I am very interested in Amateur Astronomy. Refer to any of these pictures to compare size, gravity, distance from earth and many other details. Click on Picture to ENLARGE. To return to slide show click on arrow, upper left.

The SUN has a ldiameter of 840,000 miles and a gravity mass of 333,000 times that of EARTH. The temperature of the SUN is 15,000,000 degrees C. in the core (nuclear fusion) and 5,500 degrees C. at the surface. Note that JUPITER is about one pixel in size and EARTH is invisible at this scale. Look how tiny the SUN appears, compared to the other 3 distant STARS.

Born in the death of some long lost star, our Solar System began to evolve when expanding debris from a nearby SUPERNOVA explosion passed thru a vast tenuous cloud of gas and dust more than 4.6 billion years ago. Within the blink of a cosmic eye, the cloud had become a rotating disk of gas & vaporized dust grains. The hub would become a new star, the SUN. The disk would generate the planets, the asteroids and the comets that make up our SOLAR SYSTEM.

See what GOD has done. Psalm 19:1. "The heavens tell the Glory of God; and the firmament shows his handy work." Behold the SUN. Every square yard constantly emits 130,000 horesepower which is equal to 450 eight cylinder automobile engines. and yet, our SUN, as powerful as it is , is but one minor star in the 100 billion orbs which make up our Milky Way Galaxy. That is enough to really blow your mind.

OTHER SOLAR SYSTEMS-different from our own-are out there. Imagine how huge SIRIUS, POLLUX and especially ARCTURUS are in the vast Universe beyond NEPTUNE. Since 1995, some 200 planets have been discovered around other stars. That is why it is so important for the Shuttle to guarantee the future life of the HUBBLE TELESCOPE in outer space.

THE SUN WITH 8 ROTATING PLANETS.

This is my first attempt at "Amateur" Astromony, George E.Gebhardt. Click on any picture to ENLARGE, than go back to arrow (upper left) to return to show. 8 Planets rotate around the Sun. They must be massive enough that Gravity keeps them round. The SUN
shown here has a diameter of 840,000 miles. JUPITER is 483.7 million mlles from the Sun. Diameter 88,846 miles. Gravity 100 Earth lbs = 280 lbs on Jupiter. It is the largest planet, and consists mostly of hydrogen and helium.
SATURN 885.9 million miles from Sun. Diam 74,896 miles Rotation period = 10.7 hrs. Gravity 100 Earth lbs = 108 lbs on Saturn.
URANUS 1.8 billion miles from Sun. Diameter 31,764 miles. Gravity 100 Earth lbs = 86 lbs on Uranus. Rotation period = 17.2 hours.
NEPTUNE 2.8 billion miles from Sun. Diam 30,776 miles. Gravity 100 Earth lbs = 110 lbs on Nepturne. Rotation period = 16.1 hrs. EARTH 93 million miles from Sun. Diam. 7,926 miles. Rotation period 23.9 hours. Orbital period 365.2 days. Only known life. Rich in liquid water.
VENUS 67.2 mill miles from Sun Diam 7,521 miles. Gravity 100 Earth lbs = 91 lbs on Venus. Rotation period 243 days. Orbital period 224 Earth days. MARS 141.6 million miles from Sun. Diam 4,222 miles. Gravity 100 Earth lbs. = 38 lbs. on Mars. Rotation period 24.6 hours. Orbital period 686.9 days. MERCURY 35.9 mill miles from Sun. Diam 3,032 miles, Gravity 100 Earth lbs = 38 lbs on Mercury. Rotation period 58.6 Earth days. Orbital period 87.9 days.

CERES (dwarf planet) is an Asteroid, 602 miles in diameter. Rotation period 9.1 hours.
PLUTO (dwarf planet) 1,430 miles in diameter. Rotation period 6.4 Earth days.
ERIS (dwarf planet) 1,491 miles in diameter. Rotation period unknown.

The eight PLANETS by size. JUPITER, SATURN, URANUS,NEPTUNE, EARTH, VENUS, MARS and MERCURY. Pluto, the dwarf planet isn't included. Let us say we are going to have a test on these eight Planets, so memorize them. J & S, JUPITER & SATURN. Think of them as Bowling Balls. Next:
U & N, URANUS & NEPTUNE. Think of them as Billiard Balls.
E & V,EARTH & VENUS. Think of them as small Marbles. and finally,
M & M, MARS & MERCURY. think of them as Tiny Peas.

It works for George Gebhardt, the author. See how lquick you can memorize the 8 Planets that revolve around our SUN. Eightly or better is a passing mark.

A comparison of the four Smallest Planets. EARTH, VENUS, MARS, and MERCURY. Pluto, the Dwarf Planet, does not meet the requirements.................In order to be classified as a planet, it must be massive enough that gravity will keep it round while it's rotating. Pluto consists of mostly methane and hydrogen gas, which doesn't give it the required mass. It must also rotate around the sun. The MOON is the only natural satellite of EARTH. Diameter = 2,160 miles. Mean distance, Moon to Earth = 238, 712 miles. Note: a dollar bill, end to end from Earth to the Moon, is One Billion Dollars. Mean surface Temp. during day is 107 degrees C. Mean Temp at night = minus 153 degrees C. 180 lbs on Earth = 30 lbs. on Moon. Gravity is 1/6th that of Earth.
First visited by Soviet spacecraft Luna 2 in 1959. Neil Armstong first man on moon 7/20/69 with Edwin Aldrin, both on Apollo 11. Last visit was Dec. 1972. It is the only extraterrestrial body visited by humans. The Moon's gravitational force causes low and high tides. There is no atmosphere, but spacecraft Clmentine suggests there may be water ice in some deep craters near the Moon's South Pole. Look for NASA'S Lunar Orbiter for 2008 to further shed light on this determination.