Mercury is the smallest and innermost planet in the Solar System. It is named after the Roman messenger god Mercury.
Mercury has no moons and no known rings.
Fun fact: Mercury has the most extreme temperature variations in the Solar System, with surface temperatures ranging from -173°C at night to 427°C during the day.
Venus is the second planet from the Sun and is often called Earth's "sister planet" due to their similar size, mass, and proximity to the Sun.
Venus has no moons.
Fun fact: Venus has a slow retrograde rotation, meaning it rotates in the opposite direction to most planets in the Solar System.
Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life.
Earth has one natural satellite, the Moon, which plays a significant role in the planet's tides, climate, and evolution.
Fun fact: Earth is the only known planet in the universe to support life. Its diverse ecosystems, abundance of water, and moderate climate make it a unique and precious place in the cosmos.
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and is often referred to as the "Red Planet" due to its reddish appearance.
Mars has two moons, Phobos and Deimos.
Fun fact: Mars has the largest volcano in the solar system, Olympus Mons, which is about 21 kilometers high and 600 kilometers in diameter.
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and is the largest planet in the Solar System.
Jupiter has at least 79 known moons, including the four largest moons called the Galilean moons: Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto.
Fun fact: Jupiter's magnetic field is so strong that it traps charged particles, creating intense radiation belts around the planet.
Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and is best known for its prominent ring system.
Saturn has at least 82 known moons, with its largest moon Titan being larger than the planet Mercury.
Fun fact: Saturn is the least dense planet in the Solar System. It's density is less than that of water, so it would float in a giant bathtub if one were big enough!
Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun and is often referred to as an "ice giant" due to its composition.
Uranus has at least 27 known moons, with its largest moons being Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania, and Oberon.
Fun fact: Due to its extreme axial tilt, Uranus experiences extreme seasons where each pole is in darkness or sunlight for 42 Earth years at a time.
Neptune is the eighth and farthest known planet from the Sun in the Solar System.
Neptune has at least 14 known moons, with its largest moon Triton being the only large moon in the Solar System that orbits in the opposite direction of its planet's rotation.
Fun fact: Neptune is not visible to the naked eye and was the first planet to be discovered through mathematical predictions rather than direct observation.
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is a nearly perfect sphere of hot plasma, with internal convective motion that generates a magnetic field.
The Sun is the primary source of light and heat for life on Earth, and it is responsible for driving the Earth's climate and weather patterns.
Fun fact: The Sun's magnetic field undergoes a complete reversal approximately every 11 years, known as the solar cycle.