The Solar System

Did You Know? Our Solar System consists of all the planets that orbit our Sun. Our Solar System consists of all the planets that orbit our Sun.

Mercury Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun. It takes Mercury 88 days to orbit the Sun so one year in Mercury is 88 days! Mercury has no moons.

Venus  Venus is the second planet from the Sun.  Venus is the brightest planet and about the same size as Earth.  Venus orbits the Sun in 225 days.  Venus can have a temperature of 396 degrees because of its heavy layer of clouds!  Venus has no moons.

Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun. Earth is the third planet from the Sun. Earth is the only planet in the Solar System that holds life. Earth is the only planet in the Solar System that holds life. 70% of Earth is covered up with water. 70% of Earth is covered up with water. Earth orbits the sun in 365 days. Earth orbits the sun in 365 days. It takes Earth 24 hours to rotate. It takes Earth 24 hours to rotate. Earth has one moon. Earth has one moon.

Mars Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the closest to Earth. Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the closest to Earth. Mars rotates ever 24 ½ hours. Mars rotates ever 24 ½ hours. Mars orbits the sun every 687 days. Mars orbits the sun every 687 days.

Jupiter Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun. Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun. Jupiter is a gas planet. Jupiter is a gas planet. Jupiter is the biggest planet in our Solar System. Jupiter is the biggest planet in our Solar System. Jupiter has 63 known moons! Jupiter has 63 known moons! It takes Jupiter 12 Earth years to orbit the Sun! It takes Jupiter 12 Earth years to orbit the Sun!

Saturn Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun. Saturn is known for having rings. Saturn has 31 known moons! Saturn’s largest moon is named Titan and is bigger than Mercury. Saturn orbits the sun every 29.5 Earth years.

Uranus Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun. Uranus is a gas planet and has rings and appears to blue- green in color due to its gasses. It takes Uranus 84 Earth years to orbit the Sun. It takes Uranus 17 hours to rotate.

Neptune Neptune is now the farthest planet from the Sun since Pluto is no longer a planet. Neptune is now the farthest planet from the Sun since Pluto is no longer a planet. Since Neptune is so far from the sun it takes 165 Earth years to orbit the Sun! Since Neptune is so far from the sun it takes 165 Earth years to orbit the Sun! If humans lived on Neptune no person would ever live to be one years old! If humans lived on Neptune no person would ever live to be one years old! Neptune rotates every 16 hours. Neptune rotates every 16 hours. Do you think Neptune would be cold? Click here to find out Neptune’s temperature. Do you think Neptune would be cold? Click here to find out Neptune’s temperature. Click here Click here Neptune has 4 rings and at least 8 moons. Neptune has 4 rings and at least 8 moons. Click here to find a real picture of Neptune. Click here to find a real picture of Neptune. Click here Click here

Pluto Until recently Pluto was considered the ninth planet. It is now a dwarf planet. A dwarf planet is something that does not clear other things out of its orbit. There are three known dwarf planets in our solar system. They are Pluto, Ceres, and Eris.