The Universe, Solar System – Statistics, Sun, Planets, Mercury, Venus, Earth
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Solar System - Statistics
The solar system consists of the Sun and 9 planets revolving around it in different orbits. The statistics of the sun and the planets are given below:
Sun
Age: About 5 Billion years
Distance: 149.8 Million Kms
Diameter: 1,38, 400 Kms.
Photosphere temperature: 5,770 K
Core temperature: 150,000, 000 K
Absolute visual magnitude: 4.75
Rotation as seen from the
Earth at the equator: 25.38 days
Rotation (near the poles) : 33 days
- The sun consists of 71% of Hydrogen, 26.5% Helium and 2.5% of other elements.
- The rays of the Sun take about 8 minutes to reach the earth.
Planets
Mercury
It is the planet nearest to the earth.
Average distance to the Sun: 57.6 Million Kms.
Diameter: 4,849.6 Kms.
Period of revolution: 88 days
Period of rotation: 58 days 15 hrs 30 mts. 34 sec.
Venus
It is also known as the Morning Star or the Evening Star. It is the brightest of all the planets.
Diameter: 12,032 Kms.
Period of revolution: 225 days
Period of rotation: 243 days 14mts.
Earth
Equatorial diameter: 12,756 Kms.
Polar diameter: 12,714 Kms.
Distance from the Sun: 149,597, 900 Kms.
Period of revolution: 365 days 5 hrs, 48 mts, 45.51 sec.
Period of rotation: 23 hrs 56 mts. 4.09 sec.
Mars
Diameter: 6,755.2 Kms.
Distance from the Sun: 225.6 Million Kms.
Period of revolution: 687 days
Period of rotation: 24 hrs 37 mts. 22.663 sec.
Jupiter
This is the largest planet in the solar system.
Diameter: 141,968 Kms.
Distance from the Sun: 772.8 Million Kms.
Period of revolution: 11.9 years
Period of rotation: 9 hrs 50 mts. 30 sec.
Saturn
It was discovered by Galileo.
Diameter: 119,296 Kms.
Distance from the Sun: 1,417.6 Million Kms.
Period of revolution: 29.5 years
Period of rotation: 10 hrs 14 mts.
Uranus
Diameter: 52,096 Kms.
Distance from the Sun: 2,852.8 Million Kms.
Period of revolution: 84 years
Period of rotation: 16 hrs 10 mts.
Neptune
Diameter: 49,000 Kms.
Distance from the Sun: 4,497 Million Kms.
Period of revolution: 165 years
Period of rotation: 18 hrs 26 mts.
Pluto
This is the coldest and smallest of all planets. It is also the most distant one.
Diameter: 3,040 Kms.
Distance from the Sun: 5,865.6 Million Kms.
Period of revolution: 248 years
Period of rotation: 6 days 9 hrs and 18 mts.
Moon: Moon is earth՚s satellite. Its period of rotation and Period of Revolution are the same. i.e.. 29 days.