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THE SOLAR SYSTEM

Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune and Pluto. These are the planets of the solar system. OK, we should exclude Pluto. Scientists at first thought that Pluto was a major planet, but later they discovered that Pluto was actually not, and classified it under the meteorites (asteroids).

The study of space is called astronomy. Many people, or let’s say astronauts, have gone to the moon. Perhaps they want to see if people can live on the moon.Vikings have landed on Mars and called it “The Red Planet”, maybe because it has a “red sky”.

How did the solar system come about? Well… Scientists think that the solar system started as some kind of dust, which span around and became a star, called the Sun. Before it form, pieces of it broke away and formed the other 9 (Aww… It should be 8) planets. At first, the Earth was so hot till it was almost molten. After a few days (weeks… months… years… I forgotten), water vapour condensed and became water.

 

Now… Which planet shall I talk about? Hmm… How about the planet Pluto (Sorry… It’s not a planet)? At first, since the study of astronomy, scientists thought that Pluto was a planet. But, after a while (OK, long, long while), they began to realise that Pluto was not a major planet, so they classified (grouped) it as a minor planet, called an asteroid or meteorite.

I hope I will, in future, remember that Pluto is a… I mean is not a major planet. Oh!!! Now, let’s end with the group that the ‘present’ Pluto is in. Now… It’s called… Eh? How did you know? Yes, it’s called comets and meteorites.

Comets and meteorites are also part of the solar system (oh yes! For your info, solar means the sun), but they are much “naughtier”. They often crash into other Planets like Plu… No, not in Pluto. Yes, even in Earth. Comets are made of ice and dust. There are no differences between meteorites and asteroids. A meteor is a “meteorite” that has not crashed. Of course, a meteorite is a fallen meteor.

Now you know much more about space, do you want to be an astronaut when you grow up? Yes? No? Well, anyway, astronomy is interesting, isn’t it? It is a pity, though, that we can only live on Earth- and can’t live on other planets like Pluto (Sigh! I forgot again. Pluto isn’t a planet)!

-written by Ryan Yeo on 17 May 2008.

 

 

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