The solar system is the single most studied system in the universe. To date, 8 planets and more than 63 satellites are known to be located in this system. Many asteroids and meteors of various sizes have been discovered, as well as comets that cross the entire system in their orbit.
Which scientist first described the solar system? How was it created and is there a possibility of life in other galaxies?
Discovery history
Surprisingly, the solar system was first described by a scientist named Nicolaus Copernicus back in the 16th century. Before him, there was very little idea about the location in space. It was believed that the Earth is the center of the universe, and all objects revolve around it. Despite the lack of modern devices for studying space, Copernicus was able to accurately determine the location of the Earth in outer space. He first made a model of our solar system, presenting it as heliocentric. This means that all the planets known at that time revolve around the Sun and around their axis.
Galileo and other scientists
In the next century, with the help of a primitive telescope, the solar system was first described by a scientist - Galileo Galilei. Thus appeared the exact evidence of the heliocentric system that Copernicus spoke of. Galileo discovered four satellites revolving around Jupiter. Although it should be recalled that the religious leaders of the time strongly opposed the model of the heliocentric solar system.
XVIII century was marked by new discoveries in the field of astronomy. The solar system was first described by a scientist who discovered a hitherto unknown planet - Uranus. Following him, 2 satellites of Saturn and 2 satellites of Uranus were discovered.
The peak of exploration of the solar system came in the middle of the 20th century. And then the solar system was first described by an astronaut, who was the first to see it with his own eyes. Further flights into space confirmed the heliocentricity of our galaxy. Today, the launch of the orbital station and satellites, as well as flights to other planets, expand our understanding of our galaxy.
The solar system and its planets
The sun with its planets, belonging to the Milky Way galaxy, is the most studied part of the universe known to us. It consists of 8 planets, which are visible in the sky in the form of small stars, reflecting the light of the closest star to us - the Sun. The planets were named after the deities worshiped by the peoples of Ancient Rome and Greece.
Also, the solar system includes the asteroid belt, satellites of planets and comets,across the star system. How the Universe with its vast number of galaxies came into being is not precisely established, but by learning about the nearby planets, much can be achieved. All the planets of our system are divided into two groups: terrestrial and giant planets. Consider coming to us.
Earth group planets
This group includes the so-called planets, close to the Earth's orbit and consisting of solid surfaces. In addition to the Earth, these include: Mercury, Venus and Mars. Of course, the most studied of all these planets is the unique Earth. With its unimaginable landscape and beauty, astronauts observing it from space speak of it as a blue pearl in a cold space.
Exploring the composition of the Earth with the help of all kinds of seismic instruments, scientists came to the conclusion that inside the planet is a red-hot core, surrounded by a mantle. The small, dense surface is called the bark. It was these studies that helped determine that the other three planets of the terrestrial group have a similar composition and are very similar to each other.
Mercury
The closest planet to the Sun - Mercury - is small compared to the Earth. It is 20 times smaller than the earth's mass and has dimensions 2.5 times smaller than that of the Earth. The speed of rotation around its axis is 58.7 Earth days, and Mercury makes a revolution around the Sun in 88 Earth days. This planet is so close to the star that the temperature on the sunny side is over 400 degrees Celsius, while everything on the other side freezes at -200 degrees.
Only in 2009In the same year, scientists were able to draw up the first maps of the planet, based on images obtained from spacecraft launched to it. Mercury has no atmosphere of its own and is very similar to our planet's satellite, the Moon. Due to proximity to the sun and elliptical orbit, research is very difficult.
Beauty Venus
This is the second planet farthest from the sun and has its own atmosphere. You might think that life is possible on Venus, but, unfortunately, this is not so. The atmosphere of this planet is very dense and aggressive. Most of it is carbon dioxide, but it also contains poisonous substances such as sulfuric acid.
Venus revolves around the Sun faster than the Earth and, interestingly, in the opposite direction from it. The turnover is completed in 225 days, and around its axis - in 243 days. Due to the density of the atmosphere, the temperature on the planet exceeds 500 degrees Celsius. Thus, it turns out to be the hottest planet in the solar system.
Earth is a blue pearl
Planet Earth is the most explored of all the planets. It has been studied from time immemorial, but only the 20th century was able to reveal the answers to the questions posed earlier. What form does it have, what does it hang on and other questions. The first flights into space confirmed the assumptions of scientists and confirmed the undeniable truths: the Earth is round and hangs on nothing in outer space. Today we perfectly know the composition of the atmosphere, and thanks to it, all living things can exist peacefully.
It also turned out that our planet has a magnetica belt that is able to protect all living things from the effects of harmful sunlight and solar wind. These disturbances can be observed in the form of the northern and southern lights.
It should also be said about the magnificent satellite of the Earth - the Moon. It has an equal speed of revolution both around its axis and around the Earth, thanks to which only one side of it can be observed. This is what contributes to the fact that the Moon is also a kind of shield for the planet and takes on the largest number of falling meteorites. The surface of the Moon is well studied, many craters or depressions bear the names of the scientists who discovered them. So far, it remains the only space object visited by man.
Mars
The fourth of the terrestrial planets. The red planet is fraught with many secrets. The atmosphere of the planet is quite light, it contains mainly carbon dioxide, nitrogen, partially oxygen and many other substances. Wind storms often rage on Mars, where wind speeds reach 100 m/s. Since the remains of water were found on the planet, scientists assumed that it may have had life in the past. A year on Mars is 687 days, and the temperature does not rise above minus 23 degrees in summer. At this temperature, life, in the human sense of the word, is impossible on Mars.
Today, the search for extraterrestrial civilizations continues. Scientists first found water on a planet outside the solar system, but now this is only an assumption. On a planet called Osiris, located at a distance of 150light years, specks of vapor were presumably detected in spectral analysis. Many times scientists' attempts to find extraterrestrial civilizations have been unsuccessful.
The solar system described in part is unique. It is located in the most ideal place in the Milky Way galaxy for the existence of life in it. So far, no such system has been found. And as a result, scientists recognized the solar system as unique in its kind.
