Saturday, April 11, 2009

Solar System (Montage)

Our solar system features eight planets. Although there is some debate within the science community as to whether Pluto should be classified as a Planet or a dwarf planet, the International Astronomical Union has decided on the term plutoid as a name for dwarf planets like Pluto.

Credit: NASA/JPL

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This image is an unannotated version of the Photojournal Home Page graphic released in October 2007. This digital collage contains a highly stylized rendition of our solar system and points beyond. As this graphic was intended to be used as a navigation aid in searching for data within the Photojournal, certain artistic embellishments have been added (color, location, etc.). Several data sets from various planetary and astronomy missions were combined to create this image.

Credit: NASA/JPL

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An artist's conception of a solar-system montage of the eight planets, a comet and an asteroid.

Credit: NASA/JPL

This representation is intentionally fanciful, as the planets are depicted far closer together than they really are. Similarly, the bodies' relative sizes are inaccurate. This is done for the purpose of being able to depict the solar system and still represent the bodies with some detail. (Otherwise the Sun would be a mere speck, and the planets - even the majestic Jupiter - would be far too small to be seen.)

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