Average distance from Sun 1 AU (149,597,890 km) Rotation period (length of day in Earth days) 1 (23.

93 hours) Revolution period (length of year in Earth days) 365.26 Atmospheric components 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 1% argon Surface materials basaltic and granitic rock and altered materials

Average distance from Sun 5.203 AU (778,412,020 km) Rotation period (length of day in Earth days) 0.41 (9.8 Earth hours) Revolution period (length of year in Earth years) 11.86 Discovery Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system, and it is one of the brighter objects in the night sky. No one knows for sure who discovered Jupiter, but we know the ancient Greeks named it after the god, Zeus. Missions to Jupiter Pioneer 11 (USA) April 6, 1973 Pictures of Jupiter and its Great Red Spot Voyager 1 (USA) September 5, 1977 Photographs and information on Jupiter's many moons. Voyager 2 (USA) August 20, 1977 Found that Jupiter's Great Red Spot is really a complex storm. Found that Io, one of Jupiter's moons, has active volcanoes. Galileo (USA and Europe) October 18, 1989 Entered Jupiter's atmosphere. Interesting Facts About Jupiter Largest planet in our solar system Has the largest moon in our solar system Shortest day Largest storm (Great Red Spot) three times the size of Earth Pressure on Jupiter is so great it would crush a spaceship

Average distance from Sun 9.537 AU (1,426,725,400 km) Rotation period (length of day in Earth days) 0.44 (10.2 Earth hours) Revolution period (length of year in Earth years) 29.46 Discovery Saturn is clearly visible in the night sky. The ancient Greeks named the planet after the god of agriculture and time. It wasn't until 1655, however, that we knew Saturn had rings. Galileo saw them, but he didn't know what they were. Another astronomer, Christian Huygens, later discovered they were rings. Missions to Saturn: Pioneer 11 (USA) April 6, 1973 Took pictures of Saturn. Discovered new rings and moons. Voyager 1 (USA) September 5, 1977 Took pictures of Saturn's moons. Discovered how complex Saturns rings were. Voyager 2 (USA) August 20, 1977 Took pictures of Saturn's moons. Cassini (USA, European Space Agency, Italy) October 13, 1997 Experiments will help scientists understand Saturn's moons, rings, and atmosphere. Will send a probe into Titan's atmosphere. Interesting Facts About Saturn Has the most moons Has thousands of rings made of ice, dust, and rocks The farthest planet you can see without a telescope The planet would float if you put it in water Atmospheric components 97% hydrogen, 3% helium, .05% methane Rings Rings are 270,000 km in diameter, but only a few hundred meters thick. Particles are centimeters to decameters in size and are ice (some may be covered with ice); there are traces of silicate and carbon minerals. There are four main ring groups and three more faint, narrow ring groups separated by gaps called divisions.

Average distance from Sun 1.524 AU (227,936,640 km) Rotation period (length of day in Earth days) 1.026 Revolution period (length of year in Earth days) 686.98 Atmospheric components 95% carbon dioxide, 3% nitrogen, 1.6% argon Surface materials- basaltic rock and altered materials Discovery Since Mars is so bright and easy to see with the naked eye, we don't know who exactly discovered Mars. Ancient astronomers could see it long before the invention of telescopes. Missions to Mars Mariner 4, 6, 7, & 9 Viking I & II Mars Observer Mars Pathfinder Mars Global Surveyor Mars Polar Lander Interesting Facts About Mars Mars has the tallest mountain (Olympus Mons) in the solar system, three times the size of Mt. Everest. Marss moons, which are shaped like potatoes, probably used to be asteroids.