Science
Our Solar System: 5 Weird Things About It
The Oort cloud, a spherical shell of icy objects that surrounds the solar system, is home to 1 trillion comets.
Welcome! Here’s 5 Weird Things About Our Solar System
Picture this: you’re floating through space, high as a kite, surrounded by a trillion comets. That’s what it’s like in the Oort cloud, a spherical shell of icy objects that surrounds the solar system. It’s like being in a giant bong, but instead of a lot of weed smoke molecules, it’s a bunch of icy comets. Fun stuff to think about when you are stoned out of your mind. Not only is the Oort cloud home to 1 trillion comets, but it’s also home to some of the solar system’s most famous residents: Halley’s comet, Shoemaker-Levy 9, and Comet ISON. So if you’re ever feeling lonely, just remember that there’s a whole lot of cometary company out there in the Oort cloud.
Venus rotates backwards – it rotates from east to west.
If you were standing on Venus, the Sun would rise in the west and set in the east. That’s because Venus rotates backwards, compared to most other planets in the solar system. It rotates from east to west, instead of west to east. This is thought to be due to a giant impact early in Venus’s history. When a large object slammed into the planet, it caused the planet’s atmosphere and surface to spin in the opposite direction of its core. Over time, this process was further reinforced by the pull of gravity.
As a result, Venus rotates slowly and backwards, compared to most other planets. But that’s not all – Venus also has the longest day of any planet in the solar system! A day on Venus lasts for 243 Earth days. So if you’re planning a trip to Venus, be sure to pack your bong – you’re going to need it! But that’s not the only odd thing about Venus. The planet also has an incredibly thick atmosphere!
The atmospheric pressure on Venus is 90 times greater than the pressure on Earth, and the temperature is hot enough to melt lead. This used bong water-like atmosphere means that gravity has a very different effect on Venus.
Uranus has 27 moons, and 5 of them are larger than our moon.
Uranus is a gas giant, and it is the seventh planet from the Sun. It has 27 moons, and five of them are larger than our moon. Uranus’ atmosphere is composed of hydrogen, helium, and methane. Uranus’ core is thought to be made of water, ammonia, and methane. Uranus is about four times the size of Earth, and it has a diameter of about 51,000 kilometers.
Uranus was discovered in 1781 by William Herschel. Uranus is named after the Roman god of the sky. Uranus has a unique rotation; it rotates on its side. The length of one day on Uranus is about 17 Earth hours. Uranus’ orbit around the Sun takes 84 Earth years. Uranus is often referred to as an “ice giant” because it is thought to have a rocky core covered by a layer of ice.
Neptune’s moon Triton orbits in the opposite direction of everything else in the solar system.
Triton is a moon of the planet Neptune, and it has the distinction of orbiting in the opposite direction of everything else in the solar system. Triton is also the largest of Neptune’s moons, and it is thought to be a captured object from the Kuiper Belt.
Triton was named after the Greek god of the sea, and its surface is covered in ice. Triton’s orbit is unusually stable, and it is not expected to collide with Neptune any time soon. However, Triton’s orbit will eventually decay, and it will eventually be drawn into Neptune’s atmosphere and destroyed.
Pluto was downgraded from a planet to a “dwarf planet” in 2006 because it doesn’t meet all the requirements for being called a planet.
In 2006, marijuana smokers across the globe were dealt a blow when Pluto was downgraded from a planet to a “dwarf planet.” For many stoners, Pluto had always been their favorite planet, and they felt a sense of personal connection to it. After all, what could be more chill than a planet that’s so far away from the Sun that it’s almost always cold?
Not to mention the fact that its orbit is highly eccentric, meaning that it’s often closer to Neptune than it is to the Sun. In short, Pluto just seemed like the perfect planet for potheads. But alas, it was not meant to be. In 2006, astronomers decided that Pluto didn’t meet all the criteria for being called a planet, and so it was demoted to dwarf planet status.
This news was met with sadness and disbelief by many marijuana smokers, who felt that their beloved Pluto had been unfairly treated. However, despite its new status, Pluto still holds a special place in the hearts of stoners everywhere.
Wrap Up
If you thought our solar system was strange before, just wait until you hear about some of the things that are going on beyond our orbit.
There’s a spherical shell of icy objects surrounding us called the Oort cloud, and it’s home to 1 trillion comets.
Venus rotates backwards – it rotates from east to west. Uranus has 27 moons, and 5 of them are larger than our moon.
Neptune’s moon Triton orbits in the opposite direction of everything else in the solar system. And Pluto was downgraded from a planet to a “dwarf planet” in 2006 because it doesn’t meet all the requirements for being called a planet.
Are you as fascinated by space as we are?
Drop your favorite weird solar system fact in the comments below!