The Solar System
Among the millions and millions of stars that form the Milky Way galaxy, there is a medium-sized one located in one of the galaxy's arms—the Sun.
To ancient peoples, the Sun was a god; to us, it is the central source of energy that generates heat, helping life exist. This star, together with the planets and other bodies that spin in orbits around it, make up the solar system, which formed about 4.6 billion years ago. The planets that rotate around it do not produce their own light. Instead, they reflect sunlight. After the Earth, Mars is the most explored planet. Here we see a photo of Olympus Mons, the largest volcano in the entire solar system. It is almost two-and-a-half times as high as the tallest peak on the Earth, Mount Everest.
To ancient peoples, the Sun was a god; to us, it is the central source of energy that generates heat, helping life exist. This star, together with the planets and other bodies that spin in orbits around it, make up the solar system, which formed about 4.6 billion years ago. The planets that rotate around it do not produce their own light. Instead, they reflect sunlight. After the Earth, Mars is the most explored planet. Here we see a photo of Olympus Mons, the largest volcano in the entire solar system. It is almost two-and-a-half times as high as the tallest peak on the Earth, Mount Everest.
Attracted by a Star
Planets and their satellites, asteroids and other rocky objects, and an incalculable number of comet like objects, some more than 1 trillion miles (1.6 trillion km) from the Sun, make up the solar system. In the 17th century, astronomer Johannes Kepler proposed a model to interpret the dynamic
properties of the bodies of the solar system. According to this interpretation, the planets complete elliptical trajectories, called orbits, around the Sun. In every case, the movement is produced by the influence of the gravitational field of the Sun. Today, as part of a rapidly developing field of astronomy, it is known that planet or planet like bodies also orbit other stars.
properties of the bodies of the solar system. According to this interpretation, the planets complete elliptical trajectories, called orbits, around the Sun. In every case, the movement is produced by the influence of the gravitational field of the Sun. Today, as part of a rapidly developing field of astronomy, it is known that planet or planet like bodies also orbit other stars.
Moons for the planet's
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Pluto
In addition to Charon, which was discovered in 1978, Pluto is orbited by two additional moons, Nix and Hydra, first observed in 2005. Unlike the surface of Pluto, which is made of frozen nitrogen, methane,
and carbon dioxide, Charon appears to be covered with ice, methane, and carbon dioxide. One theory holds that the matter that formed this satellite was ejected from Pluto as a result of a collision, an origin similar to that ascribed to Earth's moon. |