Space and Mythology

Our Solar System

Vulcan• Every knows that Mercury is the closest planet to the sun…right? • In the 1700s, in an attempt to find out why Mercury has a screwed

up orbit, one astronomer predicted a planet between Mercury and the sun.

• Since this guy already successfully predicted Neptune, people listened to what he had to say.

• This planet could only be seen as it passed in front of the sun or during a solar eclipse.

• They found what was believed to be a small planet actually crossing between Mercury and the sun. This planet was called Vulcan.

• Later, however, it was shown by Einstein that the laws of gravity allowed Mercury’s orbit. It was then proven that Vulcan doesn’t exist.

• Why is it called Vulcan?

Mercury

• Year – 88 Earth Days • Day – 58 Earth Days• Moons – none (thought we found one in 1974,

but we were wrong)• Daytime reaches 800°• Nighttime reaches -280° (no real atmosphere to

retain the heat)• Asian cultures saw it as the water star• Why is it called Mercury?

Venus

• Year – 225 Earth Days • Day – 243 Earth Days• Moons – none• Daytime reaches 890° (hot enough

to melt lead) - Global Warming from Hades! The cloudy atmosphere traps all the heat in and keeps it, making it possible to see beyond the horizon in a “fish eye” view.

• Rotates backward (only planet to do so)• Babylonians named it after their goddess of beauty,

Ishtar• When seen in the morning, it is sometimes referred to as

Lucifer• Why is it called Venus?

Neith• Moon of Venus? Extra Planet?

• In 1672,an astronmer noticed a small companion close to Venus and saw it again 14 years later.

• Other astronomers saw it too. Once, it was even seen along with Venus going in transit across the sun.

• In 1766, the director of the Vienna observatory, Father Hell (real name) declared that it was an optical illusion because Venus is so bright.

• Very controversial at the time. • In 1884, the director of the Royal Observatory of Brussels, suggested that it was not

a moon, but another planet.• He named it Neith, after the mysterious goddess of Sais, whose veil no mortal raised. • Later evaluations of the sitings showed that it was probably a very faint star in the

way, but that doesn’t explain the siting in front of the sun.• A very famous astronomer in the late 1800s (Barnard) listed a faint star in his

recordings near Venus. He was one of the most accurate star listers in history; however, there is no star in that vicinity. A moon, perhaps? Neith? An asteroid? No one knows.

Lilith

• The supposed dark moon that no one could see around earth, giving us not one, but two moons.

• This was predicted in the 1800s and keeps coming up. No real astronomer actually believes it today, but astrologers sometimes use it in their predictions.

• The moon does, however, most likely have Trojan satellites called Kordylewski clouds.

• Why was it called Lilith?

Apollo Asteroids

• These are asteroids that make near Earth passes.

• Many of them have mythological names like Sissyphus, Icarus, and Bacchus.

• The first one found was named Apollo.

• Why might they be calledApollo asteroids?

Eros

• An huge near Earth asteroid that we sent a satellite to orbit and take pictures.

• Often referred to by it’s fat banana shape.

Mars

• The fourth planet from the sun.• This planet is dark orange / reddish in color.• It is one and a half Earth distances (AUs) from

the sun.• 1 year is 687 Earth days• For a good portion of the early 1900s, there

appeared to “channels” on Mars, perhaps alien made. This was made use of in the novel War of the Worlds.

• Mars has 2 moons named Phobos and Demos• Why is it called Mars?

The Faces of Mars

Man on Mars?

Ceres

• Between Mars and Jupiter is an asteroid belt. In that asteroid belt resides a planet, or rather, the smallest dwarf planet we know about it.

• It may have an ocean and may have a water vapor atmosphere.

• It was found because of the Titius-Bode law.

• Was almost named Hera.

Jupiter

• The largest planet in solar system• Has no solid surface – some think

it is a failed star• Biggest feature is the Red Spot, a

storm that has lasted for at least 300 years

• Jupiter has one ring around it• Jupiter’s moons are named after people that Jupiter held

hands with. The biggest and easiest to see are Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto.

• There are at least 61 moons.• Why is it called Jupiter?

Saturn

• 2nd largest planet in our solar system

• Best known for its rings (ears, handles)• The largest moon is Titan, which has an

atmosphere and could contain life• Many of its 60 moons are named after

titans, but quite a few are named after other mythology figures. One is even named after Fenrir, a Norse figure

Uranus

• The guy who discovered it wanted to name it Georgium Sidus in honor of King George III.

• It’s named Uranus just to keep it with the mythological names

• It is on its side and no one knows which end is the north pole

• Has rings, but thin and dark• 15 moons, which are not named after mythology

figures (boo!) but instead after characters from Shakespeare and Pope (yea!)

Neptune

• This planet was predicted before it was found by the same guy who later predicted Vulcan

• The planet's name is translated literally as the sea king star in Asian cultures.

• In India the planet is named Varuna, the god of the sea.

• Neptune has rings and 13 moons. The moons all have names associated with water deities (like Triton and Nereid)

• What about this planet suggests the water gods?

Pluto• No longer a planet – now a dwarf

planet. This is a sad story that I’m not willing to go into right now. *sniff*

• Pluto was really hard to see – thus the name!• It is very small (less than ¾ the size of our own

moon)• It has three moons, one is almost the same size

and was almost considered a planet in itself. It’s name is Charon. The other moons are unofficially named Hydra and Nix.

• Undergoing global warming right now.• Part of the Kuiper Belt

Eris• Because of this dwarf planet, Pluto is

no longer a planet. • Originally named Xena by its

discoverers• It is WAY out there! (96.7 times the distance the Earth is

from the sun)• One year = 557 Earth years• The orbit breaks the normal plane of orbit around the

sun.• There is one moon, named after Eris’s daughter,

Dysnomia (Greek for lawlessness and one last stab by the discoverers to get Xena in (actress name is Lucy Lawless)).

• Why named Eris?

Nemesis

• Beyond the Kuiper belt lies the Oort cloud, a supposed resting place for tired comets.

• Some scientists has suggested that there is a dark star, a companion to ours, that hits this cloud once every 30 million years, sending comets flying into our solar system and then pounding Earth, causing dramatic climate change. (This is not a widely held view, although it does help answer many questions and has growing support)

• Why called Nemesis?

http://www.nineplanets.org/hypo.html#neith