The Solar System

The solar system is a collection of celestial objects that orbit the Sun, including planets, moons, asteroids, and comets. Earth is one of the eight planets in our solar system, with the Sun at its center. It's a fascinating system that provides a home for our planet and offers endless opportunities for space exploration.

The Sun

The Sun, our nearest star, is at the center of our solar system. It is a massive ball of hot, glowing gas that provides heat, light, and energy to all the planets. Its immense gravity keeps all the planets in their orbits, making life on Earth possible. The Sun also rotates on its axis once in about 27 days.

Planet Mercury

Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun and the smallest planet in our solar system. It has a rocky surface covered in craters and extreme temperature variations, with scorching hot temperatures during the day and freezing cold temperatures at night. Mercury also has no atmosphere, no moons and no ring system.

The Orbit of Mercury

Mercury's orbit around the Sun takes approximately 88 Earth days, completing one revolution. However, its rotation, or one day on Mercury, takes about 59 Earth days due to its slow spin. Mercury travels through space at about 47.87 km/s, making it the fastest planet in our solar system.

Planet Venus

Venus is the second planet from the Sun and is often called Earth's "sister planet." It has a thick atmosphere mainly of carbon dioxide. This causes a greenhouse effect making it the hottest planet in our solar system. Venus also rotates on its axis in the opposite direction compared to most other planets. It has no moons and no known rings.

The Orbit of Venus

Venus orbits the Sun in about 225 Earth days, completing one revolution. Its rotation, or one day on Venus, takes approximately 243 Earth days, making it the slowest rotating planet in our solar system.

Planet Earth

Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only known planet to support life. It is a sphere made of rock, water, and air, and has a natural satellite called the Moon. Earth's atmosphere is composed of nitrogen, oxygen, and trace amounts of other gases that protect and sustain life.

The Orbit of Earth

Earth orbits the Sun in approximately 365.25 days, completing one revolution. Its rotation, or one day on Earth, takes about 24 hours. Our calendar system counts a year as 365 days. Therefore every four years, we add one leap day to our yearly calendars to maintain them in line with our orbit around the Sun.

Planet Mars

Mars, the fourth planet from the Sun, is often called the "Red Planet" due to its rusty appearance. Its reddish color is caused by iron oxide on its surface. Mars has a thin atmosphere primarily composed of carbon dioxide, making it unsuitable for human survival. It has two moons and no known rings.

The Orbit of Mars

Mars orbits the Sun in about 687 Earth days, completing one revolution. Its rotation, or one day on Mars, takes approximately 24.6 Earth hours, which is very similar to one day on Earth.

Planet Jupiter

Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, is a gas giant composed chiefly of hydrogen and helium. It has a distinct banded appearance with swirling storms. Most notably, the Great Red Spot is a massive storm system. Jupiter is approximately 11 times the diameter of Earth. It has 79 known moons and faint rings, which are difficult to see.

The Orbit of Jupiter

Jupiter orbits the Sun in approximately 11.86 Earth years, completing one revolution. Its rotation, or one day on Jupiter, takes about 9.93 Earth hours. This means Jupiter has the shortest day in the solar system.

Planet Saturn

Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest in our solar system. It is known for its distinctive rings made up of ice particles and rock fragments. Saturn has at least 82 moons, with the largest being Titan. The planet has a thick atmosphere primarily made up of hydrogen and helium.

The Orbit of Saturn

Saturn orbits the Sun in about 29 Earth years, completing one revolution. Its rotation, or one day on Saturn, takes approximately 10.7 Earth hours. This means that Saturn has the second-shortest day in the solar system.

Planet Neptune

Neptune is our solar system's eighth and farthest known planet from the Sun. It is a gas giant composed mostly of hydrogen and helium. With its vibrant blue color, Neptune is often called the "Blue Giant." It has a strong, swirling atmosphere with winds reaching supersonic speeds. Neptune has 14 known moons and a system of faint rings.

The Orbit of Neptune

Neptune orbits the Sun in about 165 Earth years, completing one revolution. Its rotation, or one day on Neptune, takes approximately 16 Earth hours. Every 248 Earth years, Pluto enters Neptune's orbit for 20 years due to its orbit shape.

Planet Uranus

Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun, known for its unique sideways rotation. It has a pale blue color due to the presence of methane gas in its atmosphere. Uranus has a ring system and is composed mainly of hydrogen and helium, with a small rocky core. It has 27 known moons that consist of a mix of ice and rock.

The Orbit of Uranus

Uranus orbits the Sun in about 84 Earth years, completing one revolution. Its rotation, or one day on Uranus (from sunrise to sunrise), takes approximately 17 Earth hours and 14 minutes. Additionally, Uranus rotates from east to west, the opposite direction from the majority of the planets.

Dwarf Planet Pluto

Once considered the ninth planet, Pluto is now classified as a dwarf planet. It has a rocky surface covered in a thin layer of frozen nitrogen, methane, and carbon monoxide. It gained attention for its distinctive "heart-shaped" feature called Tombaugh Regio, discovered by NASA in 2015. Pluto has five known moons but no known rings.

The Orbit of Pluto

Pluto orbits the Sun in about 248 Earth years, completing one revolution. Its rotation, or one day on Pluto, takes approximately 6.39 Earth days. Compared to the planets, Pluto's orbit is different because it is both oval and tilted. Like Venus and Uranus, Pluto likewise rotates from east to west.