THE SOLAR SYSTEM

The solar system

There are 8 planets in our solar system. Until 2006 there were 9, but scientists decided that Pluto wasn’t big enough to be a planet.

The eight plantets are:

MercuryVenusEarthMarsJupiterSaturnUranusNeptune

THE SUN

At the centre of our solar system is the sun. The sun is a star in our galaxy- The Milky way. It is about 100 times bigger than the Earth. All planets orbit around the sun in an eliptical way.

Inner planets- Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars

These four planets are also called terrestrial planets, and are mostly composed of rock and metal while outer planets are gas giants. They are also smaller and have fewer moons.

Mercury Venus Earth Mars

Outer planets- Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune

The outer planets are much larger than inner planets. Although mostly made out of gas, the outer planets have other ingredients as well. At the center that have a rocky core, although it is sometimes composed of liquid metal.

The outer planets have a lot more moons than the outer ones, for example, Jupiter has 63. Jupiter is one of the brightest objects in the sky and has a very stormy atmosphere. One major storm, the Great Red Spot, is as big as the Earth.

Jupiter Saturn Uranus

Neptune

Inner and Outer planets are separated by an asteroid belt, which lies between Mars and Jupiter and it contains asteroids made of rock and metal.

Interesting facts

1. Everything orbits in the same direction

2. The Sun is just one star in 200 billion in the Milky Way

3. There are only a few stars within 10 light-years of the Sun. The closest system is the Alpha Centauri system, 4.4 light-years away

4. Astronomers used to think the Earth was the center of the Solar system and the universe

Moons of solar system

Poor Pluto, not a planet anymore