The Planets in Our Solar System

The Planets in Our Solar System

Exploring the inner and outer planets.

Our Solar System

There are 8 planets in our solar system. All of them orbit around the Sun. Each planet has unique characteristics related to size, temperature, location, and physical attributes.

The Terrestrial Planets

Also called the "Rocky Planets" or the "Inner Planets".

These are the 4 planets closest to the Sun: Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.

They have solid surfaces made mostly of rock.

These planets are smaller, have few moons, and no rings.

Mercury

Distance to the Sun: 35.98 million miles

Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun.

It is the smallest of all 8 planets in our solar system.

Length of day: 59 Earth days to make one full rotation.

Length of year: 88 Earth days to make one full revolution around the Sun.

Number of Moons: 0

Venus

Distance from the Sun: 67 million miles

2nd planet from the Sun

Is similar in size to Earth.

Hottest planet in our solar system.

Rotates very slowly and in a counterclockwise direction.

Length of day: 243 Earth days to complete one full rotation.

Length of year: 225 Earth days

Number of moons: 0

Earth

Distance from the sun: 93 million miles

3rd planet from the Sun

The only habitable planet (that we know of) in our solar system.

Length of day: 24 hours to complete one full rotation on its axis.

Length of year: 365 days

Number of moons: 1

Mars

Distance from the Sun: 141 million miles

4th planet in our solar system.

Nicknamed "The Red Planet"

Has a very rocky surface with craters, canyons, and valleys.

Length of day: 24.5 hours to make one full rotation.

Length of year: 687 Earth days

Number of moons: 2

Multiple Choice

This planets atmosphere has oxygen.

• Earth

• Venus

• Mars

• Mercury

Multiple Choice

This is the hottest planet.

• Venus

• Mars

• Mercury

• Earth

Multiple Choice

How many natural satellites does Earth have?

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

The Asteroid Belt

Lies between Mars and Jupiter, separating the inner and outer planets. Here there are lots of smaller celestial bodies, called asteroids.

The Gas Giants

Also known as the "Outer Planets" or the "Jovial Planets."

The 4 Gas Giants are Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

These planets are made of mostly of hydrogen and helium gas and have no solid surface.

The Jovial planets are much larger and have more moons than the Terrestrial planets.

Jupiter

Distance from the Sun: 480 million miles

5th planet in our solar system.

Largest planet in our solar system.

Known for its "Great Red Spot" which is actually a large storm that has been going on for hundreds of years.

Length of day: 9.8 hours to make one full rotation.

Length of year: 12 Earth years

Number of moons: 67

Saturn

Distance from the Sun: 860 million miles

6th planet in our solar system.

Known for its large rings made of ice, dust, and rocks.

2nd largest planet in our solar system.

Length of day: 11 hours to complete one full rotation.

Length of year: 29.5 Earth years

Number of moons: 62

Uranus

Distance from the Sun: 1.8 billion miles

7th planet in our solar system.

Rotates on its side.

Also called an ice planet because of its freezing temperatures.

Length of day: 17 hours to complete one full rotation.

Length of year: 84 Earth years.

Number of moons: 27

Neptune

Distance from the Sun: 2.7 billion miles.

8th planet in our solar system.

Methane gas in its atmosphere gives it a beautiful blue color.

Windiest planet in our solar system.

Length of day: 17 hours to complete one full rotation.

Length of year: 165 Earth years

Number of moons: 14

Multiple Choice

Why do the outer planets have longer years than the inner planets?

• The outer planets rotate faster than the inner planets.

• The outer planets are farther from the sun.

• The inner planets are denser and rotate slower.

• Outer planets are made of gas.

Multiple Select

Which terms describe the composition of the inner planets?

• rocky

• gaseous

• water

• solid

Multiple Choice

The inner planets are:

• Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury

• Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars

• Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune

• Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn

Multiple Choice

satellite made of rock and ice that orbits a planet

• sun

• moon

• planet

• asteroid

Multiple Choice

large body of matter that travels around the sun.

• sun

• moon

• planet

• asteroid belt

Multiple Choice

7th planet from the sun. Orbits the sun on its side.

• Saturn

• Uranus

• Neptune

• Jupiter

Multiple Choice

What is it called when the planets travel around the Sun?

• Orbit
• Move
• Spin
• Turn

Multiple Choice

Orbit the sun

• Inner planets
• Outer planets
• Both

Multiple Choice

Which of the following separates the outer planets from the inner planets?

• Asteroid Belt
• Great Red Spot
• Kuiper Belt

Multiple Choice

Planet W is

• Jupiter

• Saturn

• Uranus

• Neptune

Multiple Choice

Windiest Planet

• Jupiter

• Saturn

• Neptune

• Uranus

Multiple Choice

What is the correct order of the outer planets?

• Neptune, Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus
• Uranus, Neptune, Saturn and Jupiter
• Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune
• Neptune, Uranus, Saturn and Jupiter

Multiple Choice

The largest planet in the solar system is

• Earth
• Jupiter
• Mars
• Venus