Book Of Likes Faces

Solar System Q&A Facts!

1. What is the object shown in this picture in the above link on the right?
ANSWER: It's the small galaxy called the Sagittarius Dwarf Elliptical Galaxy, discovered in 1994.

2. How was this image obtained if the galactic center is not visible due to the presence of dust and gas in the Galactic plane?
ANSWER: It was obtained by radio waves and infrared light data taken by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory's Very Large Array.

3. What is S2 and what is its significance? ANSWER: S2 is a star that has been used to show the presence of & produce data of the central supermassive black hole of The Milky Way. It shows that Sagittarius A is the site of that black hole too.

4. Data from what observatory support the above scenario?
ANSWER: From data taken by the 'National Radio Astronomy Observatory's Very Large Array'.

5. How much time does it take for the Solar System to complete one revolution around the center of the Milky Way?
Answer: It takes about 200 to 250 million years for the Solar System to complete one revolution around the center of the Milky Way.

6. What are Trojans and Greeks?
ANSWER:  Trojans are a big group of objects or Solar System asteroids (minor planets) that share the orbit of the planet Jupiter around the Sun.  These  Jupiter Trojans or asteroids in the L4 section of Jupiter are called Greeks because they are all named after Greek heroes. However, all Trojans are named  after a Greek mythological figure from the Trojan War, so same difference. So, all are divided into Greek and Trojan "camps".

7. What is the period or revolution of Trojans and Greeks around the Sun compared to Jupiter's period?
ANSWER:  The time for one period or revolution around the Sun is from three to six years, and the time for one period or revolution around Jupiter varies from about 9 to 18 hours, depending on which camp of Trojans are involved.
  8. What is Hilda and how does the period of Hilda compare to the period of Jupiter?
ANSWER:  Hilda is another family of Asteroids and they move in their elliptical orbits so that their aphelia put them opposite to Jupiter's period.

Watch how the moons Prometheus and Pandora shepherd the F ring of Saturn in the 2nd link from the left (above Qs&As)...Prometheus is the inner moon, and Pandora the outer moon.

9. Which of the two shepherd moons is primarily responsible for  "shaping the drapes", i.e. creating the wave that sweeps material onto the ring?
ANSWER:  Prometheus is primarily responsible for  "shaping the drapes".

10. Which of the two shepherd moons has a greater speed in its orbit around Saturn?
ANSWER:  Prometheus has a greater speed in its orbit around Saturn.

11. What are the rings made of?
ANSWER:  The rings are made of icy particles.

12. How does the orbital speed of the ring particles compare to the speed of Prometheus and Pandora?
ANSWER:  The ring particles closer to Prometheus orbits the planet faster than the ring particles closer to the bright F ring core. Therefore, the orbital speed of the ring particles are faster when close to Prometheus and slower when close to Pandora... But slower than either of them.