You have read about the Solar System and your knowledge has only grown as you go into higher classes. But wait. There are several things that you still don’t know about the solar system. This is because the Solar System is a fascinating and diverse collection of celestial bodies and phenomena.
Our solar system is considered unique in several ways when compared to other known planetary systems. While there are many solar systems in the universe, each with its characteristics, here are 10 lesser-known facts that make our Solar System novel.
· Should we ever embark on a journey to the gas giants, prepare for a surprising experience upon disembarking from the spacecraft. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune lack solid surfaces – you won’t find a place to stand, as they possess rocky cores enveloped by vast volumes of hydrogen and helium.
· If India is successful in its mission to land on Mars, astronauts will have to wear huge coats as well. The average temperature of the planet is roughly -60°C!
· Saturn boasts a colossal ice rink of its own. Due to its considerable distance from the Sun, the water within its ring system has solidified into ice.
· Jupiter’s biggest moon Ganymede has a salty ocean that has more water than on Earth!
· Mercury takes three months to rotate around the Sun even though it has the shortest orbit in the Solar System.
· Want to fly to the Sun? Be prepared to travel for 206 days!
· There are currently five dwarf planets officially recognised by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) — Pluto, Ceres, Makemake, Haumea, and Eris. A sixth was added in 2015 fondly called The Goblin.
· Deep within the atmospheres of Uranus and Neptune, it’s believed that some extreme pressures and temperatures can cause carbon atoms to crystallize into diamonds.
· The Kuiper Belt, a region of space beyond Neptune’s orbit, is home to a vast number of icy objects, including Pluto.
· There are more than 200 known moons in our Solar System, each with its unique characteristics — Jupiter’s moon Io is the most volcanically active body in the solar system.