The terrestrial planets and

their moons

Characteristics of the terrestrial planets

The four terrestrial planets are Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.
They are called so because they are Earth like in size and composition.
They are also sometimes referred to as the inner planets because
they are inside of the asteroid belt.
These planets are small, have high densities, and are made of rocky
materials.

Earth

Earth: statistics
Average distance from the Sun: 1 AU = 9.3 x 107 mi
Average orbital speed: 29.79 km/s
Sidereal period: 1 year
Axis rotation period: 1 days
Inclination of equator to orbit: 23.5
Diameter: 12,756 km
Mass: 5.974 x 1024 kg
Surface temperature range: -130F to 140F
Number of moons: 1

Earth: atmosphere
Earths atmosphere has changed over billions of years
In the early stages of the Earth the atmosphere was mostly carbon
dioxide and water vapor.
Due to early plant life that use carbon dioxide and give off oxygen,
our atmosphere today is mostly nitrogen (78%) and oxygen (21%) gas.
The atmosphere burns up many meteoroids (shooting star) before the
hit the ground.

Earth: magnetic field

Earth has an invisible magnetic field around it, that protects us from
harmful radiation from the Sun and space.

Our Moon

Moon: statistics
Average distance from the Earth: 238,9000 mi
Sidereal period around the Earth: 27.32 days
Inclination of equator to orbit: 6.68
Diameter: 2160 mi = 0.272 Earth
Mass: 7.35 x 1022 kg = 0.012 Earth
Average surface temperature range: -180F to 266F

The Moon and tides

It is the Moons gravity that causes the ocean tides.
The gravity of the Moon pulls on the Earths oceans.

The creation of the Moon

The Moon was likely created from the debris that resulted from a
collision between the Earth and another large object.

Mercury

Mercury: statistics
Average distance from the Sun: 0.387 AU = 3.60 x 107 mi
Average orbital speed: 47.9 km/s
Sidereal period: 88 days = 0.24 years
Axis rotation period: 58.6 days
Inclination of equator to orbit: 0.5
Diameter: 4880 km = 0.382 Earth
Mass: 3.30 x 1023 kg = 0.0553 Earth
Temperature range: -274F to 662F
Number of moons: 0

Mercury: atmosphere
Mercury has very small amounts of hydrogen, helium, and oxygen.
It also has a very weak magnetic field.
Due to almost no atmosphere and a weak magnetic field it is
unprotected from harmful radiation and meteoroids.

Venus

Venus: statistics
Average distance from the Sun: 0.723 AU = 6.723 x 107 mi
Average orbital speed: 35.0 km/s
Sidereal period: 0.615 year
Axis rotation period: 243 days
Inclination of equator to orbit: 177.4
Diameter: 7521 mi = 0.949 Earth
Mass: 4.87 x 1024 kg = 0.815 Earth
Average surface temperature: 860F
Number of moons: 0

Venus: atmosphere
Venuss atmosphere is mostly carbon dioxide (96.5%).
Carbon dioxide is a green house gas that traps heat. This is why the
surface temperature is so high.
No magnetic field

Mars

Mars: statistics
Average distance from the Sun: 1.52 AU = 1.42 x 108 mi
Average orbital speed: 15.0 mi/s
Sidereal period: 1.88 years
Axis rotation period: 24h 37m 22s
Inclination of equator to orbit: 25.19
Diameter: 4217 mi = 0.53 Earth
Mass: 6.42 x 1023 kg = 0.107 Earth
Average surface temperature: -63F
Number of moons: 2

Mars: atmosphere
Marss atmosphere like Venus is mostly carbon dioxide gas (95.3%).
But unlike Venus the average surface temperature on Mars is -63F.
No magnetic field