Our Solar System is made of planets and their moons, asteroids, comets, meteors, dust and gas! The solar system is thought to be approximately 4.7 billion years old, it was made through a long process of condensation of dust and gas! The Solar System moves through space at about 20 km/s. In our Solar System there are nine planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto!!

 

 

Here are some great pictures of our Planets, Click each thumbnail to see the full size picture, then use your Web browser's Back button to return to this page.

Earth

Earth orbit time around the Sun is actually 365.25 days, 1/4 day longer than our 365 day calendar year. For this reason, we add an extra day  "February 29" to the calendar every fourth, or "leap" year.

 

Mercury

Mercury Was named for the speedy messenger of the Roman gods, Because it orbits the Sun faster than any other planet.

 

Venus

Venus is the hottest planet, hotter even than Mercury, which is closer to the Sun, because the large amount of carbon dioxide in its atmosphere trays heat.

 

Mars

Iron oxides, or rust, in Mars' soil give the planet its reddish hue and its nickname "the Red Planet."

 

Jupiter

Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system. More than 1,300 Earth could fit inside it.

 

Saturn

Saturn is best know for its beautiful rings, which are made up of tiny particles of ice.

 

Uranus

Uranus looks like its tipped sideways because of the unusual tilt of its axis.

 

Neptune

An enormous storm system moving  around its surface give Neptune a "Great Dark Spot" similar to Jupiter's "Great Red Spot".

 

Pluto

Most of the time Pluto is the farthest planet from the Sun. At certain times, however, Pluto's orbital path moves inside Neptune's.