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Imagine your space mission is set to explore a planet in the solar system, but initial data shows that the planet has different weather conditions and atmosphere when compared to Earth. Your task is to research your destination planet to determine if a human crew could survive and what technology would be necessary for a successful mission!

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Investigate the atmosphere of your planet using data from NASA!

https://www.universetoday.com/35796/atmosphere-of-the-planets/

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Every time you take a breath of fresh air, it's easy to forget you can safely do so because of Earth's atmosphere. Life on Earth could not exist without that protective cover that keeps us warm, allows us to breathe, and protects us from harmful radiation-among other things.

What makes Earth's atmosphere special, and how do other planets' atmospheres compare? Here are 10 tidbits:

5. Saturn's atmosphere-where NASA's Cassini spacecraft ended its 13 extraordinary years of exploration of the planet-has a few unusual features. Its winds are among the fastest in the solar system, reaching speeds of 1,118 miles (1,800 kilometers) per hour. Saturn may be the only planet in our solar system with a warm polar vortex (a mass of swirling atmospheric gas around the pole) at both the North and South poles. Also, the vortices have "eye-wall clouds," making them hurricane-like systems like those on Earth.

Another uniquely striking feature is a hexagon-shaped jet stream encircling the North Pole. In addition, about every 20 to 30 Earth years, Saturn hosts a megastorm (a great storm that can last many months). More on Saturn›

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10 Things: Planetary Atmospheres - NASA Science

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Every time you take a breath of fresh air, it's easy to forget you can safely do so because of Earth's atmosphere. What makes the atmosphere special, and how do other planets' atmospheres compare?

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Research the typical temperatures that occur on your planet! Here are some other resources you may use:

https://www.worldatlas.com/space/the-hottest-and-coldest-planets-of-our-solar-system.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Os5rnJIRvzU&t=84s

https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/temperatures-across-our-solar-system/

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Credit

NASA Planetary Fact Sheet

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Solar System Temperatures: Mean Temperatures on Each Planet

Planetary surface temperatures tend to get colder the farther a planet is from the Sun. Venus is the exception, as its proximity to the Sun, and its dense atmosphere make it our solar system's hottest planet. The mean temperatures of planets in our solar system are:

Mercury: 333°F (167°C)

Venus: 867°F (464°C)

Earth: 59°F (15°C)

Mars: Minus 85°F (-65°C)

Jupiter: Minus 166°F (-110°C)

Saturn: Minus 220°F (-140°C)

Uranus: Minus 320°F (-195°C)

Neptune: Minus 330°F (-200°C)

Dwarf Planet Pluto: Minus 375°F (-225°C)

This graphic shows the mean temperatures of various destinations in our solar system. (Planets not to scale.)

In general, the surface temperatures of planets decrease with increasing distance from the Sun. Venus is an exception because its dense atmosphere acts as a greenhouse and heats the surface to above the melting point of lead.

Mercury rotates slowly and has a thin atmosphere, and consequently, the night-side temperature can be more than 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit lower than the day-side temperature. It can be as cold as -290°F (-179°C) on Mercury at night.

Temperatures for the gas and ice giants (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune) are taken from a level in the atmosphere equal in pressure to sea level on Earth.

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Solar System Temperatures - NASA Science

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This graphic shows the mean temperatures of various destinations in our solar system.

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What is the weather like on your planet? What kind of environmental hazards can happen on the planet? Watch the following videos to help answer these questions!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXZzQp-Nfsk&t=39s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQUHizoXb-s&t=58s

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Each of the planets in our solar system experiences its own unique weather. But one thing is certain: Only Earth has weather we can live with.

Let's take a weather tour of the solar system to see what each planet has to offer.

Mercury

Because it is so close to the Sun, any vacation on Mercury would be ruined by extreme temperatures. During the daytime, the Sun would appear three times larger and more than 10 times brighter than it does here on Earth.

All of that sunlight can push temperatures as high as 800℉. That's even hotter than the oven can get in your kitchen at home! Then at night, because there is no atmosphere to trap the daytime heat, temperatures can drop as low as -300℉. Brrr!
Learn more about Mercury!

Venus

You might think that because Mercury is so close to the Sun, it would hold the record for hottest planet in the solar system. But that title actually belongs to Venus.

Venus is covered by a thick atmosphere of carbon dioxide and clouds made of sulfuric acid. Together, these act like a greenhouse, trapping heat and warming the planet. Venus can reach a scorching-hot average temperature of 847℉! If Venus ever had any oceans, they dried up long ago.
Learn more about Venus!

Mars

Daytime temperatures on Mars can be close to winter temperatures on Earth, reaching as high as 32℉. But Mars' thin atmosphere cannot hold onto heat from the Sun. So at night, temperatures can be more like -200℉.

The many orbiters and rovers that have been studying Mars have found that there might have once been a lot of water on the Red Planet. But what's left is not enough to feed a water cycle like the one we have on Earth. So, Mars is mostly desert.

And on Mars, the desert comes with giant dust storms that can cover the planet in dust for weeks. Smaller wind patterns also kick up "dust devils," like desert tornados.

Curious what the weather is like on Mars right now? Check out today's weather report from the Insight lander on Mars!
Learn more about Mars!

Jupiter

You couldn't really spend time on Jupiter's surface to experience the weather there. Jupiter is a gas giant-meaning it doesn't have a solid surface to stand on. That aside, we can still look at its weather.

Jupiter is a stormy planet that is probably best known for its Great Red Spot. The spot is actually a giant, wild storm that has been raging for more than 300 years.

But the Great Red Spot is certainly not Jupiter's only storm. The entire planet is covered in bands of swirling clouds high in the atmosphere that are likely made mostly of ammonia.
Learn more about Jupiter!

Saturn

By the time you reach gas giant Saturn and its beautiful rings, you are really far from the Sun - about 900 million miles. That's almost twice as far out as Jupiter. That distance comes with a freezing average temperature of about -285℉.

The most familiar weather in the solar system is actually on Saturn's largest moon, Titan. Scientists believe that Titan experiences seasons, has clouds that rain and has an atmosphere made largely of nitrogen, just like ours.

Unfortunately, rather than a water cycle, Titan cycles a chemical called methane. The rain that falls from the clouds is methane, and it falls into lakes, rivers and seas of methane. And Titan is far too cold for human tourists.
Learn more about Saturn!

Uranus

Uranus is known as an ice giant, and it lives up to that name. Its temperature is about -360℉.

Uranus is also tilted on its axis by 98 degrees. Scientists believe that it was knocked on its side by a large object long ago.

Since Uranus is so far away, it takes about 84 Earth years to make a single orbit. And each of its seasons is 21 Earth years long!

Uranus' tilt causes some unusual seasonal changes as it orbits the Sun. In summer and winter, large parts of the planet see nothing but daytime or nighttime for the whole season - 21 years. In spring and fall, Uranus goes through a full day-to-night cycle every 17 hours. Uranus sometimes has huge storms, and this unusual seasonal cycle might play a part in them.
Learn more about Uranus!

Neptune

Neptune is way out there - an average of 2.8 billion miles from the Sun. That means the ice giant is seriously cold. The average temperature on Neptune is about -360℉.

If that sounds familiar, it's because Uranus is about the same temperature. The reason why the two planets are the same temperature at such different distances from the Sun is still a mystery.

Neptune has a thick atmosphere and is covered by constantly changing clouds that whip around the planet. Wind is the name of the game on Neptune. Wind speeds there have been measured at near 1,200 miles per hour, making them the fastest in the solar system!
Learn more about Neptune!

Earth has some pretty wild weather. But after seeing the other options in our solar system, it seems like a pretty good place to live!

The best way to handle Earth's extreme weather is to be prepared and keep an eye on the weather forecast. Thankfully, NOAA's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-R (GOES-R) series of weather satellites is always monitoring severe weather.

GOES-R satellites track hurricanes, tornadoes and other big storms. These satellites also keep an eye on weather caused by the Sun - called space weather. With this information, meteorologists can make forecasts that help people stay safe.

Earth may not be the only planet with weather, but it's got the only weather we can live with!

Related Resources for Educators

NASA's Eyes on Extreme Weather
SCaN Planetary Weather Activities

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What Is the Weather Like on Other Planets?

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Each of the planets in our solar system experiences its own unique weather.

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Brainstorm ideas to ensure a successful mission and create solutions to the possible challenges your crew may face on this mission!

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The Earth is the only world in our solar system that we humans can survive on for extended periods without the need for advanced technology. We are adapted to the environment of our home world, yet what about the other planets in our solar system? Given the conditions and environments on the other planets, how long could a person survive on each planet?

Mercury

Mercury is the innermost planet in our solar system, orbiting the sun at an average distance of 36 million miles (58 million kilometers). Mercury orbits closer to the sun than any other planet in the solar system, and thus it experiences some of the highest surface temperatures of any planet. The average surface temperature on Mercury is 800 degrees Fahrenheit (430 degrees Celsius) during the day. However, without an atmosphere to retain and regulate heat, temperatures at night become exceedingly cold. At night, temperatures average at minus 290 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 180 degrees Celsius). Assuming you could walk along the region between night and day where temperatures are more stable, you could survive for about two minutes on the surface of Mercury. Not bad for the second hottest planet in the solar system.

Venus

Venus may be further from the sun than Mercury, yet it is actually hotter. Venus experiences the highest surface temperatures in the solar system, and it is due to the fact that the atmosphere of Venus is composed mostly of carbon dioxide. As a greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide traps incoming heat from the sun and keeps it near the surface, causing planetary surface temperatures to be higher than they otherwise would be. Venus has what's called a runaway greenhouse effect, and the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has caused temperatures to average at 900 degrees Fahrenheit (475 degrees Celsius). Unlike Mercury, temperatures on Venus are fairly consistent regardless of whether it is day or night, and so there would be no escape from the extreme heat. Furthermore, the atmosphere of Venus is a staggering 90 times heavier than Earth's. You could only survive on Venus for a maximum of one second before the extreme temperatures and pressures completely vaporized you.

Mars

Mars is further away from the sun than Earth, and so unlike the other rocky worlds, it experiences far colder surface temperatures. The average surface temperature on Mars is around minus 80 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 60 degrees Celsius). Although humans cannot survive for long in temperatures that cold, you could survive longer than on Venus or Mercury. The temperature, however, is not the only factor. The atmosphere of Mars is only a fraction as dense as Earth's. You could survive on Mars for about the same amount of time you could survive in space, about two minutes.

Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune

It's difficult to determine how long you could survive on the gas giants due to the fact they do not have solid surfaces, at least not in the way we think of them. Rather, if you were to try and land on any of the gas giants, you would simply descend through a seemingly endless atmosphere. The gravitational pull of the gas giants would pull you through their atmospheres very fast. The cold temperatures would be irrelevant. What limits your survival on the gas giants is the fact that, as you descend through the atmosphere, pressures rise dramatically. The atmosphere itself would crush you on each of these worlds in less than one second.

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How Long Could You Survive On Each Planet?

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The Earth is the only world in our solar system that we humans can survive on for extended periods without the need for advanced technology. We are adapted to the environment of our home world, yet what about the other planets in our solar system?

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Use materials provided by Ms. Prada to create your scale model of your planet as a group. Search for photos of your planet to use as inspiration. Be creative, but make sure it represents your planet well. Create carefully, as this will be a part of your presentation grade! Your groups planet will also be placed in our class' solar system scale model!

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Present you findings to help your fellow astronauts understand the environment on your planet! You can create a slide presentation, scale model, poster, canva presentation, or video. If you would like to explore a different way to present, ask Ms. Prada for alternatives and approval! Be creative and have fun!

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Post your group's presentations to the Padlet! Each individual must comment on two presentations answering the following questions:

What is something you learned about this planet?

Would you ever consider visiting this planet? Why or why not?