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solar system– planets in order, the Sun, structure, system model, satellites, space missions, asteroids, comets, dwarf planets, interesting facts.

solar system- a place in outer space in which the Sun, the planets in order, and many other space objects and celestial bodies are located. The solar system is the most precious place in which we live, our home.

Our Universe is a huge place where we occupy a tiny corner. But for earthlings, the Solar System seems to be the most vast territory, the farthest corners of which we are only beginning to approach. And it still hides a lot of mysterious and mysterious formations. So, despite centuries of study, we have only opened the door to the unknown. So what is the solar system? Today we will look at this issue.

Discovering the Solar System

In fact, you need to look into the sky and you will see our system. But few peoples and cultures understood exactly where we exist and what place we occupy in space. For a long time we thought that our planet was static, located in the center, and other objects rotated around it.

But still, even in ancient times, supporters of heliocentrism appeared, whose ideas would inspire Nicolaus Copernicus to create a true model where the Sun was located in the center.

In the 17th century, Galileo, Kepler and Newton were able to prove that planet Earth revolves around the star Sun. The discovery of gravity helped to understand that other planets follow the same laws of physics.

The revolutionary moment came with the advent of the first telescope from Galileo Galilei. In 1610, he noticed Jupiter and its moons. This will be followed by the discovery of other planets.

In the 19th century, three important observations were made that helped to calculate the true nature of the system and its position in space. In 1839, Friedrich Bessel successfully identified an apparent shift in stellar position. This showed that there is a huge distance between the Sun and the stars.

In 1859, G. Kirchhoff and R. Bunsen used the telescope to conduct a spectral analysis of the Sun. It turned out that it consists of the same elements as the Earth. The parallax effect can be seen in the bottom picture.

As a result, Angelo Secchi was able to compare the spectral signature of the Sun with the spectra of other stars. It turned out that they practically converge. Percival Lowell carefully studied the distant corners and orbital paths of the planets. He guessed that there was still an undisclosed object - Planet X. In 1930, Clyde Tombaugh noticed Pluto at his observatory.

In 1992, scientists expanded the boundaries of the system by discovering a trans-Neptunian object, 1992 QB1. From this moment on, interest in the Kuiper belt begins. This is followed by the findings of Eris and other objects from Michael Brown's team. All this will lead to a meeting of the IAU and the displacement of Pluto from the status of a planet. Below you can study in detail the composition of the Solar system, considering all the solar planets in order, the main star the Sun, the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, the Kuiper belt and the Oort Cloud. The solar system also contains the largest planet (Jupiter) and the smallest (Mercury).

Structure and composition of the solar system

Comets are clumps of snow and dirt filled with frozen gas, rocks and dust. The closer they get to the Sun, the more they heat up and emit dust and gas, increasing their brightness.

Dwarf planets orbit the star, but have been unable to remove foreign objects from orbit. They are smaller in size than standard planets. The most famous representative is Pluto.

The Kuiper Belt lies beyond the orbit of Neptune, filled with icy bodies and formed as a disk. The most famous representatives are Pluto and Eris. Hundreds of ice dwarfs live on its territory. The farthest away is the Oort Cloud. Together they act as a source of arriving comets.

The solar system is only a small part of the Milky Way. Beyond its border there is a large-scale space filled with stars. At the speed of light it would take 100,000 years to cover the entire area. Our galaxy is one of many in the Universe.

In the center of the system is the main and only star - the Sun (main sequence G2). The first are the 4 terrestrial planets (inner), the asteroid belt, 4 gas giants, the Kuiper belt (30-50 AU) and the spherical Oort Cloud, extending to 100,000 AU. to the interstellar medium.

The Sun contains 99.86% of the entire system mass, and gravity is superior to all forces. Most of the planets are located near the ecliptic and rotate in the same direction (counterclockwise).

Approximately 99% of the planetary mass is represented by gas giants, with Jupiter and Saturn covering more than 90%.

Unofficially, the system is divided into several sections. The inner one includes 4 terrestrial planets and an asteroid belt. Next comes the outer system with 4 giants. A zone with trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) is separately identified. That is, you can easily find the outer line, since it is marked by the large planets of the solar system.

Many planets are considered mini-systems because they have a group of satellites. Gas giants also have rings - small bands of small particles revolving around the planet. Typically large moons arrive in a gravitational block. On the lower layout you can see a comparison of the sizes of the Sun and the planets of the system.

The sun is 98% hydrogen and helium. Terrestrial planets are endowed with silicate rock, nickel and iron. The giants consist of gases and ices (water, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide).

Bodies in the Solar System that are distant from the star have low temperatures. From here, the ice giants (Neptune and Uranus) are distinguished, as well as small objects beyond their orbits. Their gases and ices are volatile substances that can condense at a distance of 5 AU. from the sun.

Origin and evolutionary process of the Solar System

Our system appeared 4.568 billion years ago as a result of the gravitational collapse of a large molecular cloud represented by hydrogen, helium and a small amount of heavier elements. This mass collapsed, resulting in rapid rotation.

Most of the mass gathered in the center. The temperature was rising. The nebula was shrinking, increasing the acceleration. This resulted in flattening into a protoplanetary disk containing a hot protostar.

Due to the high boiling level near the star, only metals and silicates can exist in solid form. As a result, 4 terrestrial planets appeared: Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. Metals were scarce, so they were unable to increase their size.

But the giants appeared further out, where the material was cool and allowed the volatile ice compounds to remain solid. There was much more ice, so the planets dramatically increased in size, attracting huge amounts of hydrogen and helium into the atmosphere. The remnants failed to become planets and settled in the Kuiper belt or retreated to the Oort Cloud.

Over 50 million years of development, the pressure and density of hydrogen in the protostar triggered nuclear fusion. Thus the Sun was born. The wind created the heliosphere and scattered gas and dust into space.

The system remains in its usual state for now. But the Sun develops and after 5 billion years completely transforms hydrogen into helium. The core will collapse, releasing a huge energy reserve. The star will increase in size by 260 times and become a red giant.

This will lead to the death of Mercury and Venus. Our planet will lose life because it will become hot. Eventually, the outer layers of stars will burst into space, leaving behind a white dwarf the size of our planet. A planetary nebula will form.

Inner Solar System

This is a line with the first 4 planets from the star. They all have similar parameters. This is a rocky type, represented by silicates and metals. Closer than the giants. They are inferior in density and size, and also lack huge lunar families and rings.

Silicates form the crust and mantle, and metals are part of the cores. All except Mercury have an atmospheric layer that allows them to shape weather conditions. Impact craters and tectonic activity are visible on the surface.

Closest to the star is Mercury. It is also the tiniest planet. The magnetic field reaches only 1% of Earth's, and the thin atmosphere causes the planet to be half-hot (430°C) and freezing (-187°C).

Venus similar in size to the Earth and has a dense atmospheric layer. But the atmosphere is extremely toxic and acts as a greenhouse. 96% consists of carbon dioxide, along with nitrogen and other impurities. Dense clouds are made from sulfuric acid. There are many canyons on the surface, the deepest of which reaches 6,400 km.

Earth best studied because this is our home. It has a rocky surface covered with mountains and depressions. In the center is a heavy metal core. There is water vapor in the atmosphere, which smoothes the temperature regime. The Moon rotates nearby.

Due to appearance Mars received the nickname Red Planet. The color is created by the oxidation of iron materials on the top layer. It is endowed with the largest mountain in the system (Olympus), rising to 21229 m, as well as the deepest canyon - Valles Marineris (4000 km). Much of the surface is ancient. There are ice caps at the poles. A thin atmospheric layer hints at water deposits. The core is solid, and next to the planet there are two satellites: Phobos and Deimos.

Outer Solar System

Gas giants are located here - large planets with lunar families and rings. Despite their size, only Jupiter and Saturn can be seen without the use of telescopes.

The largest planet in the solar system is Jupiter with a rapid rotational speed (10 hours) and an orbital path of 12 years. The dense atmospheric layer is filled with hydrogen and helium. The core can reach the size of the Earth. There are many moons, faint rings and the Great Red Spot - a powerful storm that has not calmed down since the 4th century.

Saturn- a planet that is recognized by its gorgeous ring system (7 pieces). The system contains satellites, and the hydrogen and helium atmosphere rotates rapidly (10.7 hours). It takes 29 years to go around the star.

In 1781, William Herschel found Uranus. A day on the giant lasts 17 hours, and the orbital path takes 84 years. Holds huge amounts of water, methane, ammonia, helium and hydrogen. All this is concentrated around the stone core. There is a lunar family and rings. Voyager 2 flew to it in 1986.

Neptune– a distant planet with water, methane, ammonium, hydrogen and helium. There are 6 rings and dozens of satellites. Voyager 2 also flew by in 1989.

Trans-Neptunian region of the Solar System

Thousands of objects have already been found in the Kuiper belt, but it is believed that up to 100,000 with a diameter of more than 100 km live there. They are extremely small and located at large distances, so it is difficult to calculate the composition.

The spectrographs show an icy mixture of hydrocarbons, water ice and ammonia. Initial analysis showed a wide color range: from neutral to bright red. This hints at the richness of the composition. A comparison of Pluto and KBO 1993 SC showed that they are extremely different in surface elements.

Water ice was found in 1996 TO66, 38628 Huya and 20000 Varuna, and crystalline ice was noticed in Quavar.

Oort cloud and beyond the solar system

This cloud is believed to extend to 2000-5000 AU. and up to 50,000 a.u. from the star. The outer edge can extend to 100,000-200,000 au. The cloud is divided into two parts: spherical outer (20000-50000 AU) and internal (2000-20000 AU).

The outer one is home to trillions of bodies with a diameter of a kilometer or more, as well as billions with a width of 20 km. There is no exact information about the mass, but it is believed that Halley's comet is a typical representative. The total mass of the cloud is 3 x 10 25 km (5 lands).

If we focus on comets, most of the cloud bodies are composed of ethane, water, carbon monoxide, methane, ammonia and hydrogen cyanide. The population is 1-2% made up of asteroids.

Bodies from the Kuiper Belt and Oort Cloud are called trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) because they are located further than Neptune's orbital path.

Exploring the Solar System

The size of the solar system still seems immense, but our knowledge has expanded significantly with the sending of probes into outer space. The boom in space exploration began in the mid-20th century. Now it can be noted that all solar planets have been approached at least once by terrestrial spacecraft. We have photos, videos, as well as soil and atmosphere analysis (for some).

The first artificial spacecraft was the Soviet Sputnik 1. He was sent into space in 1957. Spent several months in orbit collecting data on the atmosphere and ionosphere. In 1959, the United States joined with Explorer 6, which took pictures of our planet for the first time.

These devices provided a huge amount of information about planetary features. Luna-1 was the first to go to another object. It flew past our satellite in 1959. Mariner was a successful mission to Venus in 1964, Mariner 4 arrived at Mars in 1965, and the 10th mission passed Mercury in 1974.

Since the 1970s The attack on the outer planets begins. In 1973, Pioneer 10 flew past Jupiter, and the next mission visited Saturn in 1979. A real breakthrough was the Voyagers, which flew around large giants and their satellites in the 1980s.

The Kuiper Belt is being explored by New Horizons. In 2015, the device successfully reached Pluto, sending the first close images and a lot of information. Now he is rushing to distant TNOs.

But we longed to land on another planet, so rovers and probes began to be sent in the 1960s. Luna 10 was the first to enter lunar orbit in 1966. In 1971, Mariner 9 settled near Mars, and Verena 9 orbited the second planet in 1975.

Galileo first orbited near Jupiter in 1995, and the famous Cassini appeared near Saturn in 2004. MESSENGER and Dawn visited Mercury and Vesta in 2011. And the latter still managed to fly around the dwarf planet Ceres in 2015.

The first spacecraft to land on the surface was Luna 2 in 1959. This was followed by landings on Venus (1966), Mars (1971), asteroid 433 Eros (2001), Titan and Tempel in 2005.

Currently, manned vehicles have only visited Mars and the Moon. But the first robotic one was Lunokhod-1 in 1970. Spirit (2004), Opportunity (2004) and Curiosity (2012) landed on Mars.

The 20th century was marked by the space race between America and the USSR. For the Soviets it was the Vostok program. The first mission came in 1961, when Yuri Gagarin found himself in orbit. In 1963, the first woman flew, Valentina Tereshkova.

In the USA they developed the Mercury project, where they also planned to launch people into space. The first American to go into orbit was Alan Shepard in 1961. After both programs ended, countries focused on long-term and short-term flights.

The main goal was to land a man on the moon. The USSR was developing a capsule for 2-3 people, and Gemini was trying to create a device for a safe lunar landing. It ended with the fact that in 1969, Apollo 11 successfully landed Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the satellite. In 1972, 5 more landings were carried out, and all were Americans.

The next challenge was the creation of a space station and reusable vehicles. The Soviets formed the Salyut and Almaz stations. The first station with a large number of crews was NASA's Skylab. The first settlement was the Soviet Mir, operating in 1989-1999. In 2001 it was replaced by the International Space Station.

The only reusable spacecraft was Columbia, which completed several orbital flights. The 5 shuttles completed 121 missions before retiring in 2011. Due to accidents, two shuttles crashed: Challenger (1986) and Columbia (2003).

In 2004, George W. Bush announced his intention to return to the Moon and conquer the Red Planet. This idea was also supported by Barack Obama. As a result, all efforts are now spent on exploring Mars and plans to create a human colony.

This is the planet closest to the Sun, so the Sun shines on Mercury and heats it 7 times more than on Earth. On the day side of Mercury it is terribly hot, there is eternal heat. Measurements show that the temperature there rises to 400 degrees above zero. But on the night side there should always be severe frost, which probably reaches 200 degrees below zero. So, Mercury is the kingdom of deserts. One half of it is a hot stone desert, the other half is an icy desert, perhaps covered with frozen gases. The composition of the extremely rarefied atmosphere of Mercury includes: Ar, Ne, He. The surface of Mercury is similar in appearance to the Moon. When Mercury is far enough from the Sun it can be seen, low on the horizon. Mercury is never visible in a dark sky. It is best observed in the evening sky or before dawn. Mercury has no satellites. 80% of Mercury's mass is contained in its core, which is composed primarily of iron. The pressure at the surface of the planet is approximately 500 billion times less than at the surface of the Earth. It also turned out that Mercury has a weak magnetic field, the strength of which is only 0.7% of the Earth's. Mercury belongs to the terrestrial planets. In Roman mythology - the god of trade.

Venus


The second planet from the Sun, has an almost circular orbit. It passes closer to Earth than any other planet. But the dense, cloudy atmosphere does not allow you to directly see its surface. Atmosphere: CO 2 (97%), N2 (approx. 3%), H 2 O (0.05%), impurities CO, SO 2, HCl, HF. Thanks to the greenhouse effect, the surface temperature heats up to hundreds of degrees. The atmosphere, which is a thick blanket of carbon dioxide, traps heat coming from the Sun. This results in the temperature of the atmosphere being much higher than in the oven. Radar images show a very wide variety of craters, volcanoes and mountains. There are several very large volcanoes, up to 3 km high. and hundreds of kilometers wide. The outpouring of lava on Venus takes much longer than on Earth. The pressure at the surface is about 107 Pa. The surface rocks of Venus are similar in composition to terrestrial sedimentary rocks.
Finding Venus in the sky is easier than any other planet. Its dense clouds reflect sunlight well, making the planet bright in our sky. For a few weeks every seven months, Venus is the brightest object in the western sky in the evenings. Three and a half months later, it rises three hours earlier than the Sun, becoming the sparkling “morning star” of the eastern sky. Venus can be observed an hour after sunset or an hour before sunrise. Venus has no satellites.

Earth .

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- the third planet from the Sun. The speed of the Earth's revolution in an elliptical orbit around the Sun is 29.765 km/s. The inclination of the earth's axis to the ecliptic plane is 66 o 33 "22". The Earth has a natural satellite - . The Earth has magnetic and electric fields. The Earth was formed 4.7 billion years ago from gas and dust matter scattered in the protosolar system. As part of the Earth predominate: iron (34.6%), oxygen (29.5%), silicon (15.2%), magnesium (12.7%).The pressure in the center of the planet is 3.6 * 10 11 Pa, density is about 12 500 kg/m 3, temperature 5000-6000 o C. Most of the surface is occupied by the World Ocean (361.1 million km 2; 70.8%); land is 149.1 million km 2 and forms six continents and islands. It rises above sea level by an average of 875 meters (the highest altitude is 8848 meters - the city of Chomolungma).Mountains occupy 30% of the land, deserts cover about 20% of the land surface, savannas and woodlands - about 20%, forests - about 30%, glaciers - 10%. The average depth of the ocean is about 3800 meters, the greatest - 11022 meters (Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean), the volume of water is 1370 million km 3, the average salinity is 35 g / l. The Earth's atmosphere, the total mass of which is 5.15 * 10 15 tons, consists of air - a mixture mainly of nitrogen (78.1%) and oxygen (21%), the rest is water vapor, carbon dioxide, noble and other gases. About 3-3.5 billion years ago, as a result of the natural evolution of matter, life arose on Earth and the development of the biosphere began.

Mars .

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the fourth planet from the Sun, similar to Earth, but smaller and cooler. Mars has deep canyons, giant volcanoes, and vast deserts. There are two small moons flying around the Red Planet, as Mars is also called: Phobos and Deimos. Mars is the next planet after the Earth, if you count from the Sun, and the only cosmic world besides the Moon that can already be reached with the help of modern rockets. For astronauts, this four-year journey could represent the next frontier in space exploration. Near the equator of Mars, in an area called Tharsis, there are volcanoes of colossal size. Tarsis is the name that astronomers gave to the hill, which has 400 km. wide and about 10 km. in height. There are four volcanoes on this plateau, each of which is simply gigantic compared to any terrestrial volcano. The largest volcano on Tharsis, Mount Olympus, rises 27 km above the surrounding area. About two-thirds of Mars' surface is mountainous, with many impact craters surrounded by rock debris. Near the volcanoes of Tharsis, a vast system of canyons snakes around the length of about a quarter of the equator. The Valles Marineris is 600 km wide, and its depth is such that Mount Everest would sink entirely to its bottom. Sheer cliffs rise thousands of meters, from the valley floor to the plateau above. In ancient times, there was a lot of water on Mars; large rivers flowed across the surface of this planet. There are ice caps at the South and North Poles of Mars. But this ice does not consist of water, but of frozen atmospheric carbon dioxide (freezes at a temperature of -100 o C). Scientists believe that surface water is stored in the form of ice blocks buried in the ground, especially in polar regions. Atmospheric composition: CO 2 (95%), N 2 (2.5%), Ar (1.5 - 2%), CO (0.06%), H 2 O (up to 0.1%); pressure at the surface is 5-7 hPa. In total, about 30 interplanetary space stations were sent to Mars.

Jupiter - the largest planet.

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- the fifth planet from the Sun, the largest planet in the solar system. Jupiter is not a rocky planet. Unlike the four rocky planets closest to the Sun, Jupiter is a gas ball. Atmospheric composition: H 2 (85%), CH 4, NH 3, He (14%). Jupiter's gas composition is very similar to the sun's. Jupiter is a powerful source of thermal radio emission. Jupiter has 16 satellites (Adrastea, Metis, Amalthea, Thebe, Io, Lysithea, Elara, Ananke, Karme, Pasiphae, Sinope, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, Leda, Himalia), as well as a ring 20,000 km wide, almost closely adjacent to planet. Jupiter's rotation speed is so high that the planet bulges along the equator. In addition, this rapid rotation causes very strong winds in the upper atmosphere, where clouds stretch out into long, colorful ribbons. There are a very large number of vortex spots in the clouds of Jupiter. The largest of them, the so-called Great Red Spot, is larger than the Earth. The Great Red Spot is a huge storm in Jupiter's atmosphere that has been observed for 300 years. Inside the planet, under enormous pressure, hydrogen turns from a gas into a liquid, and then from a liquid into a solid. At a depth of 100 km. there is a boundless ocean of liquid hydrogen. Below 17,000 km. hydrogen is compressed so tightly that its atoms are destroyed. And then it begins to behave like metal; in this state it easily conducts electricity. The electric current flowing in metallic hydrogen creates a strong magnetic field around Jupiter.

Saturn .

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The sixth planet from the Sun, has an amazing ring system. Due to its rapid rotation around its axis, Saturn seems to be flattened at the poles. Wind speeds at the equator reach 1800 km/h. The width of Saturn's rings is 400,000 km, but they are only a few tens of meters thick. The inner parts of the rings rotate around Saturn faster than the outer ones. The rings are primarily made up of billions of small particles, each orbiting Saturn as its own microscopic satellite. These "micro-satellites" are likely made of water ice or rocks covered in ice. Their size ranges from a few centimeters to tens of meters. There are also larger objects in the rings - stone blocks and fragments up to hundreds of meters in diameter. The gaps between the rings arise under the influence of the gravitational forces of seventeen moons (Hyperion, Mimas, Tethys, Titan, Enceladus, etc.), which cause the rings to split. The composition of the atmosphere includes: CH 4, H 2, He, NH 3.

Uranus .

- the seventh planet from the Sun. It was discovered in 1781 by the English astronomer William Herschel, and named after the Greek god of the sky, Uranus. The orientation of Uranus in space differs from the other planets of the solar system - its axis of rotation lies, as it were, “on its side” relative to the plane of revolution of this planet around the Sun. The axis of rotation is inclined at an angle of 98 o. As a result, the planet faces the Sun alternately with the north pole, the south, the equator, and the middle latitudes. Uranus has more than 27 satellites (Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania, Oberon, Cordelia, Ophelia, Bianca, Cressida, Desdemona, Juliet, Portia, Rosalind, Belinda, Peck, etc.) and a system of rings. At the center of Uranus is a core made of rock and iron. The composition of the atmosphere includes: H 2, He, CH 4 (14%).

Neptune .

- its orbit intersects with Pluto's orbit in some places. The equatorial diameter is the same as that of Uranus, although Neptune is located 1627 million km further from Uranus (Uranus is located 2869 million km from the Sun). Based on these data, we can conclude that this planet could not be noticed in the 17th century. One of the striking achievements of science, one of the evidence of the unlimited cognition of nature was the discovery of the planet Neptune through calculations - “at the tip of a pen.” Uranus, the planet next to Saturn, which for many centuries was considered the most distant planet, was discovered by W. Herschel at the end of the 18th century. Uranus is hardly visible to the naked eye. By the 40s of the XIX century. accurate observations have shown that Uranus deviates barely noticeably from the path it should follow, taking into account the disturbances from all the known planets. Thus, the theory of the movement of celestial bodies, so strict and accurate, was put to the test. Le Verrier (in France) and Adams (in England) suggested that if disturbances from the known planets do not explain the deviation in the movement of Uranus, it means that the attraction of an as yet unknown body acts on it. They almost simultaneously calculated where behind Uranus there should be an unknown body producing these deviations with its gravity. They calculated the orbit of the unknown planet, its mass and indicated the place in the sky where the unknown planet should have been located at that time. This planet was found through a telescope at the place they indicated in 1846. It was named Neptune. Neptune is not visible to the naked eye. On this planet, winds blow at speeds of up to 2400 km/h, directed against the rotation of the planet. These are the strongest winds in the solar system.
Atmospheric composition: H 2, He, CH 4. Has 6 satellites (one of them is Triton).
Neptune is the god of the seas in Roman mythology.

The planets in the solar system, as can be seen from the descriptions, are all different from each other. Scientists also discover planets around other stars; they are called exoplanets.

Sources:
www.kosmos19.narod.ru
www.ggreen.chat.ru
http://ru.wikipedia.org

Our Solar System consists of the Sun, the planets orbiting it, and smaller celestial bodies. All of these are mysterious and surprising because they are still not fully understood. Below will be indicated the sizes of the planets of the solar system in ascending order, and a brief description of the planets themselves.

There is a well-known list of planets, in which they are listed in order of their distance from the Sun:

Pluto used to be in last place, but in 2006 it lost its status as a planet, as larger celestial bodies were found further away from it. The listed planets are divided into rocky (inner) and giant planets.

Brief information about rocky planets

The inner (rocky) planets include those bodies that are located inside the asteroid belt separating Mars and Jupiter. They got their name “stone” because they consist of various hard rocks, minerals and metals. They are united by a small number or absence of satellites and rings (like Saturn). On the surface of rocky planets there are volcanoes, depressions and craters formed as a result of the fall of other cosmic bodies.

But if you compare their sizes and arrange them in ascending order, the list will look like this:

Brief information about the giant planets

The giant planets are located beyond the asteroid belt and therefore are also called outer planets. They consist of very light gases - hydrogen and helium. These include:

But if you make a list by the size of the planets in the solar system in ascending order, the order changes:

A little information about the planets

In modern scientific understanding, a planet means a celestial body that revolves around the Sun and has sufficient mass for its own gravity. Thus, there are 8 planets in our system, and, importantly, these bodies are not similar to each other: each has its own unique differences, both in appearance and in the components of the planet themselves.

- This is the planet closest to the Sun and the smallest among the others. It weighs 20 times less than the Earth! But, despite this, it has a fairly high density, which allows us to conclude that there are a lot of metals in its depths. Due to its strong proximity to the Sun, Mercury is subject to sudden temperature changes: at night it is very cold, during the day the temperature rises sharply.

- This is the next planet closest to the Sun, in many ways similar to Earth. It has a more powerful atmosphere than Earth, and is considered a very hot planet (its temperature is above 500 C).

- This is a unique planet due to its hydrosphere, and the presence of life on it led to the appearance of oxygen in its atmosphere. Most of the surface is covered with water, and the rest is occupied by continents. A unique feature is the tectonic plates, which move, albeit very slowly, resulting in changes in the landscape. The Earth has one satellite - the Moon.

– also known as the “Red Planet”. It gets its fiery red color from a large amount of iron oxides. Mars has a very thin atmosphere and much lower atmospheric pressure compared to Earth. Mars has two satellites - Deimos and Phobos.

is a real giant among the planets of the solar system. Its weight is 2.5 times the weight of all the planets combined. The surface of the planet consists of helium and hydrogen and is in many ways similar to the sun. Therefore, it is not surprising that there is no life on this planet - there is no water and a solid surface. But Jupiter has a large number of satellites: 67 are currently known.

– This planet is famous for the presence of rings consisting of ice and dust revolving around the planet. With its atmosphere it resembles that of Jupiter, and in size it is slightly smaller than this giant planet. In terms of the number of satellites, Saturn is also slightly behind - it has 62 known. The largest satellite, Titan, is larger than Mercury.

- the lightest planet among the outer ones. Its atmosphere is the coldest in the entire system (minus 224 degrees), it has a magnetosphere and 27 satellites. Uranium consists of hydrogen and helium, and the presence of ammonia ice and methane has also been noted. Because Uranus has a high axial tilt, it appears as if the planet is rolling rather than rotating.

- despite its smaller size than , it is heavier and exceeds the mass of the Earth. This is the only planet that was found through mathematical calculations, and not through astronomical observations. The strongest winds in the solar system were recorded on this planet. Neptune has 14 moons, one of which, Triton, is the only one that rotates in the opposite direction.

It is very difficult to imagine the entire scale of the solar system within the limits of the studied planets. It seems to people that the Earth is a huge planet, and, in comparison with other celestial bodies, it is so. But if you place giant planets next to it, then the Earth already takes on tiny dimensions. Of course, next to the Sun, all celestial bodies appear small, so representing all the planets in their full scale is a difficult task.

The most famous classification of planets is their distance from the Sun. But a listing that takes into account the sizes of the planets of the Solar System in ascending order would also be correct. The list will be presented as follows:

As you can see, the order has not changed much: the inner planets are on the first lines, and Mercury occupies the first place, and the outer planets occupy the remaining positions. In fact, it doesn’t matter at all in what order the planets are located, this will not make them any less mysterious and beautiful.

Instructions

The terrestrial planets are closest to the Sun. There are 4 of them - Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars - in this order they are located relative to the Sun. Terrestrial planets are small in size and mass, have significant density, and have a solid surface. Among them, the Earth has the largest mass. These planets have a similar chemical composition and the same structure. At the center of each is an iron core. Venus's is hard. Mercury, Earth and Mars have some part of their core in a molten state. Above that comes the mantle, the outer layer of which is called the crust.

All terrestrial planets have magnetic fields and atmospheres. The densities of atmospheres and their gas composition vary significantly. For example, Venus has a dense atmosphere consisting mostly of carbon dioxide. In Mercury it is very discharged. It contains a lot of light helium, which Mercury receives from the solar wind. Mars also has a fairly thin atmosphere, consisting of 95% carbon dioxide. The Earth has a significant atmospheric layer, which is dominated by oxygen and nitrogen.

Only 2 planets of the first four - Earth and Mars - have natural satellites. Satellites are cosmic bodies revolving around planets under the influence of gravitational forces. For Earth it is the Moon, for Mars it is Phobos and Deimos.

The second group - the giant planets - are located beyond the orbit of Mars in the following order: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. They are much larger and more massive than the terrestrial planets, but they are much - 3-7 times - inferior to them in density. Their main difference is the absence of hard surfaces. Their vast gaseous atmosphere gradually becomes denser as it approaches the center of the planet and also gradually turns into a liquid state. Jupiter has the most significant atmospheric layer. The atmospheres of Jupiter and Saturn contain hydrogen and helium, those of Uranus and Neptune contain methane, ammonia, water and a small portion of other compounds.

All giants have a small core relative to the size of the planet itself. In general, their cores are larger in size than any of the terrestrial planets. It is assumed that the central regions of the giants represent a layer of hydrogen, which, under the influence of high pressure and temperatures, acquired the properties of metals. This is why all giant planets have magnetic fields.

Giant planets have a large number of natural satellites and rings. Saturn has 30 satellites, Uranus 21, Jupiter 39, Neptune 8. But only one Saturn has rings of impressive size, consisting of small particles rotating in the plane of its equator. For others they are barely noticeable.

Beyond Neptune's orbit lies the Kuiper Belt, which contains about 70,000 objects, including Pluto. Next is the recently discovered Eris, moving in a highly elongated orbit and located 3 times farther than Pluto relative to the Sun. To date, there are 5 known celestial bodies classified as dwarf planets. These are Ceres, Pluto, Eris, Haumea, Makemake. It is possible that this will be replenished over time. According to scientists, about 200 objects in the Kuiper belt alone can be classified as dwarf planets. Outside the belt, their number increases to 2000.

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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.

1. Mercury is the first planet from the Sun.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. The first research vehicle to visit Mercury was Mariner 10. It conducted a number of demonstration flights in 1974.
5. A day on Mercury lasts 59 Earth days, and a year is only 88 days.
6. Mercury experiences the most dramatic temperature changes, reaching 610 °C. During the day, temperatures can reach 430 °C, and at night -180 °C.
7. 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.
8. The first observations of Mercury through a telescope were made by Galileo Galilei in the early 17th century.
9. Mercury has no natural satellites.
10. 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.

1. Venus is the second planet from the Sun in the Solar System.
2. Venus is the hottest planet in the solar system, although it is the second planet from the sun. Surface temperature can reach 475 °C.
   
3. The first spacecraft sent to explore Venus was sent from Earth on February 12, 1961 and was called Venera 1.
4. Venus is one of two planets whose direction of rotation around its axis is different from most planets in the solar system.
5. The planet's orbit around the Sun is very close to circular.
6. The day and night temperatures of the surface of Venus are practically the same due to the large thermal inertia of the atmosphere.
7. 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.
8. The first observations of Venus through a telescope were made by Galileo Galilei at the beginning of the 17th century.
9. Venus has no natural satellites.
10. 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.

1. Earth in the solar system is the third planet from the sunsA;
2. Our planet revolves around one natural satellite - the Moon;
   
3. Earth is the only planet not named after a divine being;
4. The Earth's density is the greatest of all the planets in the solar system;
5. The Earth's rotation speed is gradually slowing down;
6. 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;
7. The Earth has a magnetic field of sufficient strength to protect living organisms on its surface from harmful solar radiation;
8. 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;
9. In orbit around the Earth, compared to other planets, there is the largest number of spacecraft;
10. 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.

1. Mars is located in the fourth orbit from the Sun;
2. The Red Planet is home to the tallest volcano in the solar system;
   
3. Of the 40 exploration missions sent to Mars, only 18 were successful;
4. Mars is home to some of the largest dust storms in the solar system;
5. In 30-50 million years, a system of rings will be located around Mars, like Saturn;
6. Debris from Mars has been found on Earth;
7. The Sun from the surface of Mars looks half as big as from the surface of the Earth;
   
8. Mars is the only planet in the solar system that has polar ice caps;
9. Two natural satellites revolve around Mars - Deimos and Phobos;
10. 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.

1. Jupiter is located in the fifth orbit from the Sun;
2. In the Earth's sky, Jupiter is the fourth brightest object, after the Sun, Moon and Venus;
   
3. Jupiter has the shortest day of all the planets in the solar system;
4. 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;
5. Jupiter's moon Ganymede is the largest moon in the solar system;
6. Jupiter is surrounded by a thin system of rings;
7. Jupiter was visited by 8 research vehicles;
   
8. Jupiter has a strong magnetic field;
   
9. If Jupiter were 80 times more massive, it would become a star;
10. 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.

1. Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun;
2. Saturn's atmosphere contains the strongest winds in the solar system;
   
3. Saturn is one of the least dense planets in the solar system;
   
4. Surrounding the planet is the largest ring system in the Solar System;
5. One day on the planet lasts almost one Earth year and is equal to 378 Earth days;
6. Saturn was visited by 4 research spacecraft;
7. Saturn, together with Jupiter, constitutes approximately 92% of the total planetary mass of the Solar System;
8. One year on the planet lasts 29.5 Earth years;
9. There are 62 known natural satellites orbiting the planet;
10. 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.”

1. Uranus is located in the seventh orbit from the Sun;
2. The first person to learn about the existence of Uranus was William Herschel in 1781;
   
3. Uranus has only been visited by one spacecraft, Voyager 2 in 1982;
4. Uranus is the coldest planet in the solar system;
5. 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";
6. The moons of Uranus bear names taken from the works of William Shakespeare and Alexander Pope, rather than Greek or Roman mythology;
7. A day on Uranus lasts about 17 Earth hours;
8. There are 13 known rings around Uranus;
9. One year on Uranus lasts 84 Earth years;
10. 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.

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

1. Jupiter is considered the largest planet in the solar system.
2. There are 5 dwarf planets in the Solar System, one of which has been reclassified as Pluto.
3. There are very few asteroids in the Solar System.
4. Venus is the hottest planet in the solar system.
5. About 99% of the space (by volume) is occupied by the Sun in the Solar System.
6. 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.
7. Our solar system has a tail that resembles a four-leaf clover.
8. The sun follows a continuous 11-year cycle.
9. There are 8 planets in the solar system.
10. The Solar System is fully formed thanks to a large gas and dust cloud.
11. Spacecraft have flown to all the planets of the solar system.
12. Venus is the only planet in the solar system that rotates counterclockwise around its axis.
13. Uranus has 27 satellites.
14. The largest mountain is on Mars.
15. A huge mass of objects in the solar system fell on the sun.
16. The solar system is part of the Milky Way galaxy.
17. The sun is the central object of the solar system.
18. The solar system is often divided into regions.
19. The Sun is a key component of the Solar System.
20. The solar system was formed approximately 4.5 billion years ago.
21. The most distant planet in the solar system is Pluto.
22. Two regions in the Solar System are filled with small bodies.
23. The solar system was built contrary to all the laws of the Universe.
24. If you compare the solar system and space, then it is just a grain of sand in it.
25. Over the past few centuries, the solar system has lost 2 planets: Vulcan and Pluto.
26. Researchers claim that the solar system was created artificially.
27. The only satellite of the Solar System that has a dense atmosphere and whose surface cannot be seen due to cloud cover is Titan.
28. The region of the solar system that lies beyond the orbit of Neptune is called the Kuiper belt.
29. The Oort cloud is the region of the solar system that serves as the source of a comet and a long orbital period.
30. Every object in the solar system is held there due to the force of gravity.
31. The leading theory of the solar system involves the emergence of planets and moons from a huge cloud.
32. The solar system is considered the most secret particle of the Universe.
33. There is a huge asteroid belt in the solar system.
34. On Mars you can see the eruption of the largest volcano in the solar system, which is called Olympus.
35. Pluto is considered to be the outskirts of the solar system.
36. Jupiter has a large ocean of liquid water.
37. The Moon is the largest satellite of the Solar System.
38. Pallas is considered the largest asteroid in the solar system.
39. The brightest planet in the solar system is Venus.
40. The solar system is mostly made of hydrogen.
41. The Earth is an equal member of the solar system.
42. The sun heats up slowly.
43. Oddly enough, the largest reserves of water in the solar system are in the sun.
44. The equator plane of each planet in the solar system diverges from the orbital plane.
45. The satellite of Mars called Phobos is an anomaly in the solar system.
46. The solar system can amaze with its diversity and scale.
47. The planets of the solar system are influenced by the sun.
48. The outer shell of the Solar System is considered to be the haven of satellites and gas giants.
49. A huge number of planetary satellites of the solar system are dead.
50. The largest asteroid, with a diameter of 950 km, is called Ceres.