Solar system planetary. Sizes of planets in the solar system in ascending order and interesting information about the planets

The solar system is the central star, the Sun, and all the cosmic bodies that revolve around it.

There are 8 largest celestial bodies, or planets, in the solar system. Our Earth is also a planet. In addition to it, 7 more planets travel around the Sun in space: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. The last two can only be observed from Earth through a telescope. The rest are visible to the naked eye.

More recently, another celestial body, Pluto, was considered a planet. It is located very far from the Sun, beyond the orbit of Neptune, and was discovered only in 1930. However, in 2006, astronomers introduced a new definition of a classical planet, and Pluto did not fall under it.

The planets have been known to people since ancient times. The closest neighbors of the Earth are Venus and Mars, the farthest from it are Uranus and Neptune.

Large planets are usually divided into two groups. The first group includes the planets closest to the Sun: these are terrestrial planets, or inner planets, - Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. All of these planets have a high density and a solid surface (although there is a liquid core underneath). The largest planet in this group is Earth. However, the planets farthest from the Sun - Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune - are significantly larger than the Earth. That's why they got the name giant planets. They are also called outer planets. Thus, the mass of Jupiter exceeds the mass of the Earth by more than 300 times. Giant planets differ significantly from the terrestrial planets in their structure: they do not consist of heavy elements, but of gas, mainly hydrogen and helium, like the Sun and other stars. Giant planets do not have a solid surface - they are just balls of gas. That's why they are also called gas planets.

Between Mars and Jupiter there is a belt asteroids, or minor planets. An asteroid is a small planet-like body in the Solar System, ranging in size from a few meters to a thousand kilometers. The largest asteroids in this belt are Ceres, Pallas and Juno.

Beyond the orbit of Neptune there is another belt of small celestial bodies, which is called the Kuiper belt. It is 20 times wider than the asteroid belt. Pluto, which lost its planetary status and was classified as dwarf planets, is just in this belt. There are other dwarf planets in the Kuiper belt that are similar to Pluto, and in 2008 they were named as such - plutoids. These are Makemake and Haumea. By the way, Ceres from the asteroid belt is also classified as a dwarf planet (but not a plutoid!).

Another plutoid - Eris - is comparable in size to Pluto, but is located much further from the Sun - beyond the Kuiper belt. Interestingly, Eris was at one time even a candidate for the role of the 10th planet in the solar system. But as a result, it was the discovery of Eris that caused a revision of the status of Pluto in 2006, when the International Astronomical Union (IAU) introduced a new classification of celestial bodies of the Solar System. According to this classification, Eris and Pluto did not fall under the concept of a classical planet, but “earned” only the title of dwarf planets - celestial bodies that revolve around the Sun, are not satellites of planets and have a large enough mass to maintain an almost round shape, but, unlike planets, they are not able to clear their orbit from other space objects.

The solar system, in addition to the planets, includes their satellites that revolve around them. There are currently 415 satellites in total. The Earth's constant satellite is the Moon. Mars has 2 satellites - Phobos and Deimos. Jupiter has 67 satellites, and Saturn has 62. Uranus has 27 satellites. And only Venus and Mercury do not have satellites. But the “dwarfs” Pluto and Eris have satellites: Pluto has Charon, and Eris has Dysnomia. However, astronomers have not yet come to a final conclusion whether Charon is a satellite of Pluto or the Pluto-Charon system is a so-called double planet. Even some asteroids have satellites. The champion in size among satellites is Ganymede, a satellite of Jupiter; Saturn's satellite Titan is not far behind it. Both Ganymede and Titan are larger than Mercury.

In addition to planets and satellites, the solar system is crisscrossed by tens, or even hundreds of thousands of different small bodies: tailed celestial bodies - comets, a huge number of meteorites, particles of gas and dust matter, scattered atoms of various chemical elements, flows of atomic particles and others.

All objects of the Solar system are held in it due to the gravitational force of the Sun, and they all rotate around it, moreover, in the same direction with the rotation of the Sun itself and practically in the same plane, which is called plane of the ecliptic. The exception is some comets and Kuiper belt objects. In addition, almost all objects of the Solar system rotate around their own axis, and in the same direction as around the Sun (the exception is Venus and Uranus; the latter even rotates “lying on its side”).

The planets of the solar system revolve around the sun in one plane - the ecliptic plane

Pluto's orbit is highly inclined relative to the ecliptic (17°) and highly elongated

Almost the entire mass of the solar system is concentrated in the Sun - 99.8%. The four largest objects - the gas giants - account for 99% of the remaining mass (with Jupiter and Saturn accounting for the majority - about 90%). As for the size of the solar system, astronomers have not yet reached a consensus on this issue. According to modern estimates, the size of the solar system is at least 60 billion kilometers. To at least approximately imagine the scale of the solar system, let us give a more clear example. Within the Solar System, the unit of distance is taken to be the astronomical unit (AU) - the average distance from the Earth to the Sun. It is approximately 150 million km (light travels this distance in 8 minutes 19 seconds). The outer limit of the Kuiper Belt is located at a distance of 55 AU. e. from the Sun.

Another way to imagine the actual size of the solar system is to imagine a model in which all sizes and distances are reduced to a billion times . In this case, the Earth would be about 1.3 cm in diameter (the size of a grape). The moon will rotate at a distance of about 30 cm from it. The sun will be 1.5 meters in diameter (about the height of a person) and located 150 meters from the Earth (about a city block). Jupiter is 15 cm in diameter (the size of a large grapefruit) and 5 city blocks away from the Sun. Saturn (the size of an orange) is 10 blocks away. Uranus and Neptune (lemons) - 20 and 30 quarters. A person on this scale would be the size of an atom; and the nearest star is 40,000 km away.

The solar system is part of the Milky Way, and it, in turn, is a spiral galaxy around the center of which the Sun rotates - the largest and heaviest object in the solar system, which is its heart. The Sun, in its system, has eight planets with their satellites, many asteroids, comets and an incredible number of meteoroids. The planets of the Solar System are divided into two types: the first is the terrestrial group, and the second is the giant planets.

The structure of the solar system has a significant impact not only on the planets, but also on their satellites, asteroids, comets and countless meteoric elements that also form part of it.

This includes Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. Their characteristic features are their small size and weight. As a rule, they contain metals and rocks, due to which they are distinguished by significant density. Terrestrial planets are located closer to the Sun than other cosmic bodies.

Giant planets

Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. They are characterized by a large size and low density, due to their predominantly gas composition. Despite this, the giant planets have strong gravity and have a considerable number of satellites, Jupiter alone has 63 of them. These huge cosmic bodies are located at a distance from the Sun.

Asteroid rings

The first ring of asteroids is located on the border of two groups of celestial bodies - in the region of Mars and Jupiter and is considered the main one, and the second is the final element of the Solar system, it is located behind Pluto, in the recent past the ninth major planet, it is called the Kuiper belt. These asteroids are also called minor planets; approximately 10,000 asteroids in the main ring have been studied in our time; their number is estimated to be 300,000.

Dwarf planets

This is Pluto, which received this status in 2006, the brightest representative of the main asteroid ring - Ceres and the distant one - Eris. Dwarf planets are those that have a diameter of about 1000 km.

Comets

Objects of the Solar System consisting of ice and dust. They exist outside the second asteroid ring, practically in interstellar space, and only a few of them fall into the gravitational pull of the Sun, collapsing, forming a trail of vapor and dust.

Pattern of the Solar System

The main pattern is the movement of the planets. They move in one direction relative to the Sun, namely against the movement of the clock hands. Venus and Uranus, which moves almost on its side, as well as some satellites of the planets have a different direction of rotation. Cosmic bodies rotate in an orbit whose shape is close to a circle, however, the orbits of Mercury and Pluto have an elongated trajectory, and comets also move in such orbits.

Travel through 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.

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.

Mercury is the first planet from the Sun.
There are no seasons on Mercury. The tilt of the planet's axis is almost perpendicular to the plane of the planet's orbit around the Sun.
The temperature on the surface of Mercury is not the highest, although the planet is located closest to the Sun. He lost first place to Venus.
The first research vehicle to visit Mercury was Mariner 10. It conducted a number of demonstration flights in 1974.
A day on Mercury lasts 59 Earth days, and a year is only 88 days.
Mercury experiences the most dramatic temperature changes, reaching 610 °C. During the day, temperatures can reach 430 °C, and at night -180 °C.
The gravity on the planet's surface is only 38% of Earth's. This means that on Mercury you could jump three times as high, and it would be easier to lift heavy objects.
The first observations of Mercury through a telescope were made by Galileo Galilei in the early 17th century.
Mercury has no natural satellites.
The first official map of Mercury's surface was published only in 2009, thanks to data obtained from the Mariner 10 and Messenger spacecraft.

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.

Venus is the second planet from the Sun in the Solar System.
Venus is the hottest planet in the solar system, although it is the second planet from the sun. Surface temperature can reach 475 °C.
The first spacecraft sent to explore Venus was sent from Earth on February 12, 1961 and was called Venera 1.
Venus is one of two planets whose direction of rotation around its axis is different from most planets in the solar system.
The planet's orbit around the Sun is very close to circular.
The day and night temperatures of the surface of Venus are practically the same due to the large thermal inertia of the atmosphere.
Venus makes one revolution around the Sun in 225 Earth days, and one revolution around its axis in 243 Earth days, that is, one day on Venus lasts more than one year.
The first observations of Venus through a telescope were made by Galileo Galilei at the beginning of the 17th century.
Venus has no natural satellites.
Venus is the third brightest object in the sky, after the Sun and Moon.

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 water in liquid form, and solar radiation contributed to photosynthesis and the birth of life on the planet.

Earth in the solar system is the third planet from the sunsA;
Our planet revolves around one natural satellite - the Moon;
Earth is the only planet not named after a divine being;
The Earth's density is the greatest of all the planets in the solar system;
The Earth's rotation speed is gradually slowing down;
The average distance from the Earth to the Sun is 1 astronomical unit (a conventional measure of length in astronomy), which is approximately 150 million km;
The Earth has a magnetic field of sufficient strength to protect living organisms on its surface from harmful solar radiation;
The first artificial Earth satellite, called PS-1 (The simplest satellite - 1), was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on the Sputnik launch vehicle on October 4, 1957;
In orbit around the Earth, compared to other planets, there is the largest number of spacecraft;
Earth is the largest terrestrial planet in the solar system;

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.

Mars is located in the fourth orbit from the Sun;
The Red Planet is home to the tallest volcano in the solar system;
Of the 40 exploration missions sent to Mars, only 18 were successful;
Mars is home to some of the largest dust storms in the solar system;
In 30-50 million years, a system of rings will be located around Mars, like Saturn;
Debris from Mars has been found on Earth;
The Sun from the surface of Mars looks half as big as from the surface of the Earth;
Mars is the only planet in the solar system that has polar ice caps;
Two natural satellites revolve around Mars - Deimos and Phobos;
Mars has no magnetic field;

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 is located in the fifth orbit from the Sun;
In the Earth's sky, Jupiter is the fourth brightest object, after the Sun, Moon and Venus;
Jupiter has the shortest day of all the planets in the solar system;
In the atmosphere of Jupiter, one of the longest and most powerful storms in the solar system rages, better known as the Great Red Spot;
Jupiter's moon Ganymede is the largest moon in the solar system;
Jupiter is surrounded by a thin system of rings;
Jupiter was visited by 8 research vehicles;
Jupiter has a strong magnetic field;
If Jupiter were 80 times more massive, it would become a star;
There are 67 natural satellites orbiting Jupiter. This is the largest in the Solar System;

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 the sixth planet from the Sun;
Saturn's atmosphere contains the strongest winds in the solar system;
Saturn is one of the least dense planets in the solar system;
Surrounding the planet is the largest ring system in the Solar System;
One day on the planet lasts almost one Earth year and is equal to 378 Earth days;
Saturn was visited by 4 research spacecraft;
Saturn, together with Jupiter, constitutes approximately 92% of the total planetary mass of the Solar System;
One year on the planet lasts 29.5 Earth years;
There are 62 known natural satellites orbiting the planet;
Currently, the automatic interplanetary station Cassini is studying Saturn and its rings;

Uranus

Uranus, computer artwork.

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”, as 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 is located in the seventh orbit from the Sun;
The first person to learn about the existence of Uranus was William Herschel in 1781;
Uranus has only been visited by one spacecraft, Voyager 2 in 1982;
Uranus is the coldest planet in the solar system;
The plane of Uranus' equator is inclined to the plane of its orbit at almost a right angle - that is, the planet rotates retrograde, "lying on its side slightly upside down";
The moons of Uranus bear names taken from the works of William Shakespeare and Alexander Pope, rather than Greek or Roman mythology;
A day on Uranus lasts about 17 Earth hours;
There are 13 known rings around Uranus;
One year on Uranus lasts 84 Earth years;
There are 27 known natural satellites orbiting Uranus;

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.

Neptune is the most distant planet in the Solar System and occupies the eighth orbit from the Sun;
Mathematicians were the first to know about the existence of Neptune;
There are 14 satellites circling around Neptune;
Neputna's orbit is removed from the Sun by an average of 30 AU;
One day on Neptune lasts 16 Earth hours;
Neptune has only been visited by one spacecraft, Voyager 2;
There is a system of rings around Neptune;
Neptune has the second highest gravity after Jupiter;
One year on Neptune lasts 164 Earth years;
The atmosphere on Neptune is extremely active;

Jupiter is considered the largest planet in the solar system.
There are 5 dwarf planets in the Solar System, one of which has been reclassified as Pluto.
There are very few asteroids in the Solar System.
Venus is the hottest planet in the solar system.
About 99% of the space (by volume) is occupied by the Sun in the Solar System.
The satellite of Saturn is considered one of the most beautiful and original places in the solar system. There you can see a huge concentration of ethane and liquid methane.
Our solar system has a tail that resembles a four-leaf clover.
The sun follows a continuous 11-year cycle.
There are 8 planets in the solar system.
The Solar System is fully formed thanks to a large gas and dust cloud.
Spacecraft have flown to all the planets of the solar system.
Venus is the only planet in the solar system that rotates counterclockwise around its axis.
Uranus has 27 satellites.
The largest mountain is on Mars.
A huge mass of objects in the solar system fell on the sun.
The solar system is part of the Milky Way galaxy.
The sun is the central object of the solar system.
The solar system is often divided into regions.
The Sun is a key component of the Solar System.
The solar system was formed approximately 4.5 billion years ago.
The most distant planet in the solar system is Pluto.
Two regions in the Solar System are filled with small bodies.
The solar system was built contrary to all the laws of the Universe.
If you compare the solar system and space, then it is just a grain of sand in it.
Over the past few centuries, the solar system has lost 2 planets: Vulcan and Pluto.
Researchers claim that the solar system was created artificially.
The only satellite of the Solar System that has a dense atmosphere and whose surface cannot be seen due to cloud cover is Titan.
The region of the solar system that lies beyond the orbit of Neptune is called the Kuiper belt.
The Oort cloud is the region of the solar system that serves as the source of a comet and a long orbital period.
Every object in the solar system is held there because of the force of gravity.
The leading theory of the solar system involves the emergence of planets and moons from a huge cloud.
The solar system is considered the most secret particle of the Universe.
There is a huge asteroid belt in the solar system.
On Mars you can see the eruption of the largest volcano in the solar system, which is called Olympus.
Pluto is considered to be the outskirts of the solar system.
Jupiter has a large ocean of liquid water.
The Moon is the largest satellite of the Solar System.
Pallas is considered the largest asteroid in the solar system.
The brightest planet in the solar system is Venus.
The solar system is mostly made of hydrogen.
The Earth is an equal member of the solar system.
The sun heats up slowly.
Oddly enough, the largest reserves of water in the solar system are in the sun.
The equator plane of each planet in the solar system diverges from the orbital plane.
The satellite of Mars called Phobos is an anomaly in the solar system.
The solar system can amaze with its diversity and scale.
The planets of the solar system are influenced by the sun.
The outer shell of the Solar System is considered to be the haven of satellites and gas giants.
A huge number of planetary satellites of the solar system are dead.
The largest asteroid, with a diameter of 950 km, is called Ceres.

The science

We all know from childhood that at the center of our solar system is the Sun, around which the four closest terrestrial planets revolve, including Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. They are followed by four gas giant planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.

After Pluto ceased to be considered a planet in the solar system in 2006 and became a dwarf planet, the number of main planets was reduced to 8.

Although many people know the general structure, there are many myths and misconceptions regarding the solar system.

Here are 10 facts you might not know about the solar system.

1. The hottest planet is not closest to the Sun

Many people know that Mercury is the planet closest to the Sun, whose distance is almost two times less than the distance from the Earth to the Sun. It's no wonder that many people believe that Mercury is the hottest planet.

In fact Venus is the hottest planet in the solar system- the second planet close to the Sun, where the average temperature reaches 475 degrees Celsius. This is enough to melt tin and lead. At the same time, the maximum temperature on Mercury is about 426 degrees Celsius.

But due to the lack of an atmosphere, the surface temperature of Mercury can vary by hundreds of degrees, while the carbon dioxide on the surface of Venus maintains a virtually constant temperature at any time of the day or night.

2. The edge of the solar system is a thousand times further from Pluto

We are used to thinking that the solar system extends to the orbit of Pluto. Today, Pluto is not even considered a major planet, but this idea remains in the minds of many people.

Scientists have discovered many objects orbiting the Sun that are much further than Pluto. These are the so-called trans-Neptunian or Kuiper belt objects. The Kuiper Belt extends over 50-60 astronomical units (An astronomical unit, or the average distance from the Earth to the Sun, is 149,597,870,700 m).

3. Almost everything on planet Earth is a rare element

The earth is mainly composed of iron, oxygen, silicon, magnesium, sulfur, nickel, calcium, sodium and aluminum.

Although all of these elements have been found in different places throughout the universe, they are only traces of elements that dwarf the abundance of hydrogen and helium. Thus, the Earth is mostly composed of rare elements. This does not indicate any special place on planet Earth, since the cloud from which the Earth formed contained large amounts of hydrogen and helium. But because they are light gases, they were carried into space by the sun's heat as the Earth formed.

4. The solar system has lost at least two planets

Pluto was originally considered a planet, but due to its very small size (much smaller than our Moon), it was renamed a dwarf planet. Astronomers also the planet Vulcan was once believed to exist, which is closer to the Sun than Mercury. Its possible existence was discussed 150 years ago to explain some features of Mercury's orbit. However, later observations ruled out the possibility of Vulcan's existence.

In addition, recent research has shown that it may someday there was a fifth giant planet, similar to Jupiter, which orbited the Sun, but was thrown out of the Solar System due to gravitational interaction with other planets.

5. Jupiter has the largest ocean of any planet

Jupiter, which orbits in cold space five times farther from the sun than planet Earth, was able to retain much higher levels of hydrogen and helium during formation than our planet.

One could even say that Jupiter is mainly composed of hydrogen and helium. Given the planet's mass and chemical composition, as well as the laws of physics, under cold clouds, an increase in pressure should lead to the transition of hydrogen to a liquid state. That is, on Jupiter there should be deepest ocean of liquid hydrogen.

According to computer models, this planet not only has the largest ocean in the solar system, its depth is approximately 40,000 km, that is, equal to the circumference of the Earth.

6. Even the smallest bodies in the solar system have satellites

It was once believed that only large objects such as planets could have natural satellites or moons. The existence of moons is sometimes even used to determine what a planet actually is. It seems counterintuitive that small cosmic bodies could have enough gravity to hold a satellite. After all, Mercury and Venus don't have any, and Mars only has two tiny moons.

But in 1993, the Galileo interplanetary station discovered a Dactyl satellite near the asteroid Ida, only 1.6 km wide. Since then it has been found moons orbiting about 200 other small planets, which made defining a “planet” much more difficult.

7. We live inside the Sun

We usually think of the Sun as a huge hot ball of light located at a distance of 149.6 million km from Earth. In fact The Sun's outer atmosphere extends much further than the visible surface.

Our planet orbits within its thin atmosphere, and we can see this when gusts of solar wind cause the aurora to appear. In this sense, we live inside the Sun. But the solar atmosphere does not end on Earth. The aurora can be observed on Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and even distant Neptune. The outermost region of the solar atmosphere is the heliosphere extends over at least 100 astronomical units. This is about 16 billion kilometers. But since the atmosphere is drop-shaped due to the movement of the Sun in space, its tail can reach tens to hundreds of billions of kilometers.

8. Saturn isn't the only planet with rings

While Saturn's rings are by far the most beautiful and easy to observe, Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune also have rings. While Saturn's bright rings are made of icy particles, Jupiter's very dark rings are mostly dust particles. They may contain minor fragments of disintegrated meteorites and asteroids and possibly particles of the volcanic moon Io.

Uranus's ring system is slightly more visible than Jupiter's and may have formed after the collision of small moons. Neptune's rings are faint and dark, just like Jupiter's. Faint rings of Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune impossible to see through small telescopes from Earth, because Saturn became most famous for its rings.

Contrary to popular belief, there is a body in the solar system with an atmosphere essentially similar to that of Earth. This is Saturn's moon Titan.. It is larger than our Moon and is close in size to the planet Mercury. Unlike the atmosphere of Venus and Mars, which are much thicker and thinner, respectively, than that of Earth, and consist of carbon dioxide, Titan's atmosphere is mostly nitrogen.

The Earth's atmosphere is approximately 78 percent nitrogen. The similarity to the Earth's atmosphere, and especially the presence of methane and other organic molecules, led scientists to believe that Titan could be considered an analogue of the early Earth, or that some kind of biological activity was present there. For this reason, Titan is considered the best place in the solar system to search for signs of life.

Pluto By decision of the MAC (International Astronomical Union) it no longer belongs to the planets of the Solar System, but is a dwarf planet and is even inferior in diameter to another dwarf planet Eris. Pluto's designation is 134340.

solar system

Scientists put forward many versions of the origin of our solar system. In the forties of the last century, Otto Schmidt hypothesized that the solar system arose because cold dust clouds were attracted to the Sun. Over time, clouds formed the foundations of future planets. In modern science, Schmidt's theory is the main one. The solar system is only a small part of a large galaxy called the Milky Way. The Milky Way contains more than one hundred billion different stars. It took humanity thousands of years to realize such a simple truth. The discovery of the solar system did not happen immediately; step by step, based on victories and mistakes, a system of knowledge was formed. The main basis for studying the solar system was knowledge about the Earth.

Fundamentals and Theories

The main milestones in the study of the solar system are the modern atomic system, the heliocentric system of Copernicus and Ptolemy. The most probable version of the origin of the system is considered to be the Big Bang theory. In accordance with it, the formation of the galaxy began with the “scattering” of the elements of the megasystem. At the turn of the impenetrable house, our Solar system was born. The basis of everything is the Sun - 99.8% of the total volume, the planets account for 0.13%, the remaining 0.0003% are the various bodies of our system. Scientists have accepted the division of planets into two conditional groups . The first includes planets of the Earth type: the Earth itself, Venus, Mercury. The main distinguishing characteristics of the planets of the first group are their relatively small area, hardness, and a small number of satellites. The second group includes Uranus, Neptune and Saturn - they are distinguished by their large sizes (giant planets), they are formed by helium and hydrogen gases.

In addition to the Sun and planets, our system also includes planetary satellites, comets, meteorites and asteroids.

Particular attention should be paid to the asteroid belts, which are located between Jupiter and Mars, and between the orbits of Pluto and Neptune. At the moment, science does not have an unambiguous version of the origin of such formations.
Which planet is not currently considered a planet:

From the time of its discovery until 2006, Pluto was considered a planet, but later many celestial bodies were discovered in the outer part of the Solar System, comparable in size to Pluto and even larger than it. To avoid confusion, a new definition of planet was given. Pluto did not fall under this definition, so it was given a new “status” - a dwarf planet. So, Pluto can serve as an answer to the question: it used to be considered a planet, but now it is not. However, some scientists continue to believe that Pluto should be reclassified back to a planet.

Scientists' forecasts

Based on research, scientists say that the sun is approaching the middle of its life path. It is unimaginable to imagine what will happen if the Sun goes out. But scientists say this is not only possible, but also inevitable. The age of the Sun was determined using the latest computer developments and it was found that it is about five billion years old. According to astronomical law, the life of a star like the Sun lasts about ten billion years. Thus, our solar system is in the middle of its life cycle. What do scientists mean by the word “will go out”? The sun's enormous energy comes from hydrogen, which becomes helium at the core. Every second, about six hundred tons of hydrogen in the Sun's core are converted into helium. According to scientists, the Sun has already used up most of its hydrogen reserves.

If instead of the Moon there were planets of the solar system: