Planets of the solar system separately. Wonders of Space: interesting facts about the planets of the solar system

The solar system is a group of planets revolving in specific orbits around a bright star - the Sun. This star is the main source of heat and light in the solar system.

It is believed that our planetary system was formed as a result of the explosion of one or more stars and this happened about 4.5 billion years ago. At first, the solar system was an accumulation of gas and dust particles, however, over time and under the influence of its own mass, the Sun and other planets arose.

Planets of the Solar System

At the center of the solar system is the Sun, around which eight planets move in their orbits: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.

Until 2006, Pluto also belonged to this group of planets; it was considered the 9th planet from the Sun, however, due to its significant distance from the Sun and small size, it was excluded from this list and called a dwarf planet. More precisely, it is one of several dwarf planets in the Kuiper belt.

All of the above planets are usually divided into two large groups: the terrestrial group and the gas giants.

The terrestrial group includes such planets as: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars. They are distinguished by their small size and rocky surface, and in addition, they are located closest to the Sun.

Gas giants include: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune. They are characterized by large sizes and the presence of rings, which are ice dust and rocky pieces. These planets consist mainly of gas.

Sun

The Sun is the star around which all the planets and satellites in the solar system revolve. It consists of hydrogen and helium. The age of the Sun is 4.5 billion years, it is only in the middle of its life cycle, gradually increasing in size. Now the diameter of the Sun is 1,391,400 km. In just the same number of years, this star will expand and reach the orbit of the Earth.

The sun is the source of heat and light for our planet. Its activity increases or becomes weaker every 11 years.

Due to the extremely high temperatures on its surface, a detailed study of the Sun is extremely difficult, but attempts to launch a special device as close to the star as possible continue.

Terrestrial group of planets

Mercury

This planet is one of the smallest in the solar system, its diameter is 4,879 km. In addition, it is closest to the Sun. This proximity predetermined a significant temperature difference. The average temperature on Mercury during the day is +350 degrees Celsius, and at night - -170 degrees.

If we take the Earth year as a guide, Mercury makes a full revolution around the Sun in 88 days, and one day there lasts 59 Earth days. It was noticed that this planet can periodically change the speed of its rotation around the Sun, its distance from it and its position.

There is no atmosphere on Mercury; therefore, it is often attacked by asteroids and leaves behind a lot of craters on its surface. Sodium, helium, argon, hydrogen, and oxygen were discovered on this planet.

A detailed study of Mercury is very difficult due to its close proximity to the Sun. Sometimes Mercury can be seen from Earth with the naked eye.

According to one theory, it is believed that Mercury was previously a satellite of Venus, however, this assumption has not yet been proven. Mercury does not have its own satellite.

Venus

This planet is the second from the Sun. In size it is close to the diameter of the Earth, the diameter is 12,104 km. In all other respects, Venus differs significantly from our planet. A day here lasts 243 Earth days, and a year lasts 255 days. The atmosphere of Venus is 95% carbon dioxide, which creates a greenhouse effect on its surface. This results in an average temperature on the planet of 475 degrees Celsius. The atmosphere also contains 5% nitrogen and 0.1% oxygen.

Unlike the Earth, most of whose surface is covered with water, there is no liquid on Venus, and almost the entire surface is occupied by solidified basaltic lava. According to one theory, there used to be oceans on this planet, however, as a result of internal heating, they evaporated, and the vapors were carried away by the solar wind into outer space. Near the surface of Venus, weak winds blow, however, at an altitude of 50 km their speed increases significantly and amounts to 300 meters per second.

Venus has many craters and hills that resemble the earth's continents. The formation of craters is associated with the fact that the planet previously had a less dense atmosphere.

A distinctive feature of Venus is that, unlike other planets, its movement occurs not from west to east, but from east to west. It can be seen from Earth even without the help of a telescope after sunset or before sunrise. This is due to the ability of its atmosphere to reflect light well.

Venus has no satellite.

Earth

Our planet is located at a distance of 150 million km from the Sun, and this allows us to create on its surface a temperature suitable for the existence of liquid water, and, therefore, for the emergence of life.

Its surface is 70% covered with water, and it is the only planet to contain such an amount of liquid. It is believed that many thousands of years ago, steam contained in the atmosphere created the temperature on the Earth's surface necessary for the formation of liquid water, and solar radiation contributed to photosynthesis and the birth of life on the planet.

The peculiarity of our planet is that under the earth’s crust there are huge tectonic plates, which, moving, collide with each other and lead to changes in the landscape.

The diameter of the Earth is 12,742 km. An earthly day lasts 23 hours 56 minutes 4 seconds, and a year lasts 365 days 6 hours 9 minutes 10 seconds. Its atmosphere is 77% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and a small percentage of other gases. None of the atmospheres of other planets in the solar system has such an amount of oxygen.

According to scientists, the age of the Earth is 4.5 billion years, approximately the same age that its only satellite, the Moon, has existed. It is always turned to our planet with only one side. There are many craters, mountains and plains on the surface of the Moon. It reflects sunlight very weakly, so it is visible from Earth in the pale moonlight.

Mars

This planet is the fourth from the Sun and is 1.5 times more distant from it than the Earth. The diameter of Mars is smaller than Earth's and is 6,779 km. The average air temperature on the planet ranges from -155 degrees to +20 degrees at the equator. The magnetic field on Mars is much weaker than that of Earth, and the atmosphere is quite thin, which allows solar radiation to unimpededly affect the surface. In this regard, if there is life on Mars, it is not on the surface.

When surveyed with the help of Mars rovers, it was found that there are many mountains on Mars, as well as dried river beds and glaciers. The surface of the planet is covered with red sand. It is iron oxide that gives Mars its color.

One of the most frequent events on the planet are dust storms, which are voluminous and destructive. It was not possible to detect geological activity on Mars, however, it is reliably known that significant geological events previously occurred on the planet.

The atmosphere of Mars consists of 96% carbon dioxide, 2.7% nitrogen and 1.6% argon. Oxygen and water vapor are present in minimal quantities.

A day on Mars is similar in length to those on Earth and is 24 hours 37 minutes 23 seconds. A year on the planet lasts twice as long as on Earth - 687 days.

The planet has two satellites Phobos and Deimos. They are small in size and uneven in shape, reminiscent of asteroids.

Sometimes Mars is also visible from Earth with the naked eye.

Gas giants

Jupiter

This planet is the largest in the solar system and has a diameter of 139,822 km, which is 19 times larger than Earth. A day on Jupiter lasts 10 hours, and a year is approximately 12 Earth years. Jupiter is mainly composed of xenon, argon and krypton. If it were 60 times larger, it could become a star due to a spontaneous thermonuclear reaction.

The average temperature on the planet is -150 degrees Celsius. The atmosphere consists of hydrogen and helium. There is no oxygen or water on its surface. There is an assumption that there is ice in the atmosphere of Jupiter.

Jupiter has a huge number of satellites - 67. The largest of them are Io, Ganymede, Callisto and Europa. Ganymede is one of the largest moons in the Solar System. Its diameter is 2634 km, which is approximately the size of Mercury. In addition, a thick layer of ice can be seen on its surface, under which there may be water. Callisto is considered the most ancient of the satellites, since it is its surface that has the largest number of craters.

Saturn

This planet is the second largest in the solar system. Its diameter is 116,464 km. It is most similar in composition to the Sun. A year on this planet lasts quite a long time, almost 30 Earth years, and a day lasts 10.5 hours. The average surface temperature is -180 degrees.

Its atmosphere consists mainly of hydrogen and a small amount of helium. Thunderstorms and auroras often occur in its upper layers.

Saturn is unique in that it has 65 moons and several rings. The rings are made up of small particles of ice and rock formations. Ice dust perfectly reflects light, so Saturn's rings are very clearly visible through a telescope. However, it is not the only planet with a diadem; it is just less noticeable on other planets.

Uranus

Uranus is the third largest planet in the solar system and the seventh from the Sun. It has a diameter of 50,724 km. It is also called the “ice planet” because the temperature on its surface is -224 degrees. A day on Uranus lasts 17 hours, and a year lasts 84 Earth years. Moreover, summer lasts as long as winter - 42 years. This natural phenomenon is due to the fact that the axis of that planet is located at an angle of 90 degrees to the orbit and it turns out that Uranus seems to be “lying on its side.”

Uranus has 27 moons. The most famous of them are: Oberon, Titania, Ariel, Miranda, Umbriel.

Neptune

Neptune is the eighth planet from the Sun. It is similar in composition and size to its neighbor Uranus. The diameter of this planet is 49,244 km. A day on Neptune lasts 16 hours, and a year is equal to 164 Earth years. Neptune is an ice giant and for a long time it was believed that no weather phenomena occur on its icy surface. However, it was recently discovered that Neptune has raging vortices and wind speeds that are the highest among the planets in the solar system. It reaches 700 km/h.

Neptune has 14 moons, the most famous of which is Triton. It is known to have its own atmosphere.

Neptune also has rings. This planet has 6 of them.

Interesting facts about the planets of the solar system

Compared to Jupiter, Mercury seems like a dot in the sky. These are the actual proportions in the solar system:

Venus is often called the Morning and Evening Star, since it is the first of the stars visible in the sky at sunset and the last to disappear from visibility at dawn.

An interesting fact about Mars is the fact that methane was found on it. Due to the thin atmosphere, it constantly evaporates, which means that the planet has a constant source of this gas. Such a source could be living organisms inside the planet.

There are no seasons on Jupiter. The biggest mystery is the so-called “Great Red Spot”. Its origin on the surface of the planet has not yet been fully elucidated. Scientists suggest that it was formed by a huge hurricane, which has been rotating at very high speed for several centuries.

An interesting fact is that Uranus, like many planets in the solar system, has its own ring system. Due to the fact that the particles that make up them do not reflect light well, the rings could not be detected immediately after the discovery of the planet.

Neptune has a rich blue color, so it was named after the ancient Roman god - the master of the seas. Due to its distant location, this planet was one of the last to be discovered. At the same time, its location was calculated mathematically, and after time it was able to be seen, and precisely in the calculated place.

Light from the Sun reaches the surface of our planet in 8 minutes.

The solar system, despite its long and careful study, still conceals many mysteries and secrets that have yet to be revealed. One of the most fascinating hypotheses is the assumption of the presence of life on other planets, the search for which is actively continuing.

The planets of the Solar System are arranged in order as follows:
1 - Mercury. The smallest real planet in the solar system
2 - Venus. The description of hell was taken from her: terrible heat, sulfur vapors and the eruptions of many volcanoes.
3 - Earth. The third planet in order from the Sun, our home.
4 - Mars. The most distant of the terrestrial planets in the Solar System.
Then there is the Main Asteroid Belt, where the dwarf planet Ceres and the minor planets Vesta, Pallas, and others are located.
Next in order are the four giant planets:
5 - Jupiter. The largest planet in the solar system.
6 - Saturn with its famous rings.
7 - Uranium. The coldest planet.
8 - Neptune. It is the farthest "real" planet in order from the Sun.
Here's what's more interesting:
9 - Pluto. A dwarf planet that is usually mentioned after Neptune. But Pluto's orbit is such that it is sometimes closer to the Sun than Neptune. For example, this was the case from 1979 to 1999.
No, Neptune and Pluto cannot collide :) - their orbits are such that they do not intersect.
The order of the planets of the solar system in the photo:

How many planets are there in the solar system

How many planets are there in the solar system? This is not so easy to answer. For a long time it was believed that there are nine planets in the solar system:
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto.

But, on August 24, 2006, Pluto ceased to be considered a planet. This was caused by the discovery of the planet Eris and other small planets of the solar system, in connection with which it was necessary to clarify which celestial bodies can be considered planets.
Several characteristics of “real” planets were identified and it turned out that Pluto does not fully satisfy them.
Therefore, Pluto was relegated to the category of dwarf planets, which includes, for example, Ceres, the former number 1 asteroid in the Main Asteroid Belt between Mars and Jupiter.

As a result, when trying to answer the question of how many planets are in the solar system, the situation became even more confused. Because in addition to the “real” ones, dwarf planets have now also appeared.
But there are also small planets, which were called large asteroids. For example Vesta, asteroid number 2 in the mentioned Main Asteroid Belt.
Recently, the same Eris, Make-Make, Haumea and several other small ones have been discovered planets of the solar system, data about which is insufficient and it is unclear whether they should be considered dwarf or small planets. Not to mention that some small asteroids are mentioned in the literature as minor planets! For example, the asteroid Icarus, whose size is only about 1 kilometer, is often referred to as a minor planet...
Which of these bodies should be taken into account when answering the question “how many planets are there in the solar system”???
In general, “we wanted the best, but it turned out as always.”

It is curious that many astronomers and even ordinary people come out “in defense” of Pluto, continuing to consider it a planet, sometimes organizing small demonstrations and diligently promoting this idea on the Internet (mainly abroad).

Therefore, when answering the question “how many planets are there in the solar system,” the easiest way is to briefly say “eight” and not even try to discuss anything... otherwise you will immediately discover that there is simply no exact answer :)

Giant planets - the largest planets in the solar system

There are four giant planets in the solar system: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Because these planets are located outside the Main Asteroid Belt, they are called the "outer" planets of the solar system.
In terms of size, two pairs clearly stand out among these giants.
The largest giant planet is Jupiter. Saturn is quite a bit inferior to him.
And Uranus and Neptune are sharply smaller than the first two planets and they are located further from the Sun.
Look at the comparative sizes of the giant planets relative to the Sun:

The giant planets protect the inner planets of the solar system from asteroids.
Without these bodies in the solar system, our Earth would be hit by asteroids and comets hundreds of times more often!
How do giant planets protect us from the falls of uninvited guests?

You can learn more about the largest planets in the solar system here:

Terrestrial planets

The terrestrial planets are the four planets of the solar system that are similar in size and composition: Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars.
Since one of them is the Earth, all these planets are classified as the terrestrial group. Their sizes are very similar, and Venus and Earth are generally almost the same. Their temperatures are relatively high, which is explained by their proximity to the Sun. All four planets are formed by rocks, while the giant planets are gas and ice worlds.

Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun and the smallest planet in the Solar System.
It is generally accepted that Mercury is very hot. Yes, that's right, the temperature on the sunny side can reach +427°C. But, there is almost no atmosphere on Mercury, so on the night side it can reach -170°C. And at the poles, due to the low Sun, a layer of underground permafrost is generally assumed...

Venus. For a long time it was considered the “sister” of the Earth, until Soviet research stations descended on its surface. It turned out to be real hell! Temperature +475°C, pressure of almost a hundred atmospheres and an atmosphere of toxic compounds of sulfur and chlorine. To colonize it, you will have to try very hard...

Mars. The famous red planet. It is the most distant terrestrial planet in the solar system.
Like Earth, Mars has satellites: Phobos and Deimos
It is generally a cold, rocky and dry world. Only at the equator at noon can it warm up to +20°C, the rest of the time there is severe frost, up to -153°C at the poles.
The planet does not have a magnetosphere and cosmic radiation mercilessly irradiates the surface.
The atmosphere is very rarefied and not suitable for breathing, however, its density is enough for powerful dust storms to sometimes occur on Mars.
Despite all the shortcomings. Mars is the most promising planet for colonization in the solar system.

More information about the terrestrial planets is described in the article The largest planets of the solar system

The largest planet in the solar system

The largest planet in the solar system is Jupiter. It is the fifth planet from the Sun, its orbit lies beyond the Main Asteroid Belt. Look at the size comparison between Jupiter and Earth:
Jupiter's diameter is 11 times larger than Earth's, and its mass is 318 times greater. Due to the large size of the planet, parts of its atmosphere rotate at different speeds, so the belts of Jupiter are clearly visible in the image. Below on the left you can see the famous Great Red Spot of Jupiter - a huge atmospheric vortex that has been observed for several centuries.

The smallest planet in the solar system

Which planet is the smallest planet in the solar system? This is not such a simple question...
Today it is generally accepted that the smallest planet in the solar system is Mercury, which we mentioned a little above. But, you already know that until August 24, 2006, Pluto was considered the smallest planet in the solar system.

More attentive readers may recall that Pluto is a dwarf planet. And there are five of them known. The smallest dwarf planet is Ceres, with a diameter of about 900 km.
But that's not all...

There are also so-called minor planets, the size of which starts at only 50 meters. Both the 1-kilometer Icarus and the 490-kilometer Pallas fall under this definition. It is clear that there are many of them, and it is difficult to choose the smallest one due to the complexity of observations and calculation of sizes. So, when answering the question “what is the name of the smallest planet in the solar system,” it all depends on what exactly is meant by the word “planet.”

Until recently, astronomers believed that the concept of a planet applied exclusively to the solar system. Everything that is beyond its boundaries are unexplored cosmic bodies, most often very large stars. But, as it turned out later, the planets, like peas, are scattered throughout the Universe. They vary in their geological and chemical composition, and may or may not have an atmosphere, all depending on their interaction with the nearest star. The arrangement of planets in our solar system is unique. It is this factor that is fundamental for the conditions that have formed on each individual space object.

Our space home and its features

In the center of the solar system there is a star of the same name, which is classified as a yellow dwarf. Its magnetic field is enough to hold nine planets of varying sizes around their axis. Among them there are dwarf rocky cosmic bodies, immense gas giants that reach almost the parameters of the star itself, and “middle” class objects, which include the Earth. The arrangement of the planets of the solar system does not occur in ascending or descending order. We can say that relative to the parameters of each individual astronomical body, their location is chaotic, that is, the large alternates with the small.

SS structure

To consider the location of the planets in our system, it is necessary to take the Sun as a reference point. This star is located in the center of the SS, and it is its magnetic fields that correct the orbits and movements of all surrounding cosmic bodies. There are nine planets orbiting the Sun, as well as a ring of asteroids that lies between Mars and Jupiter, and the Kuiper Belt, which lies beyond Pluto. In these gaps, individual dwarf planets are also distinguished, which are sometimes attributed to the main units of the system. Other astronomers believe that all these objects are nothing more than large asteroids, on which life cannot arise under any circumstances. They also assign Pluto itself to this category, leaving only 8 planetary units in our system.

The order of the planets

So, we will list all the planets, starting with the one closest to the Sun. In first place are Mercury, Venus, then Earth and Mars. After the Red Planet there passes a ring of asteroids, behind which begins a parade of giants consisting of gases. These are Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. The list is completed by dwarf and icy Pluto, with its equally cold and black satellite Charon. As we said above, there are several more dwarf cosmic units in the system. The location of dwarf planets in this category coincides with the Kuiper belts and asteroids. Ceres is located in an asteroid ring. Makemake, Haumea and Eris are in the Kuiper Belt.

Terrestrial planets

This category includes cosmic bodies that, in their composition and parameters, have much in common with our home planet. Their depths are also filled with metals and stone, and either a full atmosphere or a haze that resembles it is formed around the surface. The location of the terrestrial planets is easy to remember, because these are the first four objects that are located directly next to the Sun - Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. Characteristic features are small size, as well as a long period of rotation around its axis. Also, of all the terrestrial planets, only the Earth itself and Mars have satellites.

Giants consisting of gases and hot metals

The location of the planets of the solar system, which are called gas giants, is the most distant from the main star. They are located behind the asteroid ring and stretch almost to the Kuiper belt. There are four giants in total - Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Each of these planets consists of hydrogen and helium, and in the core region there are metals that are hot to a liquid state. All four giants are characterized by an incredibly strong gravitational field. Due to this, they attract numerous satellites, which form almost entire asteroid systems around them. SS gas balls rotate very quickly, which is why whirlwinds and hurricanes often occur on them. But, despite all these similarities, it is worth remembering that each of the giants is unique in its composition, size, and gravitational force.

Dwarf planets

Since we have already looked in detail at the location of the planets from the Sun, we know that Pluto is the furthest away and its orbit is the most gigantic in the SS. It is he who is the most important representative of dwarfs, and only he from this group is the most studied. Dwarfs are those cosmic bodies that are too small for planets, but too large for asteroids. Their structure may be comparable to Mars or Earth, or it may simply be rocky, like any asteroid. Above we have listed the most prominent representatives of this group - these are Ceres, Eris, Makemake, Haumea. In fact, dwarfs are found not only in the two SS asteroid belts. They are often called the satellites of gas giants, which are attracted to them due to the enormous

The solar system is a system of planets that includes its center, the Sun, as well as other objects in space. They revolve around the Sun. Until recently, “planet” was the name given to 9 objects in space that revolve around the Sun. Scientists have now established that beyond the boundaries of the solar system there are planets that orbit stars.

In 2006, the Union of Astronomers proclaimed that the planets of the solar system are spherical space objects revolving around the Sun. On the scale of the solar system, the Earth appears extremely small. In addition to the Earth, eight planets revolve around the Sun in their individual orbits. All of them are larger than the Earth in size. Rotate in the plane of the ecliptic.

Planets in the Solar System: types

Location of the terrestrial group in relation to the Sun

The first planet is Mercury, followed by Venus; Next comes our Earth and, finally, Mars.
Terrestrial planets do not have many satellites or moons. Of these four planets, only Earth and Mars have satellites.

Planets that belong to the terrestrial group are highly dense and consist of metal or stone. Basically, they are small and rotate around their axis. Their rotation speed is also low.

Gas giants

These are the four space objects that are at the greatest distance from the Sun: Jupiter is at No. 5, followed by Saturn, then Uranus and Neptune.

Jupiter and Saturn are impressively sized planets made of hydrogen and helium compounds. The density of gas planets is low. They rotate at high speeds, have satellites and are surrounded by rings of asteroids.
The “ice giants,” which include Uranus and Neptune, are smaller; their atmospheres contain methane and carbon monoxide.

Gas giants have a strong gravitational field, so they can attract many cosmic objects, unlike the terrestrial group.

According to scientists, asteroid rings are the remains of moons changed by the gravitational field of the planets.

Dwarf planet

Dwarfs are space objects whose size does not reach the size of a planet, but exceeds the dimensions of an asteroid. There are a great many such objects in the Solar System. They are concentrated in the Kuiper belt region. The satellites of the gas giants are dwarf planets that have left their orbit.

Planets of the Solar System: the process of emergence

According to the cosmic nebula hypothesis, stars are born in clouds of dust and gas, in nebulae.
Due to the force of attraction, substances come together. Under the influence of the concentrated force of gravity, the center of the nebula contracts and stars form. Dust and gases transform into rings. The rings rotate under the influence of gravity, and planetasimals are formed in the whirlpools, which increase in size and attract cosmetic objects to themselves.

Under the influence of gravity, planetesimals are compressed and acquire spherical shapes. The spheres can unite and gradually turn into protoplanets.



There are eight planets within the solar system. They revolve around the Sun. Their location is as follows:
The closest “neighbor” of the Sun is Mercury, followed by Venus, followed by the Earth, then Mars and Jupiter, further from the Sun are Saturn, Uranus and the last one, Neptune.

> Planets of the Solar System in order

Explore planets of the solar system in order. High quality photos, the location of the Earth and a detailed description of each planet around the Sun: from Mercury to Neptune.

Let's look at the planets of the solar system in order: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.

What is a planet?

According to the criteria established by the IAU in 2006, an object is considered a planet:

• on an orbital path around the Sun;
• has sufficient massiveness for hydrostatic balance;
• cleared the surrounding area of ​​foreign bodies;

This led to the fact that Pluto could not meet the last point and moved into the ranks of dwarf planets. For the same reason, Ceres is no longer an asteroid, but has joined Pluto.

But there are also trans-Neptunian objects, which are considered a subcategory of dwarf planets and are called the plutoid class. These are celestial bodies rotating beyond the orbit of Neptune. These include Ceres, Pluto, Haumea, Eris and Makemake.

Planets of the Solar System in order

Let's now study our planets of the solar system in order of increasing distance from the Sun with high-quality photos.

Mercury

Mercury is the first planet from the Sun, 58 million km away. Despite this, it is not considered the hottest planet.

Now considered the tiniest planet, second in size to its moon Ganymede.

• Diameter: 4,879 km
• Mass: 3.3011 × 10 23 kg (0.055 Earth).
• Length of year: 87.97 days.
• Length of day: 59 days.
• Included in the category of terrestrial planets. The crater surface resembles the Earth's Moon.
• If you weigh 45 kg on Earth, you will gain 17 kg on Mercury.
• No satellites.
• Temperature ranges from -173 to 427 °C (-279 to 801 degrees Fahrenheit)
• Only 2 missions were sent: Mariner 10 in 1974-1975. and MESSENGER, which flew past the planet three times before entering orbit in 2011.

Venus

It is 108 million km distant from the Sun and is considered an earthly sister because it is similar in parameters: 81.5% of the mass, 90% of the earth’s area and 86.6% of its volume.

Due to its thick atmospheric layer, Venus has become the hottest planet in the solar system, with temperatures rising to 462°C.

• Diameter: 12104 km.
• Mass: 4.886 x 10 24 kg (0.815 earth)
• Length of the year: 225 days.
• Length of day: 243 days.
• Temperature heating: 462°C.
• The dense and toxic atmospheric layer is filled with carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen (N2) with drops of sulfuric acid (H2SO4).
• No satellites.
• Retrograde rotation is characteristic.
• If you weigh 45 kg on Earth, you will gain 41 kg on Venus.
• It was called the Morning and Evening Star because it is often brighter than any other object in the sky and is usually visible at dawn or dusk. Often even mistaken for a UFO.
• Sent over 40 missions. Magellan mapped 98% of the planet's surface in the early 1990s.

Earth

The Earth is our home, living at a distance of 150 million km from the star. So far the only world that has life.

• Diameter: 12760 km.
• Weight: 5.97 x 10 24 kg.
• Length of the year: 365 days.
• Length of day: 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4 seconds.
• Surface Heat: Average - 14°C, with ranges from -88°C to 58°C.
• The surface is constantly changing, and 70% is covered by oceans.
• There is one satellite.
• Atmospheric composition: nitrogen (78%), oxygen (21%) and other gases (1%).
• The only world with life.

Mars

The Red Planet, 288 million km distant. Received its second name because of the reddish tint created by iron oxide. Mars resembles Earth due to its axial rotation and tilt, which creates seasonality.

There are also many familiar surface features, such as mountains, valleys, volcanoes, deserts and ice caps. The atmosphere is thin, so the temperature drops to -63 o C.

• Diameter: 6787 km.
• Mass: 6.4171 x 10 23 kg (0.107 Earth).
• Length of the year: 687 days.
• Length of day: 24 hours and 37 minutes.
• Surface Temperature: Average - approximately -55°C with a range of -153°C to +20°C.
• Belongs to the category of terrestrial planets. The rocky surface has been affected by volcanoes, asteroid attacks and atmospheric effects such as dust storms.
• The thin atmosphere consists of carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen (N2) and argon (Ar). If you weigh 45 kg on Earth, you will gain 17 kg on Mars.
• There are two tiny moons: Phobos and Deimos.
• Called the Red Planet because iron minerals in the soil oxidize (rust).
• More than 40 spacecraft have been sent.

Jupiter

Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system, living at a distance of 778 million km from the Sun. It is 317 times larger than the Earth and 2.5 times larger than all the planets together. Represented by hydrogen and helium.

The atmosphere is considered the most intense, where the wind accelerates to 620 km/h. There are also amazing auroras that almost never stop.

• Diameter: 428400 km.
• Mass: 1.8986 × 10 27 kg (317.8 Earth).
• Length of year: 11.9 years.
• Length of day: 9.8 hours.
• Temperature reading: -148°C.
• There are 67 known moons, and another 17 moons await confirmation of their discovery. Jupiter resembles a mini-system!
• In 1979, Voyager 1 spotted a faint ring system.
• If you weigh 45 kg on Earth, you will get 115 kg on Jupiter.
• The Great Red Spot is a large-scale storm (larger than the Earth) that has not stopped for hundreds of years. In recent years there has been a downward trend.
• Many missions have flown past Jupiter. The last one arrived in 2016 - Juno.

Saturn

Distant 1.4 billion km. Saturn is a gas giant with a gorgeous ring system. There are layers of gas concentrated around a solid core.

• Diameter: 120500 km.
• Mass: 5.66836 × 10 26 kg (95.159 Earth).
• Length of year: 29.5 years.
• Length of day: 10.7 hours.
• Temperature mark: -178 °C.
• Atmospheric composition: hydrogen (H2) and helium (He).
• If you weigh 45 kg on Earth, you will get about 48 kg on Saturn.
• There are 53 known satellites with an additional 9 awaiting confirmation.
• 5 missions were sent to the planet. Since 2004, Cassini has been studying the system.

Uranus

Lives at a distance of 2.9 billion km. It belongs to the class of ice giants due to the presence of ammonia, methane, water and hydrocarbons. Methane also creates a blue appearance.

Uranus is the frostiest planet in the system. The seasonal cycle is quite bizarre, as it lasts 42 years for each hemisphere.

• Diameter: 51120 km.
• Length of year: 84 years.
• Length of day: 18 hours.
• Temperature mark: -216°C.
• Most of the planetary mass is a hot, dense liquid made from “icy” materials: water, ammonia and methane.
• Atmospheric composition: hydrogen and helium with a small admixture of methane. Methane causes a blue-green hue.
• If you weigh 45 kg on Earth, you will get 41 kg on Uranus.
• There are 27 satellites.
• There is a weak ring system.
• The only ship sent to the planet was Voyager 2.

Neptune