Planet Tables

<html> <head> <title>Planet Tables</title> <script language="JavaScript">  </script> </head> <body bgcolor="white" text="black"> <h2>Planet Tables</h2> <h4><a HREF="chindex.htm" target="_top">Chapter index in this window</a>   <a href="#" onClick="MM_openBrWindow('chindexb.htm','chindexWindow','scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes,width=320,height=240')">Chapter index in separate window</a></h4> <center> <h3><a name="t3">Planets: Orbital Properties</a></h3> <table border> <tr align=center> <th align=left>Planet</th> <th>distance</th> <th>revolution</th> <th>eccentricity</th> <th>inclination</th> </tr><tr> <th> </th> <th>(A.U.) </th> <th> </th> <th> </th> <th>(deg)</th> </tr><tr align=center> <td align=left>Mercury</td> <td>0.387</td> <td>87.969 d</td> <td>0.2056</td> <td>7.005 </td> </tr><tr align=center> <td align=left>Venus</td> <td>0.723</td> <td>224.701 d</td> <td>0.0068</td> <td>3.3947</td> </tr><tr align=center> <td align=left>Earth</td> <td>1.000</td> <td>365.256 d</td> <td>0.0167</td> <td>0.0000</td> </tr><tr align=center> <td align=left>Mars</td> <td>1.524</td> <td>686.98 d</td> <td>0.0934</td> <td>1.851</td> </tr><tr align=center> <td align=left>Jupiter</td> <td>5.203</td> <td>11.862 y</td> <td>0.0484</td> <td>1.305</td> </tr><tr align=center> <td align=left>Saturn</td> <td>9.537</td> <td>29.457 y</td> <td>0.0542</td> <td>2.484</td> </tr><tr align=center> <td align=left>Uranus</td> <td>19.191</td> <td>84.011 y</td> <td>0.0472</td> <td>0.770</td> </tr><tr align=center> <td align=left>Neptune</td> <td>30.069</td> <td>164.79 y</td> <td>0.0086</td> <td>1.769</td> </tr><tr align=center> <td align=left>Pluto</td> <td>39.482</td> <td>247.94 y</td> <td>0.2488</td> <td>17.14</td> </tr> </table> </center> Notes: Distance is the semi-major axis in astronomical units (1 A.U. = 1.496× 108 km); rotation and revolution are the sidereal rotation period and sidereal orbital period, h = hours, d = Earth sidereal days; eccentricity is the orbital eccentricity = 1 (perihelion/semi-major axis); and inclination is the tilt of the orbit with respect to the Earth's orbit. The planet's "mean orbital elements (J2000)" are used for the inclination, eccentricity, and distance. [Yes, Pluto is a dwarf planet.] <center> <h3><a name="t4">Planets: Physical Characteristics</a></h3> <table border> <tr align=center> <th align=left>Planet</th> <th>Mass</th> <th>Diameter</th> <th>density</th> <th>oblateness</th> <th>rotation</th> <th>axis tilt</th> <th>mag. field</th> </tr><tr align=center> <th> </th> <th>(× ME) </th> <th>(km) </th> <th>(g/cm3) </th> <th>[=(De Dp)/De] </th> <th> </th><th>(deg) </th> <th>(× Earth's)</th> </tr><tr align=center> <td align=left>Mercury</td> <td>0.0553</td> <td>4879</td> <td>5.427</td> <td>0.000</td> <td>58.785 d</td> <td>~0</td> <td>0.000367</td> </tr><tr align=center> <td align=left>Venus</td> <td>0.815</td> <td>12,104</td> <td>5.243</td> <td>0.000</td> <td>243.686 d</td> <td>177.36</td> <td>0.00</td> </tr><tr align=center> <td align=left>Earth</td> <td>1.000</td> <td>12,742</td> <td>5.515</td> <td>0.00335</td> <td>23.9345 h</td> <td>23.44</td> <td>1.000</td> </tr><tr align=center> <td align=left>Mars</td> <td>0.107</td> <td>6779</td> <td>3.933</td> <td>0.00648</td> <td>24.6229 h</td> <td>25.19</td> <td>0.00</td> </tr><tr align=center> <td align=left>Jupiter</td> <td>317.83</td> <td>139,822</td> <td>1.326</td> <td>0.06487</td> <td>9.9250 h</td> <td>3.13</td> <td>18,568</td> </tr><tr align=center> <td align=left>Saturn</td> <td>95.159</td> <td>116,464</td> <td>0.687</td> <td>0.09796</td> <td>10.656 h</td> <td>26.73</td> <td>537</td> </tr><tr align=center> <td align=left>Uranus</td> <td>14.536</td> <td>50,724</td> <td>1.270</td> <td>0.02293</td> <td>17.24 h</td> <td>97.77</td> <td>47.0</td> </tr><tr align=center> <td align=left>Neptune</td> <td>17.147</td> <td>49,244</td> <td>1.638</td> <td>0.01708</td> <td>16.11 h</td> <td>28.32</td> <td>26.8</td> </tr><tr align=center> <td align=left>Pluto</td> <td>0.0022</td> <td>2376</td> <td>1.854</td> <td>0.000</td> <td>6.405 d</td> <td>122.53</td> <td>0.00</td> </tr> </table> </center> Notes: Mass is given in Earth masses (1 ME = 5.9724× 1024 kg); diameter is the ``volumetric mean diameter'' that takes into account the planet's oblateness and for the jovian planets the "surface" is at the 1 bar level; oblateness measures how much a planet bulges at the equator [= (equatorial polar diameter)/(equatorial diameter)]; rotation is the sidereal spin period, "d" in rotation is sidereal day of Earth, and axis tilt is the tilt of the planet's rotation axis with respect to its orbital plane; magnetic field (mag. field) is the total strength (NSSDC gives strength in #gauss × Rplanet3, where Rplanet is the radius of the planet and the Earth's magnetic field strength = 0.306 gauss × Rplanet3 = 7.91× 1010 gauss kilometer3. <center> <h3><a name="t5">Planets: Atmospheres</a></h3> <table border> <tr align=center> <th align=left>Planet</th> <th>g (×gE)</th> <th>vesc (km/s)</th> <th>distance (A.U.)</th> <th>albedo (%)</th> <th>temperature (K)</th> <th>atm. press. (× Earth's)</th> <th>atm. comp.</th> </tr><tr align=center> <td align=left>Mercury</td> <td align="center">0.378</td> <td align="center">4.3</td> <td align="center">0.387</td> <td align="center">11.9</td> <td align="center">100 night, 590725 day </td> <td align="center">10-15</td> <td align="left">42% O2, 29% Na, 22% H2, 6% He, 0.5% K (note that it is essentially a vacuum)</td> </tr><tr align=center> <td align=left>Venus</td> <td align="center">0.905</td> <td align="center">10.36</td> <td align="center">0.723</td> <td align="center">75</td> <td align="center">737</td> <td align="center">92</td> <td align="left">96.5% CO2, 3.5% N2, 0.015% SO2, 0.007% Ar, 0.002% H2O, 0.002% CO, 0.001% He, 0.001% Ne</td> </tr><tr align=center> <td align=left>Earth</td> <td align="center">1.000</td> <td align="center">11.186</td> <td align="center">1.000</td> <td align="center">30.6</td> <td align="center">283 night, 293 day</td> <td align="center">1.000</td> <td align="left">78.08% N2, 20.95% O2, 0.934% Ar, 0.038% CO2, H2O highly variable ( <1%)</td> <td align="center"></td> </tr><tr align=center> <td align=left>Mars</td> <td align="center">0.379</td> <td align="center">5.03</td> <td align="center">1.524</td> <td align="center">25.0</td> <td align="center">184 night, 242 day</td> <td align="center">0.0040.009</td> <td align="left">95.32% CO2, 2.7% N2, 1.6% Ar, 0.13% O2, 0.08% CO, 0.021% H2O, 0.01% NO</td> </tr><tr align=center> <td align=left>Jupiter</td> <td align="center">2.530</td> <td align="center">59.5</td> <td align="center">5.203</td> <td align="center">34.3</td> <td align="center">165</td> <td align="center">>>1000</td> <td align="left">89.8% H2, 10.2% He, 0.3% CH4, 0.026% NH3. Clouds made of ammonia ice, water ice, ammonium hydrosulfide</td> </tr><tr align=center> <td align=left>Saturn</td> <td align="center">1.065</td> <td align="center">35.5</td> <td align="center">9.537</td> <td align="center">34.2</td> <td align="center">134</td> <td align="center">>>1000</td> <td align="left">96.3% H2, 3.25% He, 0.45% CH4, 0.0125% NH3, 0.0110% HD, 0.0007% C2H6. Clouds made of ammonia ice, water ice, ammonium hydrosulfide</td> </tr><tr align=center> <td align=left>Uranus</td> <td align="center">0.905</td> <td align="center">21.3</td> <td align="center">19.191</td> <td align="center">30.0</td> <td align="center">76</td> <td align="center">>>1000</td> <td align="left">82.5% H2, 15.2% He, 2.3% CH4, 0.0148% HD. Clouds made of ammonia ice, water ice, ammonium hydrosulfide, methane ice</td> </tr><tr align=center> <td align=left>Neptune</td> <td align="center">1.14</td> <td align="center">23.5</td> <td align="center">30.069</td> <td align="center">29.0</td> <td align="center">72</td> <td align="center">>>1000</td> <td align="left">80.0% H2, 19.0% He, 1.5% CH4, 0.0192% HD, 0.0002% C2H6. Clouds made of ammonia ice, water ice, ammonium hydrosulfide, methane ice</td> </tr><tr align=center> <td align=left>Pluto</td> <td align="center">0.063</td> <td align="center">1.21</td> <td align="center">39.482</td> <td align="center">0.72</td> <td align="center">24 38</td> <td align="center">1.3 x 10-5</td> <td align="left">99% N2, 0.5% CH4, 0.05% CO, trace HCN, C2Hx hydrocarbons</td> </tr></table> </center> Notes: Surface gravity g is given in Earth gravities (1 gE = 9.798 m/s2); escape velocity is vesc, albedo is the percent of ALL of the Sun's energy hitting the planet that is reflected (100% would be perfect reflection); temperature and surface gravity for Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune are given at a depth where the atmospheric pressure = 1 Earth atmosphere (1 bar); atmospheric pressure (atm. press.) is at the surface (>>1000 for the jovian planets). <h3 align="center"><a name="tmoon"></a>Selected Large Moon Properties</h3> <table width="100%" border="1" cellspacing="3" cellpadding="3" summary="Mass, diameter, orbit size, orbit period of selected large moons in our solar system and comparison with Earth's moon."> <caption> Physical Properties and Orbit Properties </caption> <tr> <th>Name (host planet)</th> <th>Mass (x 1020 kg) (x Earth moon)</th> <th>Diameter (km) (x Earth moon)</th> <th>Orbit semimajor axis (x 103 km)</th> <th>Orbit period (days)</th> <th>Eccentricity</th> </tr> <tr align="center"> <td>Moon (Earth)</td> <td>734.6 (1)</td> <td>3475 (1)</td> <td>384.4</td> <td>27.3217</td> <td>0.0549</td> </tr> <tr align="center"> <td>Io (Jupiter)</td> <td>893.2 (1.216)</td> <td>3643 (1.048)</td> <td>421.8</td> <td>1.76914</td> <td>0.004</td> </tr> <tr align="center"> <td>Europa (Jupiter)</td> <td>480.0 (0.6534)</td> <td>3122 (0.8984)</td> <td>671.1</td> <td>3.55118</td> <td>0.009</td> </tr> <tr align="center"> <td>Ganymede (Jupiter)</td> <td>1481.9 (2.017) </td> <td>5262 (1.514)</td> <td>1070.4</td> <td>7.15455</td> <td>0.001</td> </tr> <tr align="center"> <td>Callisto (Jupiter)</td> <td>1075.9 (1.465)</td> <td>4821 (1.387)</td> <td>1882.7</td> <td>16.68902</td> <td>0.007</td> </tr> <tr align="center"> <td>Titan (Saturn)</td> <td>1345.5 (1.832)</td> <td>5150 (1.482)</td> <td>1221.8</td> <td>15.94542</td> <td>0.0292</td> </tr> <tr align="center"> <td>Enceladus (Saturn)</td> <td>1.08 (0.00147)</td> <td>504 (0.145)</td> <td>238.0</td> <td>1.37022</td> <td>0.0045</td> </tr> <tr align="center"> <td>Iapetus (Saturn)</td> <td>18.1 (0.0246)</td> <td>1469 (0.4228)</td> <td>3561.3</td> <td>79.33018</td> <td>0.0283</td> </tr> <tr align="center"> <td>Rhea (Saturn)</td> <td>23.1 (0.0314)</td> <td>1527 (0.4394)</td> <td>527.0</td> <td>4.51750</td> <td>0.0010</td> </tr> <tr align="center"> <td>Triton (Neptune)</td> <td>214 (0.291)</td> <td>2707 (0.7790)</td> <td>354.8</td> <td>5.87685 (retrograde)</td> <td>0.000016</td> </tr> </table> Note: diameter is the ``volumetric mean diameter'' that takes into account the moon's oblateness. Data from the <a href="https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/planetfact.html" target="outside">NASA Space Science Data Center (NSSDC) Planetary Fact Sheets</a>. <a HREF="tablesa.htm"><img ALIGN="CENTER" SRC="prev.gif" ALT="previous" WIDTH="101" HEIGHT="35"> Go to Constants Tables</a> <a HREF="tablesc.htm"><img ALIGN="CENTER" SRC="next.gif" ALT="next" WIDTH="73" HEIGHT="35"> Go to Star Tables</a> <H4><A HREF="#" onClick="goUrl('..\/index.html'); return false;">Go to Astronomy Notes home</A></H4> last updated: May 28, 2022 (updated magnetic field values) <center><a href="../isitacopy.htm"><h5>Is this page a copy of Strobel's Astronomy Notes?</h5></a></center> <HR> <ADDRESS> Author of <a href="../copyright.htm">original</a> content: <a href="../contact.htm">Nick Strobel</a> </ADDRESS> </body> </html>

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Planet Tables