2nd-9 8W Space Probes and Rocky Planets part 1

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GOLD LETTER notes

A space probe is an unpiloted, unmanned device sent to explore space and gather scientific information. A space probe is launched from Earth with a set of scientific instruments

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​Space Probes

Launched in 1977, these probes have traveled the farthest of any human-made objects in space and are still transmitting valuable data about the outer regions of our solar system.

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Voyager 1 and Voyager 2:

Nearest to the Sun, only rocky material could withstand the heat when the solar system was young. For this reason, the first four planets – Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars – are terrestrial planets. They are all small with solid, rocky surfaces.

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The first four planets Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars

Multiple Choice

Why are the first 4 planets rocky?

• They are younger than the other planets
• They are made of gas and ice
• They are closer to the sun and could withstand the heat.

• They are further from the sun

​MESSENGER was a NASA spacecraft that was launched on August 3, 2004, and it entered orbit around Mercury on March 17, 2011

MESSENGER = (MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging)

• It's the closest planet to the Sun.

• Despite being the closest, it's not the hottest planet due to its lack of atmosphere to trap heat.

• It has extreme temperature variations between its day and night sides.

• Mercury has a very cratered surface, similar to the Moon.

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Planet: Mercury

Launched in 1989, Magellan was a space probe specifically designed to map the surface of Venus using radar.

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Magellan Space Probe

Multiple Choice

What is the name of the planet closest to the Sun?

• Mercury

• Earth

• Venus

• Mars

• Often referred to as Earth's "sister planet" due to its similar size and composition.

• It has a thick atmosphere mainly composed of carbon dioxide, which creates a runaway greenhouse effect, making it the hottest planet in our solar system.

• Venus has retrograde rotation, meaning it rotates clockwise on its axis, unlike most other planets that rotate counterclockwise.

• The surface of Venus is mostly covered in volcanic plains and large volcanoes.

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Planet: Venus