Our Super Solar System Studies

Marvelous Mercury in Space by Lindsay
(With help from Ryan and edited by classmates)

Mercury is the first planet closest to the sun, so it is very hot. The highest temperature on Mercury is 800 degrees Fahrenheit, and the coolest temperature is -279 degrees Fahrenheit. Mercury is just larger than Earth’s moon, but smaller than all the outer planets, not counting Pluto. Did you know that it takes Mercury 88 Earth days to orbit the sun, and that it takes 59 Earth days for it to complete one rotation, or one full day on Mercury? Mercury has no moons. The closest planet is not the hottest, actually Venus is hotter than Mercury. Finally, this planet, known as Mercury, is very small, but very fascinating.

Superior Saturn in Space

by Ryan and classmates

Saturn is known as the sixth planet from the sun.  Saturn was
discovered in 1610 by Galileo Galilei.  A day on Saturn is
completed in only 10 hours and 30 minutes, and 1 year takes
a long 29 and one half earth years.  Our science text book
explains that Saturn has 47 moons, but now  it is said to 
have 59 moons! Saturn is known for its stunning rings which
are made from ice, dust, and rocks that orbit the planet.
Saturn's rings are labeled A through F.  Winds on Saturn
accelerate up to  a non-stop 1,100 miles per hour.  All in
all, Saturn is my favorite planet in this galaxy.

Volcanoes
by William and Brendan

The planet Earth has many extraordinary features. One example is a volcano, which is a kind of a mountain that is huge and has lava. The lava's hotness comes from the heat source of a hot core, or the center of our Earth. Just imagine this, where we live on the surface of Earth, the average temperature is 59 - 69 degrees Fahrenheit, but where the core is, it is a blazing hot 7,200 degrees Fahrenheit! This is as hot as the Sun is on the outside.

Many scientists believe Earth was made by pieces of rock colliding as they circled around the sun. This formed a mass heat source in the huge hot core of the Earth. This core is what fuels a volcano to this day. The magma, which is the lava before it comes to the surface, goes through many sections before the volcano erupts! First it transports through the large magma chamber and out the main vent. Some of the magma seeps out the side vent. After the magma has erupted, it is called lava. The lava flows down the side of the volcano. Last, but not least, it is followed by an ash cloud. All in all, volcanoes are very interesting features to explore.

Learning About Space by Juliette (Edited by classmates)

If you're looking for a fun way to learn about space, the Griffith Observatory is the place. One exhibit is a room with models of all the planets. You can even learn how much you weigh on each planet! There is also a show about space and who discovered it. You can see pictures of things in space. For example, there are amazing pictures of Neil Armstrong on the moon, a wonderful picture of the surface of Mars, and an awesome picture of the moon. I traveled there on June 3, 2009. When I explored the Observatory, my favorite thing was when I got to see how much I would weigh on each planet. On some, I weighed less than one pound! All in all, the Griffith Observatory is the place to have fun and learn about space at the same time.

Imaginative Constellations
by Mia
(Edited by classmates)

A constellation is a group of stars formed like a person, animal, or an object. For example, in the Roman times, they believed that some constellations looked like a lion, a dog, and a great hunter. Some famous constellations are called the Big Dipper, Orion, and Little Dipper. One time I went outside and saw a constellation that I thought looked like a snake. You can also do this, all you have to do is use your imagination!

Please leave a comment and tell us something you have learned about the Solar System!