Jupiter’s Great Red Spot and Ganymede’s Shadow. Since that time, a small army of spacecraft and rovers have taken the Martian surface, and have produced some of the most detailed and beautiful photos of the planet to date. Observations made by satellites flybys in the 1960’s (by the Mariner 3 and 4 spacecraft) dispelled this notion, but scientists still believe that warm, flowing water once existed on the surface, as well as organic molecules. It’s surface features, which include long “canals”, have fueled speculation that the planet was home to a civilization. This red color is caused by iron oxide – rust – which is plentiful on the planet’s surface. Mars is famous for its red color and the speculation it has sparked about life on other planets. This is due in part to Mars’ distance from the Sun, but also to its thin atmosphere which is not able to retain heat. Roughly half the size of Earth, Mars is much colder than Earth, but experiences quite a bit of variability, with temperatures ranging from 20 ☌ at the equator during midday, to as low as -153 ☌ at the poles. Mars is the fourth planet from our Sun and Earth’s second closest neighbor. Credit: MPS for OSIRIS Team MPS/UPD/LAM/ IAA/ RSSD/ INTA/ UPM/ DASP/ IDA The first true-colour image of Mars taken by the ESA’s Rosetta spacecraft on 24 February 2007. However, images taken by numerous satellites and spacecraft – such as the Apollo 11 mission, shown above – have been some of the most breathtaking and iconic in history. Hence why we call it home.īeing that it is our home, observing the planet as a whole was impossible prior to the space age. It’s atmosphere is primarily composed of nitrogen and oxygen and its average surface temperatures is 7.2☌. Not only is 70% of the Earth’s surface covered with water, but the planet is also in the perfect spot – in the center of the hypothetical habitable zone – to support life. Credit: NASAĮarth is the third planet from the Sun, the densest planet in our Solar System, and the fifth largest planet. The pictures sent back by Magellan revealed a harsh landscape dominated by lava flows and volcanoes, further adding to Venus’ inhospitable reputation.Įarth viewed from the Moon by the Apollo 11 spacecraft. Since that time, numerous ground-based and orbital imaging surveys have produced information on the surface, particularly by the Magellan spacecraft (1990-94). Due to the presence of sulfuric and carbonic compounds in the atmosphere, the planet’s atmosphere also produces rainstorms of sulfuric acid.īecause of its thick atmosphere, scientists were unable to examine of the surface of the planet until 1970s and the development of radar imaging. This causes the Sun’s heat to become trapped, pushing average temperatures up to as high as 460☌. While farther away from the Sun than Mercury, it has a thick atmosphere made up primarily of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen gas. It also has the dubious honor of being the hottest planet in the Solar System. Venus is the second planet from our Sun, and Earth’s closest neighboring planet. A radar view of Venus taken by the Magellan spacecraft, with some gaps filled in by the Pioneer Venus orbiter. Because of this, its surface is barren and sun-scorched, as seen in the image above provided by the MESSENGER spacecraft. At 4,879 km, it is actually smaller than the Jovian moon of Ganymede and Saturn’s largest moon, Titan.īecause of its slow rotation and tenuous atmosphere, the planet experiences extreme variations in temperature – ranging from -184 ☌ on the dark side and 465 ☌ on the side facing the Sun. It’s also the smallest (now that Pluto is no longer considered a planet. Named after the winged messenger of the gods, Mercury is the closest planet to our Sun. Image Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University/Carnegie Institution of Washington Mercury, as imaged by the MESSENGER spacecraft, revealing parts never before seen by human eyes. But here are a few of the better ones, taken with high-resolutions cameras on board spacecraft that managed to capture their intricate, picturesque, and rugged beauty.
With their spherical discs, surface patterns and curious geological formations, Earth’s neighbors have been a subject of immense fascination for astronomers and scientists for millennia.Īnd in the age of modern astronomy, which goes beyond terrestrial telescopes to space telescopes, orbiters and satellites, there is no shortage of pictures of the planets. But arguably, it is the eight planets that make up our Solar System that are the most interesting and photogenic.
Between the Sun, the Moon, and the Inner and Outer Solar System, there is no shortage of wondrous things to behold. Our Solar System is a pretty picturesque place.
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