What's wrong with Pluto?

PLUTO THE DWARF PLANET

 It was before 2006 that Pluto was a proud member of the solar system's ninth planet until it was demoted to the dwarf planet.

Pluto is present in the Kuiper belt with millions of Kuiper belt objects (KBO).

Pluto has been now classified as an object beyond Neptune (OBN).

The dwarf planet Pluto is smaller than the moon in size. It is only 2/3 of the width of the moon It is 5.8 billion km away from the Sun. It takes 248 years to revolve around the Sun ( Pluto's year). It takes 153 hr to rotate on its axis ( Pluto's day).

It has a hazy atmosphere. That has carbon dioxide and nitrogen. Pluto does not have a rings system

This is an icy cold dwarf planet.

Why is Pluto no longer a planet?

Pluto from its discovery in 1930 to 2006 pluto was the ninth planet in the solar system when it was demoted to a dwarf planet by the International Astronomical Union. 

To be a planet an object must meet the following criteria

 1. It must revolve around the Sun.

 2. It has assumed an almost round shape i.e. it has sufficient mass to assume hydrostatic equilibrium.

 3. It has cleared its neighborhood.

Pluto meets only the first two of these criteria. It has not cleared its neighborhood. Thus Pluto is not the only massive object in its orbit. 

Pluto and its moon Charon dance together as twin planets. So it is not the only massive object in its orbit.

This is the reason that Pluto is no longer ninth planet of the solar system.

GLOBAL WARMING

 Global warming is a long-term rise in the earth’s temperature. Global warming is attributed to human intervention.

Since the pre-industrial period, human activities are estimated to have increased Earth’s global average temperature by about 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit), a number that is currently increasing by 0.2 degrees Celsius (0.36 degrees Fahrenheit) per decade. It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean, and land(1).

 Global warming is mainly caused by the global rise in greenhouse gases. Such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, etc. These gases are mainly produced by the burning of fossil fuels.  After the 1800s there is a rise in the use of fossil fuels, so there is also a rise in these gases in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide has increased to 48% in the previous century. The rise in greenhouse gases has a blanket effect on global temperature. As these gases make the earth a glasshouse.

 These gases trap the infrared radiations from the earth and keep the earth warm.

  THE effect of these gases has pushed the ice age 1000 years away. If these gases were not increased in the atmosphere there must be Ice Age on earth.

GREENHOUSE GASES(2)

Carbon dioxide

Methane

Nitrous oxide

Tetra-fluoro-methane

Hexa-fluoro-ethane

Sulfur hexafluoride

Tetra-fluoro ethane

Difluoroethane

The greenhouse gases that also cause ozone layer depletion are-

CFCs, Halon-1211, halon 1301, and carbon tetrachloride, methyl- chloroform.

GREENHOUSE EFFECT

This is a well-known phenomenon, where a green glasshouse is used to grow fruits and vegetables at low temperatures. Glass house keeps the area warm and protects the plants from cold shock.

Greenhouse gases such as CO2, Methane CH4, Nitrous oxide N2O, and sulfur hexafluoride SF6 trap the heat radiated by the earth and keep the earth warm.

Earth receives solar radiation in the form of short waves. Of these solar radiations, a large amount of 30% is reflected back. 23% is absorbed by clouds, dust, and CO2. Solar radiations absorbed by land and ocean heat up land and water. This heat is radiated by the earth in the form of long waves. This heat is radiated through conduction and the latent heat of the earth. These long-wavelength radiations are absorbed by H2O, CO2, CH4, and other greenhouse gases. These radiations are then radiated in different directions by these gases. This keeps the earth warm. This is called the greenhouse effect.  

Global warming

  

Major greenhouse gases

Water vapors

This is a major contributor to greenhouse gases. Water vapors are present in large amounts in the atmosphere. So, these absorb a large amount of long-wave radiation from the earth and keep the earth warm.

Carbon dioxide

This gas is produced by burning fossil fuels. It is produced by volcanic eruptions. This gas is also produced by respiration. This gas is a major greenhouse gas. This gas has increased 250 times from 1850 to 2020. This gas has caused the global rise in average temperature. 

Methane

It is also called marsh gas. It is produced by marshes, paddy fields, and cattle. This gas is used as fuel. It is a very potent greenhouse gas.

Nitrous oxide

This is also known as laughing gas. N2O is produced by burning fossil fuels. This also radiates long-wavelength radiation. 

Ozone

It is also a greenhouse gas.

CFCs

These gases are synthetic gases. These gases cause ozone layer depletion. These are also greenhouse gases.

IMPACT OF GLOBAL WARMING

Global warming is one of the factors of climate change. It has impacted the global climate. It has changed the crop cycle. It has resulted in the melting of the ice cap. It is responsible for sea-level rise. It has adversely impacted coral reefs. It has adverse effects on the Antarctic and Arctic ice sheets.

Extreme weather phenomenon.

Global warming has caused global ice melting. This is destructive to the alpine ecosystem. This also causes a rise in sea level. This causes submergence of low land areas, and even a threat to some islands.

This impacts El-Nino and la-Nina also. Thus causing more severe drought and floods respectively in India.

Inland water resources are depleting. Lakes and rivers are drying.

Deserts are expanding.

Forest fires are now becoming more common and severe.

Severe rain and drought conditions have become a common phenomenon.

The rise in CO2 levels in the atmosphere also causes acidification of the ocean.

Ocean temperature rises due to global warming, which has an adverse impact oceanic ecosystem. It is also destructive to coral reefs.

The last decade has been the warmest decade of this century.

NEPTUNE

 Neptune is the eighth planet in the solar system. It is the only planet in the solar system that is not visible to the naked eye. It is the only planet in the solar system that was discovered by mathematical calculations.

It is the last planet in the solar system. It is another gas giant.

It is also a blue planet, the blue color is due to the methane that absorbs sun rays that anyway closer to red pigment. So, the only blue color is reflected and the planet appears blue.

This planet completes its revolution in 165 years, and its rotation period is only 16 hours.

This is the only planet that has completed a single revolution in 2011, since its discovery in 1846.

Solar rays take 4 hours to reach Neptune.

This planet has a 28-degree axial tilt. So, this plant also has four seasons similar to Earth and Mars. But every season lasts for 40 years.

This gas giant has clouds of icy material, methane, hydrogen, and helium.

It has a hot soup of water, methane, and other gases.

It has a small solid core. Its core is as large as the size of Earth.

Pluto the dwarf planet, was closer to the Sun than Neptune from 1979 to 1999, this is due to the elliptical path of the revolution pluto. 

Neptune has five rings similar to Saturn and Uranus. These rings are made of gases and dust.  

Neptune has 14 moons.

The pressure, temperature, and surface conditions are nonconductive for life to exist on this planet.

URANUS, GOD OF SKY

 Uranus is the seventh planet of the solar system. It is named after Uranus; the Greek God of the sky. This is the first planet observed by the telescope in 1781.

 It is the third-largest planet in the solar system only after Jupiter and Saturn.

 This planet also has multiple moons. It has faint rings.

 This icy giant has blue-green color. 

color makes it an attractive Planet in the solar system.

 This planet is four-time as wide as Earth. 

This planet has a large ocean of methane and ammonia.

URANUS: THE ROLLING PLANET

 It is tilted 97.77 degrees on its axis due to this tilt this planet rolls instead of rotating as the other planets do. This is the only planet that has such a movement. This planet has the largest tilt on its axis and due to this tilt, the North Pole and the South Pole observe winter and summer alternatively for a span of 21 years.

 This planet rotates sideways. It completes its rotation in 17 hours however; it completes its revolution around Sun in 84 years.

 It has a 97.77º axial tilt. This is the greatest tilt among the planets. This tilt is believed due to the planet’s collision with another planet or moon similar to the size of Earth.

 It rotates east to west similar to Venus. The only two planets of the solar system that rotates East to West are Venus and Uranus.

SURFACE OF URANUS

 This planet does not have any solid surface. Its surface is fluid due to high pressure. It is a cold icy giant that has a blue-green color. This blue-green color is due to access of Methane in its atmosphere. It has hydrogen in diatomic form and Helium in atomic form.

The atmosphere is gaseous that transits to liquid layers. Its mantle is a hot ocean of water and ammonia. Its core is made of rocks. Its core is hot reaching 4982ºC.

 This called icy giant is inhabitable as it doesn't have a solid surface. Its outer surface is fluid and its inner core may be made of rocks. It has poisonous gases in its atmospheres such as Methane and ammonia. Its surface observes high pressure that is enough to crush the spacecraft.

 Methane in the atmosphere of Uranus absorbs red, orange, and yellow colors, it reflects the blue-green color and this gas gives it the particular blue (cyan) color to the planet. 

RAIN OF DIAMONDS ON URANUS

The atmosphere of Uranus has hydrogen, carbon, and methane. These molecules act as seeds for diamond formation. Diamonds are formed under the surface of Uranus at the depth of 8000 km where extreme heat and atmospheric pressure burn methane and convert carbon into diamonds. These diamonds with gas and vapors reach the atmosphere, from where they rain on the surface of Uranus. However, the size of these diamonds is very small, in the range of nanoparticles.

RINGS OF URANUS

 This planet also has a number of rings around it these rings are formed of gases and dust particles. The rings are of a different colors. The inner rings are dark grey in color and the Outer rings are red or pink in color. 

Uranus has thirteen rings. These are named alpha, beta, gamma, zeta, etc. Alpha and beta are the outermost rings. These are light in color.

MOONS OF URANUS

 Uranus is named after the Greek God of the sky. Uranium the radioactive element is named after Uranus. It has 29 moons. Its moon has been named after the characters of Shakespeare and Alexander Pope. Its inner moons are made of half-ice and half rocks.

 Water is present in form of ice. Liquid water doesn't exist on this planet. Due to its low temperature, it has gases in a liquid state and water is in a frozen state. It is the coldest planet in the solar system. Its average surface temperature is -224ºC.

SATURN, THE JEWEL OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM

 Saturn is the second-largest planet in the solar system.  The planet has a gold color and a beautiful ring around it. It has golden clouds of ammonia crystals. This planet with these features appears as the jewel of the solar system.

  Saturn: the lightest planet in the solar system

Saturn is another gas giant after Jupiter. Saturn is the second-largest planet in the solar system. 9 piles of earth can fix into Saturn's equator. It is the lightest planet. Its density is lower than water. It is the lightest planet in the solar system. 

 Saturn, the gas giant has a density even less than water, so this planet will float on water. The only planet that will float on water. 

This gaseous giant has only a solid core, the rest of it is composed of gas only. These gases mainly are hydrogen and helium. 

A large number of satellites

The gas giant is a solar system in itself, that is this planet has a large number of satellites. That may be even more than Jupiter. It has 50 confirmed moon. Titan the largest moon of Saturn is as big as Canada. It has a cloud system and atmosphere. It has oceans under its atmosphere. But it has a high concentration of methane and no oxygen

 Enceladus is the brightest satellite of Saturn. it reflects 100% of the light it receives. The temperature at this moon is -201ºC and its  surface is smooth due to the icy surface

Saturn revolves slowly around the sun, it takes 29 years for Saturn to complete its revolution. However, Saturn rotates very fast it rotates on its axis, and it takes on  10.7 hours to complete its rotation. Saturn is tilted 27. 9 minutes on its axis.

 

The gas giant has large Storms going on it and these terms are about 18000 square km in their diameter. The maximum speed of this storm can be 400 km/h. Saturn cannot support life as it does not have a solid crust. Its atmosphere is very hot gases that are too windy to survive.

 

Beautiful rings of Saturn

 It has beautiful rings around it. These are thin rings that are made of Rocks, dust, and ice flakes. These rings are colorful. These can be only seen through the telescope.

Rings around Saturn are numerous these are separated from each other by gaps these are mainly composed of ice flakes, rocks, and small particles that are equal to their size in the dust. The rings are divided into 7 groups. The rocks' size can be as large as mountains and small as dust particles.

The ring system of Saturn is the most complicated system among the planets. These rings are 4 and half times the earth and 0.66 miles in width. Small moons revolving around Saturn keep the rings in shape. These tiny moons are called shepherd moons.

It has no true surface. Golden clouds and storms. The largest storm on the north pole. It is twice the size of the earth. This storm has a hexagonal shape due to jet streams. Its clouds contain ammonia, H2, and He. 

Comets, Where do the comets come from?

            Comets are the leftover material after the formation of the solar system. These are formed 4.6 billion years ago. A comet consists of dust, rock, and snow. There are more than 3000 known comets. But these are millions in number. Comets usually travel at safe distance from the Sun.  Some of the comets are attracted closer to the Sun and they collide with Sun and evaporate.

Where do the comets come from?

Comets are frozen rocks of predictable or nonpredictable revolution periods. These are the objects that come from the Kuiper belt or Oort cloud. The comets that come from the Kuiper belt( circumstellar disc beyond the orbit of Neptune, it is a massive belt that has the remnant of the solar system) have a short revolution period i.e, less than 200 years, these are called predictable comets. The comets that come from the Oort cloud are unpredictable comets as they take more than 200 years to orbit the Sun. These comets come from a distance of more than 100000 AU.

 Comet can be a predictable short period comet or an unpredictable long-period comet. The short period comment has a Revolution period of about 200 years. The unpredictable comet has a longer period of revolution around the Sun. The comet comes from a dark cloud beyond Pluto known as the Oort cloud. These are 100000 AU away from Sun. These take 30 million a year to orbit around Sun.

 Structure of comet

A comet has nucleus, coma and tail.

Structurally a comet has a nucleus that is only a few kilometers in diameter. It consists of solid rock. It is solid just like a planet. It has frozen ice on it. It is surrounded by a cloud known as a coma.  A comet when coming closer to the Sun. The Frozen material, ice, and gases melt and form the tail of a comet. It consists of an atmosphere made of dust, gases, and ions. These gases form the tail of the comet. This tail is millions of kilometers in length. Solarwinds push these gases away from the nucleus. A comet may have more than one tail.

Orbit around the Sun

 A tail travels behind the comet when it comes closer to the sun and the tail moves forward when the comet goes away from the Sun. Comet shines when they are closer to the sun due to the reflected light of the Sun.

 The solar radiation pushes the tail away from Sun when a comet approaches Sun.

 Comet keeps away from Sun as far as 89 million kilometers so that they cannot collide with the sun. If comet comes closer to the Sun, it will collide with the Sun and it will be evaporated.

The tail of the comet shows different colors. It is due to the different types of gases, it has in its composition.

When coming closer to the Sun comet develops an atmosphere and this atmosphere is called a coma from which they have drawn their name. Solarwinds push away the comma or the atmosphere of the comet. This form their tail.

Naming the comets

 Comet gets their name from the person or the spacecraft which has discovered them. Spacecrafts have been more successful in finding out the comets so the comets have been named after them. The tail of Comet can stretch to millions of miles.  The comets come from the Kuiper belt and even from the Oort cloud. These are millions in number but the current known number is 3743 comets.  Comets revolve around the Sun, just like planets but their orbit is too long.                                                        

Mars, the planet with seasons

 Mars is a planet with seasons similar to earth. Mars is the fourth planet of the solar system. It is one of the closest planets of the earth(after Venus only). It is also called Red Planet. It is half the size of Earth.

 It has ice caps, Canyons, extinct volcanoes, a thin atmosphere, and seasons like earth.

 SIMILARITIES OF MARS WITH EARTH

Mars has different seasons. Because its axis of rotation is tilted 25 degrees on its orbit of revolution.

  It rotates in 24.6 hours on its Axis which is 25 degrees tilted on its orbit of rotation, a similarity to earth, which has a rotation period of 23.9 hours and an axis tilt of 23.5 degrees(1).

Its day length(24.6) is similar to the day of the earth(23.9h).

 It revolves around Sun in 667 earth’s day.  Double the revolution period of the earth.

Due to its tilt, Mars show change in a season similar to earth. But the Seasons of Mars lasts longer than earth because its Revolution period is almost double of revolution period of the earth. 

The seasons on earth last in three months but it takes longer on Mars. 

Summer temperature 17 degrees Celsius, winter temperature -140 degrees Celsius on Mars.

This is a cold planet with extinct volcanos, which shows that it was once an active planet. 

Mars is in the apposition of the earth after every 26 months. At this time Mars is closest to the earth. Mars, Sun, and Earth are in a straight line.

 Two moons

Mars has two moons, Phobos and Deimos they have too small mass and gravity that they are not even spherical in shape.

 Phobos is slowly moving toward Mars and it will collide with the planet in 50 million years(1).

Deimos is even smaller than Phobos. It is loosely covered with dirt and thus has a smooth surface.

Structure of Mars

Mars is a Terrestrial planet similar to earth. It has a solid core, Crust, and Mantle. It is made of iron, nickel, and sulphur. The crust consists of iron and magnesium, aluminium, calcium and potassium.

The red planet Mars

Sun and landscape of Mars

Mars appears as a reddish dot in the night sky.

Sunrise on Mars is red due to the red dust of the planet.

 The crust of Mars appears reddish due to iron rocks, that has been oxidized.

  Martian soil is red in colour due to rusting of the iron rocks. Its atmosphere has dust storms and the storms have created a landscape on Mars's surface.

 Grand Canyon and high mountains

Grand Canyon Mars

Grand Canyon on Mars is ten times the size of earth Grand Canyon on earth.

 Mount Olympus mons is three-time taller than Mount Everest. It is an extinct volcano.

  Mars has Landscapes similar to Earth

Mars may have had water in the past because, it has a network of rivers, valleys, deltas, and other landforms(1). 

 It may have experienced a flood about 3.5 billion years ago. Mars has water today also but its atmosphere is too thin to keep water in the liquid state. Water exists in ice caps and ice dust.

 Mars has ice in polar regions. This ice is under the surface of Mars.

Atmosphere of Mars

 The atmosphere of Mars is made of carbon dioxide ((96%), nitrogen, and Argon gas. 

But its atmosphere is 100 times thinner than earth. This thin atmosphere is unable to protect the heat of the planet. A thin atmosphere can not provide enough pressure so that water can exist in the liquid state.

Thus this planet is a cold desert. Surface temperature -63 degrees.

This atmosphere is unable to protect the planet from meteorites, asteroids, and comets temperature on Mars is 20 degrees Celsius to  - 153 degrees Celsius. 

The heat of the Sun escapes from the planet because its atmosphere is too thin to keep it.