The Earth- Our Habitat

Our Earth is part of the solar system, which consists of other objects like the sun, planets, asteroids, twinkling stars, etc. Earth has all life-supporting systems which work in sync to make life possible on Earth. On most days, you may also see the moon in addition to these bright objects. It may, however, appear at various times, in various shapes, and in various positions. The full moon appears only once every month or so. It’s Full Moon Night, also known as Poornima. You can’t see it at all a fortnight later. It is a New Moon night, also known as Amavasya. On this day, if it’s a clear night, you can get the best view of the night sky.

Do you ever wonder why we can’t see the moon and other bright tiny objects during the day? It’s because the sun’s extremely bright light prevents us from seeing all of the bright objects in the night sky. Celestial bodies include the sun, moon, and all other objects visible in the night sky. Some celestial bodies are extremely large and hot. They are composed of gases. They generate their own heat and light, which they expel in large quantities. These celestial bodies are referred to as stars. The sun is a celestial body.

The sun is represented by countless twinkling stars in the night sky. But we don’t feel their heat or light, and they appear so small because they’re so far away.

What are celestial bodies?

• Celestial bodies or radiant bodies are objects in space like the Sun, Moon, Planets, and Stars. They are essential for the Universe
• Stars like the Sun are made up of scorching gases, and they emit their light and heat
• Twinkling stars are like the Sun, but we do not feel their heat or light as they are far away from us.

What are constellations?

• These are groups of stars, and they form different patterns
• Ursa Major or big bear is one such example of constellations
• One of the most recognizable constellations is Saptarishi; it is a group of seven stars forming part of the Ursa Major constellation
• The Saptarishi constellations help in locating the position of the pole star.

What are the Planets?

• The planet came from the Greek word “Planetai,” which means Wanderers
• These are the celestial Bodies that don’t emit heat and light.

What is the Solar system?

The Sun, eight planets, satellites, and other celestial bodies known as asteroids and meteoroids constitute our solar system.

The Sun

It is made of scorching gases, and it is the centre of our solar system. It acts as a pulling factor around which other planets and objects revolve.

The Planets

In total, our solar system consists of 8 planets. These are arranged through their distance from the Sun. They can be listed as

Mercury

Mercury is the planet that is closest to the Sun. It makes a quick 88-day orbit around the Sun. It rotates slowly, but only every 59 days. Mercury is a small planet with a diameter of about 4850 kilometres (3000 miles). Because Mercury is so close to the Sun, the side of its surface facing the Sun is extremely hot (800oK). Mercury’s surface is grey to orange in colour and covered in craters. Mercury is named after a mythical god who was a fast runner.

Venus

Venus, the second planet from the Sun, is the closest neighbour to Earth. It is roughly the same size as the Earth, with a diameter of slightly more than 12,000 kilometres (7300 miles). Venus has a very thick atmosphere that is mostly made up of sulphuric acid and CO2. We couldn’t breathe on Venus because the atmosphere was too toxic for us. Venus’s colour is brownish-yellow as a result of this atmosphere. It also traps heat (the greenhouse effect), making Venus’s surface the hottest in the Solar System, at around 900o K. Venus rotates at a glacial pace, taking 243 days to complete one full rotation. It was named after the Roman goddess of love, Venus

 Earth

The diameter of the Earth is slightly more than 12,000 kilometres. It is distinguished from the other planets by the presence of liquid water on its surface, the presence of life, and active plate movement. It rotates on its axis once every 24 hours (a day) and orbits the Sun once every 365 days (a year). The Earth has a single moon.

Mars

Mars has a diameter of 6,790 kilometres, making it slightly larger than half the size of the Earth. Mars takes 687 days to complete one orbit around the Sun. It rotates at roughly the same rate as the Earth and takes 24.6 hours to complete. Mars has a very thin atmosphere that is mostly made up of CO2. It has a very cold surface and is covered in craters, volcanoes, and large canyons. Mars is a reddish planet. There are two minor moons orbiting Mars. It takes its name from the Roman god of war.

Jupiter

Jupiter is the largest planet in the Solar System, with a diameter of 142,980 kilometres, making it more than 11 times the size of Earth. Jupiter makes a 12-year orbit around the Sun. It rotates extremely quickly, in 9 hours and 19 minutes. Its surface is made of gas (mostly hydrogen), so if you landed on it, you’d sink into it. Jupiter most likely has a metallic hydrogen and rock core, though evidence for this is speculative. Jupiter’s outer gaseous region is divided into bands of white, yellow, red, and brown clouds. Jupiter has four rings, which are mostly made of dust. Large oval-shaped storms can also be seen on the surface. Jupiter currently has 67 known satellites, including the four large Galilean satellites (as of 2016), moons (Io, Europa, Callisto, and Ganymede) and a slew of smaller ones, some of which have yet to be named. Jupiter is named after the Roman supreme god of the sky, Jupiter.

Saturn

Saturn is well-known for its three-ring system. It is a large planet, only slightly smaller than Jupiter at 120,536 kilometres. It revolves around the Sun in 29.46 earth years and rotates for just over 10 earth hours. Saturn, like Jupiter, is mostly made of gas, with a core made of rock and metallic hydrogen. Saturn’s surface appears banded and has a brown-yellow, butterscotch colour. Saturn’s rings are most likely made up of small ice and rock particles. There are 62 moons orbiting Saturn (as of 2016). It bears the name of the Roman god of agriculture.

Uranus

Uranus has a diameter of 51,118 kilometres, or about 4.4 times the size of the Earth. It rotates slowly around the Sun, taking 84 years to complete one orbit. It takes about 17 hours to rotate. It has a fairly uniform blue-green colour and is covered by a thick layer of gas. Uranus has 27 moons (as of 2016) and is surrounded by a nine-ring system. It is named after another Roman god, Jupiter’s grandfather.

Neptune

With a diameter of 49,500 kilometres, Neptune is slightly smaller than Uranus. It rotates in 16 hours and circles the Sun once every 165 years. Its atmosphere appears blue, with large dark blue storm systems. It is surrounded by a five-ringed system and at least 14 moons. Neptune is named after the Roman god of the sea, Neptune.

Pluto 

Pluto in 2006 was renamed as a dwarf planet. It has an eccentric, oval-shaped orbit, which is tilted with respect to the rest of the Solar System. Pluto revolves around the Sun in 248 years, and rotates in a period of 6.4 days. Pluto is probably composed of rock. Its surface and colour are unknown. It has one large moon that is almost like a twin with 2 smaller moons.  Pluto is named for the Roman god of outer darkness

• All these planets revolve around the Sun in an elongated orbit
• Mercury is nearest to the Sun, and the time it takes to complete its 1 orbit around the sun is 88 days
• Venus is called Earth’s twin because of its exact size and shape, which is similar to that of Earth.

The Earth

• The Earth, our habitat, is the 3rd most near on the list and the 5th when it comes to size in our solar system. It is slightly flattened at poles. That’s why; its shape is described as “Geoid”
• Life-favourable conditions such as water, air, neither too hot nor too cold temperature, etc., make0 the Earth a unique planet
• The Earth is covered ⅔ with water and therefore is called the “Blue Planet” 
• Earth has only one satellite, the Moon, 3 84,400 km away from Earth
• The Moon revolves around the Earth in 27 days; it takes time to complete one spin.

Asteroids

These are various small bodies that move around the Sun. For the most part, they were found between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. They are considered a feature of the planets that detonated numerous years back.

Meteoroids

These are tiny rocks that move around the Sun. Sometimes, they contact the Earth’s atmosphere, and due to the friction, they get heated up and burn with a flash of light.  While Meteor, without being completely burnt, falls on Earth and makes hollow.

Galaxy

A galaxy is a cluster of billions of stars that look whitish. The Milky Way is such an example, The Milky Way Galaxy is a large barred spiral galaxy. All of the stars visible in the night sky are part of our own Milky Way Galaxy. When viewed in total darkness, our galaxy is known as the Milky Way because it appears as a milky band of light in the sky. Our solar system is part of the galaxy called the Akash Ganga. The whole universe is made of millions of such galaxies.

Conclusion 

Our Earth is part of the solar system, which consists of other objects like the sun, planets, asteroids, twinkling stars, etc. Earth has all life-supporting systems which work in sync to make life possible on Earth. Celestial bodies or radiant bodies are objects in space like the Sun, Moon, Planets, and Stars. They are essential for the Universe.Stars like the Sun are made up of scorching gases, and they emit their light and heat. Solar system consists of the sun, the stars In the Milky Way galaxy , planets ,Countless asteroids,  satellites and other icy bodies which are bound by the gravity .The different planets are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.Constellations are groups of stars which form different patterns.The most recognizable constellations is Saptarishi ,it is a group of seven stars .The Earth, our habitat and it is slightly flattened at poles. That’s why; its shape is described as “Geoid.”Earth has only one satellite, the Moon.A galaxy is a cluster of billions of stars that look whitish. The Milky Way is such an example.