The planetary system, called the Solar system, includes the central luminary - the Sun, as well as many space objects of different sizes and status. This system was formed as a result of the compression of a cloud of dust and gas more than 4 billion years ago. Most of the solar planet's mass is concentrated in the Sun. Eight large planets orbit the star in nearly circular orbits located within a flat disk.
The inner planets of the solar system are considered to be Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars (in order of distance from the Sun). These celestial bodies are classified as terrestrial planets. Next come the largest planets - Jupiter and Saturn. The series is completed by Uranus and Neptune, located farthest from the center. Orbiting the dwarf planet Pluto at the very edge of the system.
Earth is the third planet in the solar system. Like other large bodies, it revolves around the Sun in a closed orbit, subject to the gravitational force of the star. The sun attracts celestial bodies to itself, preventing them from approaching the center of the system or flying away into space. Together with the planets, smaller bodies - meteors, comets, asteroids - rotate around the central star.
Features of planet Earth
The average distance from Earth to the center of the solar system is 150 million km. The location of the third planet turned out to be extremely favorable from the point of view of the emergence and development of life. The Earth receives a tiny amount of heat from the Sun, but this energy is quite enough for living organisms to exist within the planet. On Venus and Mars, the closest neighbors of the Earth, conditions in this regard are less favorable.
Among the planets of the so-called terrestrial group, the Earth stands out for its greatest density and size. The composition of the local atmosphere, which contains free oxygen, is unique. The presence of a powerful hydrosphere also gives the Earth its originality. These factors have become one of the main conditions for the existence of biological forms. Scientists believe that the formation internal structure The Earth still continues due to tectonic processes occurring in its depths.
The Moon, its natural satellite, is located in close proximity to the Earth. This is the only space object that people have visited to date. The average distance between the Earth and its satellite is about 380 thousand km. The lunar surface is covered with dust and rocky debris. There is no atmosphere on the Earth's satellite. It is possible that in the distant future the territory of the Moon will be developed by earthly civilization.
They revolve around the sun with different radii and speeds. There are nine in total planets of the solar system.
The Sun is an ordinary star, its age is about 5 billion years. Everything revolves in this star planets of the solar system.
SUN, the central body of the Solar System, a hot plasma ball, a typical dwarf star of spectral class G2; mass M~2.1030 kg, radius R=696 t. km, average density 1,416.103 kg/m3, luminosity L=3.86.1023 kW, effective surface (photosphere) temperature approx. 6000 K. The rotation period (synodic) varies from 27 days at the equator to 32 days at the poles, the acceleration of gravity is 274 m/s2. Chemical composition determined from solar spectrum analysis: hydrogen approx. 90%, helium 10%, other elements less than 0.1% (by number of atoms). The source of solar energy is the nuclear transformation of hydrogen into helium in the central region of the Sun, where the temperature is 15 million K (thermonuclear reactions). Energy from the interior is transferred by radiation, and then in the outer layer with a thickness of approx. 0.2 R by convection. The existence of photospheric granulation, sunspots, spicules, etc. is associated with the convective motion of plasma. Intensity plasma processes on the Sun changes periodically (11-year period; see Solar activity). The solar atmosphere (chromosphere and solar corona) is very dynamic, flares and prominences are observed in it, and there is a constant outflow of corona matter into interplanetary space (solar wind). The Earth, located at a distance of 149 million km from the Sun, receives approx. 2.1017 Watts of solar radiant energy. The sun is the main source of energy for all processes occurring on the globe. The entire biosphere and life exist only due to solar energy. Many terrestrial processes are influenced by the corpuscular radiation of the Sun. SOLAR SYSTEM, a system of cosmic bodies, including, in addition to the central body, nine major planets:
- Mercury is the first planet of our solar system. The average distance from the Sun is 0.387 astronomical units (58 million km), the orbital period is 88 days, the rotation period is 58.6 days, the average diameter is 4878 km, the mass is 3.3 1023 kg, the composition of the extremely rarefied atmosphere includes: Ar, Ne, He. The surface of Mercury is similar in appearance to the Moon. Features of movement Mercury moves around the Sun in a highly elongated elliptical orbit, the plane of which is inclined to the ecliptic plane at an angle of 7°0015. The distance of Mercury from the Sun varies from 46.08 million km to 68.86 million km. The period of revolution (Mercurian year) is 87.97 Earth days, and the average interval between identical phases (synodic period) is 115.9 Earth days. ;
- Venus is the second planet of the solar system. The orbital period is 224.7 days, rotation is 243 days, the average radius is 6050 km, the mass is 4.9. 1024 kg. Atmosphere: CO2 (97%), N2 (approx. 3%), H2O (0.05%), impurities CO, SO2, HCl, HF. Surface temperature approx. 750 K, pressure approx. 107 Pa, or 100 at. Mountains, craters, and rocks have been discovered on the surface of Venus. The surface rocks of Venus are similar in composition to terrestrial sedimentary rocks. VENUS, second from the Sun and closest to Earth, is large planet of the solar system. Features of movement Venus moves in an orbit located between the orbits of Mercury and the Earth, with a sidereal period equal to 224.7 Earth days. ;
- Earth is the third planet of our solar system. The only planet on which life exists. Thanks to its unique, perhaps unique, natural conditions in the Universe, it became the place where organic life arose and developed. Shape, size and movement of the Earth The shape of the Earth is close to an ellipsoid, flattened at the poles and stretched in the equatorial zone. ;
- Mars is the fourth planet of the solar system. Behind it is the asteroid belt. The average distance from the Sun is 228 million km, the orbital period is 687 days, the rotation period is 24.5 hours, the average diameter is 6780 km, the mass is 6.4×1023 kg; 2 natural satellites Phobos and Deimos. Atmospheric composition: CO2 (>95%), N2 (2.5%), Ar (1.5-2%), CO (0.06%), H2O (up to 0.1%); surface pressure 5-7 hPa. Areas of the surface of Mars covered with craters are similar to the lunar continent. Significant scientific material about Mars was obtained using the Mariner and Mars spacecraft. Movement, size, mass Mars moves around the Sun in an elliptical orbit with an eccentricity of 0.0934. The orbital plane is inclined to the ecliptic plane at a slight angle (1° 51). ;
- Jupiter is the fifth planet from the sun of our solar system. the average distance from the Sun is 5.2 a. e. (778.3 million km), sidereal period of revolution 11.9 years, rotation period (cloud layer near the equator) approx. 10 h, equivalent diameter approx. 142,800 km, weight 1.90 1027 kg. Atmospheric composition: H2, CH4, NH3, He. Jupiter is a powerful source of thermal radio emission, has a radiation belt and an extensive magnetosphere. Jupiter has 16 moons;
- Saturn is the sixth planet from the sun in our solar system. The orbital period is 29.46 years, the rotation period at the equator (cloud layer) is 10.2 hours, the equatorial diameter is 120,660 km, the mass is 5.68·1026 kg, it has 17 satellites, the composition of the atmosphere includes CH4, H2, He, NH3. Radiation belts have been discovered around Saturn. Saturn is a planet with rings. SATURN, the second largest planet in the solar system after Jupiter; belongs to the giant planets. Motion, Dimensions, Shape Saturn's elliptical orbit has an eccentricity of 0.0556 and an average radius of 9.539 AU. e. (1427 million km). The maximum and minimum distances from the Sun are approximately 10 and 9 AU. e. Distances from the Earth vary from 1.2 to 1.6 billion km. The inclination of the planet's orbit to the ecliptic plane is 2°29.4. ;
- Uranus is the seventh planet from the sun of our solar system. Refers to the giant planets, the average distance from the Sun is 19.18 AU. e. (2871 million km), orbital period 84 years, rotation period approx. 17 hours, equatorial diameter 51,200 km, mass 8.7·1025 kg, atmospheric composition: H2, He, CH4. Uranus' rotation axis is tilted at an angle of 98°. Uranus has 15 satellites (5 discovered from Earth by Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania, Oberon, and 10 discovered by the Voyager 2 spacecraft: Cordelia, Ophelia, Bianca, Cressida, Desdemona, Juliet, Portia, Rosalind, Belinda, Peck) and ring system. Movement, size, mass Uranus moves around the Sun in an elliptical orbit, the semi-major axis of which (average heliocentric distance) is 19.182 greater than that of the Earth, and amounts to 2871 million km. ;
- Neptune is the eighth planet from the sun in our solar system. Orbital period 164.8 years, rotation period 17.8 hours, equatorial diameter 49,500 km, mass 1.03.1026 kg, atmospheric composition: CH4, H2, He. Neptune has 6 satellites. Discovered in 1846 by I. Galle according to the theoretical predictions of W. J. Le Verrier and J. C. Adams. Neptune's distance from Earth significantly limits the possibilities of its exploration. NEPTUNE, the eighth major planet from the Sun in the Solar System, belongs to the giant planets. Some parameters of the planet Neptune moves around the Sun in an elliptical, close to circular (eccentricity 0.009) orbit; its average distance from the Sun is 30.058 times greater than that of the Earth, which is approximately 4500 million km. This means that light from the Sun reaches Neptune in a little over 4 hours. ;
- Pluto is the ninth planet from the sun in our solar system. The average distance from the Sun is 39.4 a. e., orbital period 247.7 years, rotation period 6.4 days, diameter approx. 3000 km, weight approx. 1.79.1022 kg. Methane has been discovered on Pluto. Pluto is a double planet, its satellite, approximately 3 times smaller in diameter, moves at a distance of only approx. 20,000 km from the center of the planet, making 1 revolution in 6.4 days. Some parameters of the planet Pluto moves around the Sun in an elliptical orbit with a significant eccentricity of 0.25, exceeding even the eccentricity of the orbit of Mercury (0.206). The semimajor axis of Pluto's orbit is 39.439 AU. e. or approximately 5.8 billion km. The orbital plane is inclined to the ecliptic at an angle of 17.2°. One rotation of Pluto lasts 247.7 Earth years;
, their satellites, many small planets, comets, small meteoroids and cosmic dust moving in the region of the prevailing gravitational action of the Sun. According to prevailing scientific ideas, the formation of the Solar System began with the emergence of the central body of the Sun; The gravitational field of the Sun led to the capture of an incident gas-dust cloud, from which the formation of the Solar System occurred as a result of gravitational separation and condensation. The pressure of radiation from the Sun caused the heterogeneity of its chemical composition: lighter elements, primarily hydrogen and helium, predominate in the peripheral (so-called outer, or distant) planets. The age of the Earth is most reliably determined: it is approximately 4.6 billion years. The general structure of the solar system was revealed in the mid-16th century. N. Copernicus, who substantiated the idea of the movement of planets around the Sun. This model of the solar system is called heliocentric. In the 17th century I. Kepler discovered the laws of planetary motion, and I. Newton formulated the law of universal gravitation. The study of the physical characteristics of cosmic bodies that make up the Solar System became possible only after the invention of the telescope by G. Galileo in 1609. Thus, by observing sunspots, Galileo first discovered the rotation of the Sun around its axis.
Dimensions and structure of the planets of the solar system
.The observed dimensions of the Solar System are determined by the distance from the Sun to the planet Pluto, the farthest from it (about 40 AU; 1 AU = 1.49598×1011 m). However, the sphere within which stable motion of celestial bodies around the Sun is possible occupies a much larger region of space, extending over a distance of about 230,000 AU. e. and converging with the spheres of influence of the stars closest to the Sun. The large planets moving around the Sun form a flat subsystem and are divided into two noticeably different groups. One of them, internal (or terrestrial), includes Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. The outer group, which consists of the giant planets, includes Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. The ninth planet, Pluto, is usually considered separately, since in its physical characteristics it differs markedly from the planets of the outer group. 99.866% of its total mass is concentrated in the central body of the Sun system, if you do not take into account cosmic dust within the Solar system, the total mass of which is comparable to the mass of the Sun. The sun is 76% hydrogen; helium is approximately 3.4 times less, and the share of all other elements accounts for about 0.75% of the total mass. They also have a similar chemical composition. giant planets. The terrestrial planets are apparently close in chemical composition to Earth. Planets and their satellites. Some data related to large planets of the solar system, are given in Table 1. In this table, the mass of the Earth, its average diameter, the semimajor axis of the orbit and the time of revolution around the Sun (in years) are taken as unity. Almost all planets have satellites, and about 90% of them are grouped around the outer planets. Jupiter and Saturn themselves are miniature versions of the solar system. Some of their satellites (Ganymede, Titan) are larger than the planet Mercury. Saturn, besides 17 large satellites, also has a system of rings consisting of a huge number of small bodies of icy or silicate nature; The radius of the outer observable ring is approximately 2.3 Saturn radii. Movement of bodies of the Solar System All planets of the Solar System, in addition to the fact that they, subject to the gravity of the Sun, rotate around it, also have their own rotation. The Sun also rotates around its axis, although not as a single rigid whole. As measurements based on the Doppler effect show, the rotation speeds of different parts of the solar surface are slightly different. At a latitude of 16°, the period of complete revolution is 25.38 Earth days. The direction of rotation of the Sun coincides with the direction of rotation of the planets and their satellites around it and with the direction of the planets’ own rotation around their axes (with the exception of Venus, Uranus and a number of satellites). The mass of the Sun is 330,000 times greater than the mass of the Earth. Asteroids, comets and other small bodies. More than one and a half thousand small planets, or asteroids, move between the orbits of Earth and Jupiter. These are the most massive of the small bodies of the Solar system, representing blocks irregular shape with diameters from 0.5 km (Ceres) to 768 km. The orbits of some of the asteroids differ from the orbits of the major planets: the inclinations to the ecliptic plane reach 52°, and the eccentricities are 0.83, while of all the major planets the orbital inclination is relatively high only for Mercury (7° 0" 15), Venus (3° 23 "40") and especially at Pluto (17° 10"). Among the small planets of the solar system Of particular interest is Icarus, discovered in 1949 and having a diameter of approx. 1 km. Its orbit almost intersects with the Earth’s orbit, and at the closest approach of these bodies, the distance between them decreases to 7 million km. This approach of Icarus to the Earth occurs once every 19 years (the last one was observed in 1987). Comets form a unique group of small bodies. In size, shape and type of trajectories, they differ significantly from large planets and their satellites. These bodies are small only in mass. The “tail” of a large comet is larger in volume than our star, while its mass can be only a few thousand tons. Almost the entire mass of the comet is concentrated in its nucleus, which is, in all likelihood, the size of a small asteroid. The comet's nucleus consists primarily of frozen gases methane, ammonia, water vapor and carbon dioxide interspersed with meteoric particles. Core sublimation products under the influence of solar radiation leave the nucleus and form a cometary tail, which sharply increases as the nucleus passes through perihelion. As a result of the disintegration of cometary nuclei, meteor swarms arise, and when they encounter them, “rains of falling stars” are observed on Earth. The orbital periods of comets can reach millions of years. Sometimes comets move away from the Sun to such enormous distances that they begin to experience gravitational disturbances from nearby stars. Only the orbits of a few comets are so disturbed that they become short-period. The brightest such comet is Halley's Comet; its period of circulation is close to 76 years. Total number There are hundreds of billions of comets in the solar system. Meteor bodies, like cosmic dust, fill all spaces of the solar system. When meeting the Earth, their speeds reach 70 km/s. Their movement, and especially the movement of cosmic dust, is influenced by gravitational and (to a lesser extent) magnetic fields, as well as radiation and particle fluxes. All these factors played a decisive role in the formation of the planetary system from the initial solar dust cloud. Inside the Earth's orbit, the density of cosmic dust increases and it forms a cloud visible from Earth as zodiacal light. The solar system participates in the rotation of the Galaxy, moving in an approximately circular orbit at a speed of approx. 250 km/s. The period of revolution around the center of the Galaxy is determined to be approximately 200 million years. In relation to the nearest stars, the entire solar system moves on average at a speed of 19.4 km/s
Previously, a planet was any cosmic body that orbits a star, emits light that is reflected by that star, and is larger than an asteroid. Even in Ancient Greece, they talked about 7 planets as luminous bodies that move across the sky against the backdrop of stars. These are Mercury, Sun, Venus, Mars, Moon, Jupiter, Saturn. Please note that the Sun is indicated here, which is a star, and the Moon is a satellite of our Earth. The earth is not included in this list because the Greeks considered it the center of everything.
In the 15th century, Copernicus discovered that the center of the system was the Sun, not the Earth. He laid out his statements in his work “On the Revolution of the Celestial Spheres.” The Moon and Sun were removed from the list, and planet Earth was included. When telescopes were invented, three more planets were discovered. Uranus in 1781, Neptune in 1846, Pluto in 1930, which, by the way, is no longer considered a planet.
At the moment, researchers are giving a new meaning to the word “planet”, namely: it is a celestial body that satisfies 4 conditions:
- The body must rotate around the star.
- Have a spherical or approximately spherical shape, that is, the body must have sufficient gravity.
- It doesn't have to be a star.
- The celestial body should not have other large bodies near its orbit.
A star is a body that emits light and has a powerful source of energy.
Planets in the Solar System
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The solar system includes the planets and other objects that orbit the sun. 4.5 billion years ago, condensations of clouds of stellar matter began to form in the Galaxy. The gases heated up and radiated heat. As a result of an increase in temperature and density, nuclear reactions began, hydrogen turned into helium. This is how the most powerful source of energy arose - the Sun. This process took tens of millions of years. Planets with satellites were created. The formation of the solar system ended completely about 4 billion years ago.
Today, the solar system includes 8 planets, which are divided into two groups. The first is the terrestrial group, the second is the gas giants. The terrestrial planets - Venus, Mercury, Mars and Earth - are composed of silicates and metals. The gas giants - Saturn, Jupiter, Neptune and Uranus - are composed of hydrogen and helium. The planets have different sizes, both in comparison between the two groups and among themselves. Accordingly, the giants are much larger and more massive than the terrestrial planets.
Mercury is closest to the Sun, followed by Neptune. Before characterizing the planets of the Solar System, we need to talk about its main object - the Sun. This is the star through which all living and nonliving things in the system began to exist. The sun is a spherical, plasma, hot ball. A large number of space objects revolve around it - satellites, planets, meteorites, asteroids and cosmic dust. This star appeared about 5 billion years ago. Its mass is 300 thousand times greater than the mass of our planet. The core temperature is 13 million degrees Kelvin, and at the surface - 5 thousand degrees Kelvin (4727 degrees Celsius). In the Milky Way galaxy, the Sun is one of the largest and brightest stars. The distance from the Sun to the center of the Galaxy is 26,000 light years. The Sun makes a complete revolution around the galactic center every 230-250 million years.
Mercury
It is closest to the Sun and is the smallest planet in the solar system. The planet has no satellites. There are many craters on the surface of Mercury, which were formed by many meteorites that fell on the planet more than 3 billion years ago. Their diameter is varied - from a couple of meters to 1000 kilometers. The planet's atmosphere is composed mainly of helium and is blown by wind from the Sun. Temperatures can reach +440 degrees Celsius. The planet completes a revolution around the Sun in 88 earthly days. A day on the planet is equal to 176 Earth hours.
Venus
Venus is the second planet from the Sun. Its dimensions are close to the size of the Earth. The planet has no satellites. The atmosphere consists of carbon dioxide with admixtures of nitrogen and oxygen. The air pressure is 90 atmospheres, which is 35 times more than on Earth. Venus is called the hottest planet because of its dense atmosphere, carbon dioxide, proximity to the Sun and Greenhouse effect form very high temperatures on the surface of the planet. It can reach 460 degrees Celsius. Venus can be seen from the surface of the Earth. This is the brightest cosmic object after the Moon and the Sun.
Earth
The only planet suitable for life. Maybe it exists on other planets, but no one can say this with certainty yet. It is the largest in its group in terms of mass, density and size. Its age is more than 4 billion years. Life began here more than 3 billion years ago. Earth's satellite is the Moon. The atmosphere on the planet is radically different from others. Most of it consists of nitrogen. This also includes carbon dioxide, oxygen, water vapor and argon. Ozone layer and magnetic field make the level of solar and cosmic radiation less. Due to the content of carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere, a greenhouse effect is formed on the planet. Without it, the temperature on the Earth's surface would be 40 degrees lower. Islands and continents occupy 29% of the planet's surface, and the rest is the World Ocean.
Mars
It is also called the “red planet” due to the presence of large amounts of iron oxide in the soil. Mars is the seventh largest planet in the solar system. Two satellites fly near the planet - Deimos and Phobos. Due to the too thin atmosphere and the far distance from the Sun, the average annual temperature of the planet is minus 60 degrees. At some points during the day, temperature changes can reach 40 degrees. The presence of volcanoes and craters, deserts and valleys, and polar ice caps distinguishes Mars from other planets in the solar system. Also here is the most high mountain – dormant volcano Olympus, reaching a height of 27 kilometers. Valles Marineris is the largest canyon among the planets. Its length is 4500 km and its depth is 11 m.
Jupiter
It is the largest planet in the solar system. Jupiter is 318 times heavier than Earth and 2.5 times more massive than other planets. The main components of the planet are helium and hydrogen. Jupiter emits a lot of heat - 4 * 1017 W. To become a star like the Sun, it must reach 70 times its current mass. The planet has the largest number of satellites - 63. Europa, Callisto, Ganymede and Io are the largest of them. Ganymede is also the largest moon in the entire solar system and is even larger than Mercury. Jupiter's atmosphere hosts many vortices that have a brownish-red colored band of clouds, or a giant storm, known as the Great Red Spot since the 17th century.
Saturn
Like Jupiter, it is a large planet that follows Jupiter in size. The ring system, which consists of particles of ice of various sizes, rocks and dust, distinguishes this planet from others. It has one fewer satellites than Jupiter. The largest are Enceladus and Titan. In composition, Saturn resembles Jupiter, but in density it is inferior to the simplest water. The atmosphere looks quite homogeneous and calm, which can be explained by a dense layer of fog. Saturn has enormous wind speeds, it can reach 1800 km per hour.
Uranus
This planet was discovered first using a telescope. Uranus is the only planet in the solar system that lies on its side and orbits the sun. Uranus has 27 moons, which are named after characters in Shakespeare's plays. The largest among them are Titania, Oberon and Umbriel. Uranus contains a large number of high-temperature modifications of ice. It is also the coldest planet. The temperature here is minus 224 degrees Celsius.
Neptune
It is the farthest planet from the Sun, although until 2006 this title belonged to Pluto. This planet was discovered without the help of a telescope, but by mathematical calculations. The existence of Neptune was suggested to scientists by Uranus, on which strange changes were discovered while moving in its own orbit. The planet has 13 satellites. The largest among them is Triton. Its peculiarity is that it moves opposite to the planet. The strongest winds in the solar system blow in the same direction, the speed of which reaches 2200 km per hour. Neptune and Uranus have similar compositions, but it is also similar in composition to Jupiter and Saturn. The planet has an internal heat source, from which it receives 2.5 times more energy than from the Sun. There is methane in the outer layers of the atmosphere, which gives the planet a blue tint.
That's how mysterious the world of Space is. Many satellites and planets have their own characteristics. Scientists are making changes to this world, for example, they excluded Pluto from the list of planets.
Study the planets on the portal website - it’s very interesting.
Rotation of planets
All planets, in addition to their orbit, also rotate around their own axis. The period during which they make a full revolution is defined as an epoch. Most of the planets in the Solar System rotate in the same direction on the axis as the Sun, but Uranus and Venus rotate in the opposite direction. Scientists observe a big difference in the length of the day on the planets - Venus takes 243 Earth days to complete one revolution around its axis, while the gas giant planets need only a couple of hours. The rotation period of exoplanets is unknown, but their close proximity to the stars means that eternal day reigns on one side, and eternal night on the other.
Why are all the planets so different? Due to the high temperature closer to the star, the ice and gas evaporated very quickly. The giant planets failed to form, but an accumulation of metal particles occurred. Thus, Mercury was formed, which contains the largest amount of metals. The further we are from the center, the lower temperature. Celestial bodies appeared, where a significant percentage was made up of rocks. The four planets that are located closer to the center of the solar system are called the inner ones. With the discovery of new systems, more and more questions arise. New research will help answer them.
Scientists claim that our system is unique. All planets are built in strict order. The largest one is closer to the Sun, respectively, the smallest one is further away. Our system has a more complex structure, because the planets are not arranged according to their mass. The sun makes up more than 99 percent of all objects in the system.
The new words couldn’t fit into my head. It also happened that a natural history textbook set us the goal of remembering the location of the planets of the solar system, and we were already selecting means to justify it. Among the many options for solving this problem, there are several interesting and practical ones.
Mnemonics in its purest form
The ancient Greeks came up with a solution for modern students. It is not for nothing that the term “mnemonics” comes from the consonant Greek word, meaning literally “the art of remembering.” This art gave rise to a whole system of actions aimed at memorizing a large amount of information - “mnemonics”.
They are very convenient to use if you simply need to store in memory a whole list of any names, a list of important addresses or telephone numbers, or remember the sequence of location of objects. In the case of the planets of our system, this technique is simply irreplaceable.
We play association or “Ivan gave birth to a girl...”
Each of us remembers and knows this poem from elementary school. This is a mnemonic counting rhyme. We are talking about that couplet, thanks to which it becomes easier for a child to remember the cases of the Russian language - “Ivan Gave Birth to a Girl - Ordered to Drag the Diaper” (respectively - Nominative, Genitive, Dative, Accusative, Instrumental and Prepositional).
Is it possible to do the same with the planets of the solar system? - Undoubtedly. Quite a large number of mnemonics have already been invented for this astronomical educational program. The main thing you need to know is that they are all based on associative thinking. For some it is easier to imagine an object similar in shape to the one being remembered, for others it is enough to imagine a chain of names in the form of a kind of “cipher”. Here are just a few tips on how best to record their location in memory, taking into account their distance from the central star.
Funny pictures
The order in which the planets of our star system move away from the Sun can be remembered through visual images. To begin, associate with each planet an image of an object or even a person. Then imagine these pictures one by one, in the sequence in which the planets are located inside the Solar System.
- Mercury. If you have never seen images of this ancient Greek god, try to remember the late lead singer of the group “Queen” - Freddie Mercury, whose surname is similar to the name of the planet. It is unlikely, of course, that children can know who this uncle is. Then we suggest coming up with simple phrases where the first word would begin with the syllable MER, and the second with KUR. And they must necessarily describe specific objects, which will then become a “picture” for Mercury (this method can be used as the most extreme option with each of the planets).
- Venus. Many people have seen the statue of Venus de Milo. If you show her to children, they will easily be able to remember this “armless aunt.” Plus, educate the younger generation. You can ask them to remember some acquaintance, classmate or relative with that name - in case there are such people in their social circle.
- Earth. Everything is simple here. Everyone must imagine themselves, an inhabitant of the Earth, whose “picture” stands between two planets located in space before and after ours.
- Mars. In this case, advertising can become not only an “engine of trade,” but also of scientific knowledge. We think you understand that you need to imagine the popular imported chocolate bar in place of the planet.
- Jupiter. Try to imagine some landmark of St. Petersburg, for example, Bronze Horseman. Yes, even though the planet begins in the south, the locals call the “Northern capital” St. Petersburg. For children, such an association may not be beneficial, so invent a phrase with them.
- Saturn. Such a “handsome man” does not need any visual image, because everyone knows him as a planet with rings. If you still have difficulties, imagine a sports stadium with a running track. Moreover, such an association has already been used by the creators of one animated film on a space theme.
- Uranus. The most effective in this case will be a “picture” in which someone is very happy about some achievement and seems to shout “Hurray!” Agree - every child is capable of adding one letter to this exclamation.
- Neptune. Show your children the cartoon "The Little Mermaid" - let them remember Ariel's dad - the King with a mighty beard, impressive muscles and a huge trident. And it doesn’t matter that in the story His Majesty’s name is Triton. Neptune also had this tool in his arsenal.
Now, once again mentally imagine everything (or everyone) that reminds you of the planets of the solar system. Flip through these images, like pages in a photo album, from the first “picture”, which is closest to the Sun, to the last, whose distance from the star is the greatest.
“Look, what kind of rhymes have turned out...”
Now - to mnemonics, which are based on the “initials” of the planets. Remembering the order of the planets of the solar system is indeed easiest to do by the first letters. This type of “art” is ideal for those who have less developed imaginative thinking, but are fine with its associative form.
The most striking examples of versification in order to record the order of planets in memory are the following:
“The Bear Comes Out Behind the Raspberry - The Lawyer Managed to Escape the Lowlands”;
“We Know Everything: Yulia’s Mom Stood on Stilts in the Morning.”
You can, of course, not write a poem, but simply choose words for the first letters in the names of each of the planets. A little advice: in order not to confuse the places of Mercury and Mars, which begin with the same letter, put the first syllables at the beginning of your words - ME and MA, respectively.
For example: In some places Golden Cars could be seen, Julia seemed to see Us.
You can come up with such proposals ad infinitum - as much as your imagination allows. In a word, try, practice, remember...
