Structure of Planets

One awesome way to explore planets in our solar system is with Google Maps. The secret is that you have to zoom way out. (No, I’m not joking). Check out the brief video, Google Space to see how you can access beautiful satellite imagery of planets & moons throughout our solar system.
Explore 7.2 Composition and Structure of Planets to understand the internal compositions of giant and terrestrial planets, the differentiation process, and the factors influencing surface temperatures and geological activity.
To understand the internal structure of planets, it is important to wrap your head around the idea of differentiation. Check out this video demonstration, Planetary Differentiation in a Cup of Coffee.
Review 7.3 Dating Planetary Surfaces to learn about methods for estimating the ages of planetary surfaces, including crater counting and radioactive dating techniques, and to explore the estimated age of the Moon and Earth.
Watch Dating Planetary Surfaces with Impact Craters to see how images of the moon’s surface can be used to determine the relative age of various regions.
Read 7.4 Origin of the Solar System for insights into the formation of the solar system from a giant cloud of gas and dust called the solar nebula, the coalescence of planetesimals into planets and moons, and comparisons with other planetary systems.
Watch the video Simulating the Solar Nebula, which uses our simple gravity simulator from earlier in the course.
Now imagine scaling up our simulation to billions upon billions of small pieces of rock and ice. Then you can start to imagine the real solar nebula. Watch the amazing video, Formation of the Solar System, which visualizes what the collapse of the solar nebula may have looked like.
Astronomers are able to capture incredible Images of Protoplanetary Disks. Watch the video to see how astronomers combine both images and simulations to understand the formation of solar systems.