The planets of the solar system

Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars are the four inner planets. These are closest to the sun, and they are the smallest in the solar system. They have very solid rocky surfaces. The four planets furthest from the sun are Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. These are made up of layers of gases and are called the outer planets.

• These two systems are separated by the asteroid belt.

Planets in Our Solar System

Picture showing mercury

Mercury

Mercury is the closest planet to the sun. It is the smallest planet in the solar system. The surface is rocky with broad plains and craters. The atmosphere of mercury is very thin, making the days very hot. During the days the temperature gets as high as 430 degree Celsius and falls to minus 200 degree Celsius at nights.

Picture showing Venus 

Venus

Venus is the brightest and is sometimes called the morning and evening star. It is earth’s closest neighbour and receives twice as much sunlight as earth. Its dense atmosphere keeps the surface temperature around 480 degree Celsius both day and night.

Earth

Earth is the third planet from the sun and the fifth largest. Its surface is made up of land and water. On earth, water exists in all three forms (solid, liquid and gas). Earth’s atmosphere is unique among the planets in our solar system. It contains enough oxygen to support life. Earth has one satellite.

 For information on Physical features of earth visit my wiki, Click HERE.

Picture showing earth

Picture showing Mars

Mars

Mars is the fourth planet from the sun. It is sometimes referred to as the red planet. It is much colder and smaller than earth. Its atmosphere is filled with clouds and fog- most of which carbon dioxide, there is also small amounts of oxygen and nitrogen. At one time, Mars probably had water on its surface. The planet has two satellites Phobos and Deimos.

Picture showing Jupiter

Jupiter

Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system. It is approximately eleven times the size of earth. Jupiter is mostly a ball of hydrogen and helium gas. It is covered by a thick cloud and is a very cold planet. When viewed from Earth it sometimes has many colours but the most spectacular is its red spot. Jupiter has sixty satellites.

Picture showing Saturn

Saturn

Saturn is the second largest planet.  Like Jupiter it is made up of hydrogen and helium gasses.  Saturn has a spectacular ring system. It is a beautiful planet with rings. Saturn has more satellites than any other planet. Astronomers believe that is has more than sixty moons.

Uranus

Uranus is a gaseous planet and it is the third largest planet. It is green in appearance because methane gas is in its atmosphere. Uranus has twenty-one satellites. The two largest of it are Titanian and Oberon.

Picture showing Uranus

Neptune

Neptune is a cold gaseous planet similar in size and composition to Uranus. It is a ball of water, ammonia and molten rocks surrounded by hydrogen, helium and methane. Neptune has thirty satellites. The largest of which is Triton. Neptune also has a number of rings.

Picture of Neptune

Our Sun

  Our sun is a huge star- a glowing ball of burning gases. It gives us light and heat, and provides energy which makes life on earth possible. our sun is about 149 million kilometres away from earth. It is so big that earth could fit into it more than a million times.


                                                           








                                                                                                               

                                                                                                          Picture showing the sun

What is the Solar System?

The solar system is made up of planets and other heavenly bodies that revolves around the sun. The sun is the centre of the solar system. The sun holds the solar system together with a strong gravitational pull.

 Diagram showing the solar system; the sun and the planets in orbit. 

    

All planets, with the exception of Mercury and Venus have satellites (moons) revolving around them.

The path an object in space take while traveling around other objects is called an orbit. The orbits of the eight planets from the sun outward are: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

Picture showing the solar system in order from the sun

NOTE: 

This will help you to remember the order in which the planets appear. 

My   Very   Elegant    Mother   Just   Served   Us   Noodles 

e       e         a             a            u       a             r      e

r        n        r              r             p      t              a      p

c       u         t              s             i       u             n      t

u       s         h                            t       r             u      u

y                                               e      n              s     n

                                                 r                             e

The is a picture of our solar system; the eight (8) planets and the sun