What we have in our Solar System

1 star (The Sun)

8 planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune)

5 dwarf planets (Pluto, Ceres, Haumea, Makemake, and Eris)

181 moons.

566,000 asteroids.

3,100 comets.

The Sun

Many scientists think the sun and the rest of the solar system formed from a giant, rotating cloud of gas and dust known as the solar nebula. As the nebula collapsed because of its gravity, it spun faster and flattened into a disk. Most of the material was pulled toward the center to form the sun.

• Describe key features about the Sun.

Distance to Earth: 92.96 million mi

Surface temperature: 5,778 K

Radius: 432,288 mi

Mass: 1.989 × 10^30 kg

Magnitude: -26.74

Spectral type: G2V

Mercury

Mercury is the smallest and innermost planet in the Solar System. Its orbital period around the Sun of 88 days is the shortest of all the planets in the Solar System. It is named after the Roman deity Mercury, the messenger to the gods.

Radius: 1,516 mi

Distance from Sun: 35.98 million mi

Length of day: 58d 15h 30m

Orbital period: 88 days

Mass: 3.285 × 10^23 kg (0.055 M)

Gravity: 3.7 m/s²

Venus

Venus is the second planet from the Sun, orbiting it every 224.7 Earth days. It has the longest rotation period of any planet in the Solar System and rotates in the opposite direction to most other planets. It has no natural satellite.

Radius: 3,760 mi

Length of day: 116d 18h 0m

Distance from Sun: 67.24 million mi

Orbital period: 225 days

Surface area: 177.7 million mi²

Mass: 4.867 × 10^24 kg (0.815 M)

Earth

Earth, otherwise known as the World, is the third planet from the Sun and the only object in the Universe known to harbor life. It is the densest planet in the Solar System and the largest of the four terrestrial planets.

Radius: 3,959 mi

Age: 4.543 billion years

Mass: 5.972 × 10^24 kg

Distance from Sun: 92.96 million mi

Population: 7.125 billion (2013) World Bank

Moon: Moon

Mars

Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second-smallest planet in the Solar System, after Mercury.

Radius: 2,106 mi

Length of day: 1d 0h 40m

Gravity: 3.711 m/s²

Orbital period: 687 days

Distance from Sun: 141.6 million mi

Moons: Phobos, Deimos

Jupiter

Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest in the Solar System. It is a giant planet with a mass one-thousandth that of the Sun, but two and a half times that of all the other planets in the Solar System combined.

Radius: 43,441 mi

Mass: 1.898 × 10^27 kg (317.8 M)

Distance from Sun: 483.8 million mi

Orbital period: 12 years

Length of day: 0d 9h 56m

Moons: 67 - Metis, Adrastea, Amalthea, Thebe, Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, Themisto, Leda, Himalia, Lysithea, Elara, Dia, Carpo, S/2003 J 12, Euporie, S/2003 J 3, S/2003 J 18, S/2011 J 1, S/2010 J 2, Thelxinoe, Euanthe, Helike, Orthosie, Iocaste, S/2003 J 16, Praxidike, Harpalyke, Mneme, Hermippe, Thyone, Ananke, Herse, Aitne, Kale, Taygete, S/2003 J 19, Chaldene, S/2003 J 15, S/2003 J 10, S/2003 J 23, Erinome, Aoede, Kallichore, Kalyke, Carme, Callirrhoe, Eurydome, S/2011 J 2, Pasithee, S/2010 J 1, Kore, Cyllene, Eukelade, S/2003 J 4, Pasiphae, Hegemone, Arche, Isonoe, S/2003 J 9, S/2003 J 5, Sinope, Sponde, Autonoe, Megaclite, S/2003 J 2

Saturn

Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second-largest in the Solar System, after Jupiter. It is a gas giant with an average radius about nine times that of Earth.

Radius: 36,184 mi

Distance from Sun: 888.2 million mi

Orbital period: 29 years

Length of day: 0d 10h 42m

Mass: 5.683 × 10^26 kg (95.16 M)

Moons: 62 - S/2009 S 1, Pan, Daphnis, Atlas, Prometheus, Pandora, Epimetheus, Janus, Aegaeon, Mimas, Methone, Anthe, Pallene, Enceladus, Tethys, Telesto, Calypso, Dione, Helene, Polydeuces, Rhea, Titan, Hyperion, Iapetus, Kiviuq, Ijiraq, Phoebe, Paaliaq, Skathi, Albiorix, S/2007 S 2, Bebhionn, Erriapus, Skoll, Siarnaq, Tarqeq, S/2004 S 13, Greip, Hyrrokkin, Jarnsaxa, Tarvos, Mundilfari, S/2006 S 1, S/2004 S 17, Bergelmir, Narvi, Suttungr, Hati, S/2004 S 12, Farbauti, Thrymr, Aegir, S/2007 S 3, Bestla, S/2004 S 7, S/2006 S 3, Fenrir, Surtur, Kari, Ymir, Loge, Fornjot