Page One

Our solar system consists of a star we call the Sun, the planets - Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. It also includes the Small Bodies or Satellites of the planets, comets, asteroids, and meteoroids. The Sun is the source of electromagnetic energy (mostly in the form of heat and light) in the solar system. The solar system, together with stars visible on a clear night, orbits the center of our galaxy, a spiral disk of 200 billion stars we call the Milky Way. The planets revolve around the Sun in the same direction, in nearly circular orbits. When looking down from above the Sun's north pole, the planets orbit in a counter-clockwise direction.

by Gérard Laurenceau

Solar Corona During 1991 Total Eclipse
by Stephen Sherrod

A solar eclipse is caused when the moon comes in between the Earth and the Sun. A total eclipse of the Sun takes place only during a new moon, when the Moon is directly between the Sun and the Earth. When a total eclipse does occur, the Moon's shadow covers only a small portion of the Earth, where the eclipse is visible. As the Moon moves in its orbit, the position of the shadow changes, so total solar eclipses usually only last a minute or two in a given location.

Home / Articles Archive / Contact

All Rights Reserved by SOUTH24.NET