Five surprising facts about the solar system: what you need to know
SSPDaily has prepared five facts about the solar system. Learn about the fascinating secrets that never cease to amaze scientists.
Time flows differently in space
Time in space is not constant due to the influence of gravity. In areas with a stronger gravitational field, such as near a black hole, time slows down. This also applies to space closer to the Earth. Interestingly, on the International Space Station (ISS), despite its distance from Earth, time actually passes more slowly due to various factors, including the high speed of movement - approximately 27,576 km/h. This difference is too small to notice.
The Sun's mass dominates the solar system
The Sun accounts for a staggering 99.86% of the total mass of the solar system. Given that the Sun's mass is enormous, 330,000 times the mass of the Earth, this is truly an astronomical marvel.
Moreover, if the Sun were a hollow sphere, it could host about 960 thousand Earth-sized planets. The hot nature of the Sun, whose core temperature reaches 15 million degrees, never ceases to amaze scientists.
The Moon is constantly moving away from the Earth
Over time, the Moon is gradually moving away from the Earth at a rate of about 38 mm per year. This may seem insignificant, but about a billion and a half years ago, the Moon was about 44,000 km closer to the Earth, which led to a reduction in the length of the day on our planet. Scientists believe that this phenomenon contributed to such significant changes as the "oxygen catastrophe" that occurred as a result of the Earth's slowing rotation.
Titan is similar to the early Earth
Titan, Saturn's largest moon, occupies a unique place in the Solar System due to its striking resemblance to the Earth. Titan's dense atmosphere, consisting mainly of nitrogen, has stable liquid lakes, making it the only celestial body where such lakes exist. Scientists suggest that these features are reminiscent of the early stages of Earth's development, which even suggests the possibility of life on Titan.
Venus
The hottest planet in the solar system is not Mercury, but Venus. Despite its proximity to the Sun, Venus' dense atmosphere and ultra-high pressure contribute to extreme temperatures. Near its surface, the temperature rises to 475 degrees Celsius.
Surprisingly, sulfuric acid regularly falls on Venus, but due to the intense heat, it evaporates before reaching the surface. On the contrary, Mercury, located closer to the Sun, keeps ice in its craters near the poles, protected from sunlight.
