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Article brought to you by Faye from the Student Editors.
Firstly, what is World Space Week?
World Space Week is the largest annual global space event, celebrated from 4th - 10th of October, to recognise the contributions of space science and technology to humanity. It also encourages and inspires students into STEM fields!
So, what is space?
Well, space is a vast, three-dimensional region of the universe that exists beyond Earth's atmosphere, containing all celestial objects like planets, stars, and galaxies. It is an almost perfect vacuum. Our solar system is in the Milky Way, a barred spiral galaxy with two major arms, and two minor arms. Our Sun is in a small, partial arm of the Milky Way called the Orion Arm, or Orion Spur, between the Sagittarius and Perseus arms.
Our solar system orbits the centre of the galaxy at about 515,000 mph, and it takes about 230 million years to complete one orbit around the galactic centre!
The Planets:
As of now, there are 8 planets in our solar system, and 5 dwarf planets. There is a small possibility that there are more of these two lurking in the solar system. The planets are separated into 3 categories, The Rocky Planets, The Gas Planets, and The Ice Planets.
The Rocky Planets consists of Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. They are called this because they all their surfaces contain and are made of rock.
The Gas Planets consists of Jupiter and Saturn. They are called this because they do not have a solid and well-defined surface like The Rocky Planets. Instead, there is a gradual transition from a gaseous atmosphere to a liquid or even a metallic hydrogen interior.
The Ice Planets consists of Uranus and Neptune. They are called this because they do not have a regular rocky surface, but rather a dense, fluid layer of icy materials that gradually turns into a rocky, solid core in their centres. There is no firm ground to rest.
Here are some little fun facts about each planet! You can also click on the planet names below to be taken to the NASA website for further information…
A Shrinking Planet: Mercury is the only planet in the solar system that is shrinking, due to its cooling and contracting core.
Artistic Craters: Its craters are named after famous artists, musicians, and authors.
The Hottest Planet: Despite not being closest to the Sun, Venus is the hottest planet due to its thick atmosphere.
Long, Slow Days: A single day on Venus lasts longer than its year, and it rotates backward (clockwise) compared to most other planets.
Our Life-Sustaining Home: It is the only planet known to have liquid water, dynamic life, and a protective magnetic field.
Not Perfectly Round: Earth is not a perfect sphere; it's slightly flattened, an oblate spheroid.
The Red Planet: Its surface is rich in iron oxide, giving it a reddish appearance.
Giant Volcanoes: Mars is home to Olympus Mons, the largest volcano in the solar system.
Watery Past: Scientists have found evidence that liquid water once flowed on Mars's surface.
Giant Protector: As the largest planet, Jupiter's immense gravity helps protect the inner planets by capturing comets and asteroids.
The Great Red Spot: This is a massive, persistent storm on Jupiter that has been raging for over 300 years.
The Floating Planet: Saturn is less dense than water, meaning it would float if placed in a large enough body of water.
Spectacular Rings: Its famous rings are made of countless pieces of ice and rock.
Sideways Spinner: Uranus is unique because it spins on its side, with its axis tilted almost parallel to its orbital plane.
Extreme Winds: Neptune experiences the fastest winds in the solar system, reaching supersonic speeds.
Distant and Ice-Rich: As the most distant planet, it is an ice giant with a methane-rich atmosphere and faint rings.
How do you learn more about space?
If you are interested in space and would like to learn more about it, you can learn about space by stargazing with your naked eye or a telescope, engaging with educational websites and apps, or reading articles just like this one! You could also talk to your science teachers about space.
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