2. The Solar System
The Solar System is a region of space that
contains 1 star and 8 planets. The star is called
the Sun and the 8 planets in order are
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn,
Uranus and Neptune. In our solar system
there are 4 small rocky planets and 4 gas
giants. The 4 rocky planets are Mercury, Mars,
Earth and Venus. The four gas giants are
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.
3. The Sun
The Sun is a big ball of gas and
it’s in the centre of our solar
system. The sun gives off light
and heat and is the reason we
have day and night.
4. Mercury
Mercury is the closest planet to
the Sun. 1 Mercury day equals 172
Earth days and 1 Mercury year
equals 88 Earth days. Mercury is the
smallest planet in the Solar System
and is covered in craters.
5. Venus
Venus is the hottest planet in our solar
system even though it is not the closest
planet to the sun. This is because it has a
thick atmosphere made up of
greenhouse gasses. 1 Venus day equals
243 Earth days and 1 Venus year Equals
225 Earth days. Venus is almost the same
size as Earth.
6. Earth
Earth is the third closest planet
to the sun and the only planet
that has liquid water. Earth is the
only planet to grow living things.
1 Earth day equals 24 hours and 1
Earth year equals 365.25 days.
7. Mars
Mars is the 4th planet from the
sun. 1 Mars year equals 687 Earth
days and 1 Mars day equals 24 hours
and 39 minutes. Mars has two moon
called Phobos and Deimos. Mars has
the biggest volcano in the solar
system named Olympus Mons.
8. Jupiter
Jupiter is the 5th planet from the sun
and it is the biggest planet in the solar
system. Jupiter is home to the biggest
storm in the solar system, known as the
Great Red Spot, which is big enough to
swallow the earth whole. 1 Jupiter year
equals 11.9 Earth years and 1 Jupiter day
equals just under 10 hours.
9. Saturn
Saturn is the 6th planet from the
sun. 1 Saturn year equals 29.5
Earth years and 1 day equals 10
hours. Saturn has big rings made
from little pieces of rock. Saturn
is the 2nd largest planet in our
solar system.
10. Uranus
Uranus is the 7th planet from
the sun. 1 year on Uranus equals
84 Earth years and 1 day equals
16 hours. Uranus has faint rings
and is tilted on its side. Uranus
has 5 moons.
11. Neptune
Neptune is the last planet and
the furthest planet from the sun.
1 year on Neptune equals 165
Earth years and 1 day equals 22
hours. Neptune has 2 moons. 1 of
them, called Triton, circles the
planet backwards!
