Solar System The sun and all bodies that travel around it make up the solar system.

Planets Large bodies that revolve around the sun are called planets.

Inner Planets Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars The first four planets from the sun. Formed of heavy, rocky material.

Outer Planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune Have lighter gases and able to form larger planets

Moons Moons orbit planets and are held there by that planets gravitational pull.

Asteroids An asteroid is a small, rocky object that orbits the sun. The asteroid belt is located between Mars and Jupiter.

Comets A comet is a small, orbiting body made of dust, ice, and frozen gases. As the comet approaches the sun, frozen solids in the center (nucleus) vaporize and this is what you see called the “tail”.

Meteoroid, Meteor, Meteorite Meteoroids are chunks of matter travelling freely through space. When those chunks enter the atmosphere and begin to burn, they are called Meteors. Whatever is left that hits the earth are called meteorites.