted its slow movement against the fixed stars.
What is the realation between earth and sun during a full moon?
During a full moon, the Earth is positioned between the Sun and the Moon. The Sun is illuminating the side of the Moon that faces Earth, making it appear fully lit from our perspective. This alignment causes the Moon to appear bright and full in the night sky.
What is the middle planet of the eight planets?
If you only count the 8 major planets, then the two middle planets are Mars and Jupiter.
If you count all 13 major and dwarf planets, the middle one is Saturn.
What led to the discovery of the distant pulling planets?
The discovery of distant planets being pulled by unseen gravitational forces, such as exoplanets, was a result of advances in technology such as the development of powerful telescopes and space-based observatories that enabled astronomers to detect the subtle gravitational effects of these planets on their parent stars. The observations of these gravitational interactions allowed scientists to infer the presence of these unseen planets and characterize their orbits.
