The Earth, the planet we live on, is

part of the Solar System.

If we want to know how the Earth

formed, we need to understand
the origin and evolution of the
Solar System.
Lesson 2:
Universe and
the Solar
System
THE SOLAR SYSTEM
LEARNING TARGETS

A. Identify the large scale and small scale

properties of the Solar System;
B. Discuss the different hypotheses
explaining the origin of the solar system;
C. Explain the significance of the most recent
advancement/information on the Solar
System.
– composed largely of frozen
volatiles (ammonia and methane)

- Is where some of the comets

originate, located far beyond the
heliopause.

– region of space occupied by

the solar system significantly
affected by the solar wind and
the solar magnetic field
• 100 million light years across (1
light year = 9.4607 × 10^12 km)
• revolves around the galactic
center once in about 240
million years
• 4.6 billion years old on the
assumption that they are
remnants of the materials from
which they were formed.
- The earth was the solitary center
and the planets revolved around it
through the cycles and epicycles.

Imaginary circles or orbits

found in the heavens
Smaller circles

Asserted that sun is the center of

the solar system, and the earth and
the planet revolved around it.
 ‘
1. A planet of the solar system revolves
around the sun in an elliptical orbit (Law
of Ellipses)
2. A planet moves faster in its orbit when the
ellipse brings it closer to the sun, and
slower when it is farther (Law of Equal
Areas)
3. The square of the period (revolution) of a
planet is proportional to the cube of its
distance to the sun (Law of Harmonies)
Features of
the Solar
System
1.

• 99.86%- sun
• 0.138- four gas giants
• 0.002% other objects in
the solar system
2.

• Perihelion – closest to sun

• Aphelion – farthest from sun
3.
4.
1.
• Prograde- planets that rotate and
revolved in the same direction
• Retrograde- planets that rotate in
the opposite direction

• Axial Tilt determines direction of

rotation
2.
3.
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1.
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3.
 Is the Solar System unique or rare?
What is the possibility of finding a similar
system within the Milky Way Galaxy?
What about an Earth like planet?