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.

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