The Eight Planets

Our Solar System is made of eight planets that all orbit the same star: The Sun. Each planet is unique!

The Inner Planets (Rocky Planets)

These planets are closest to the sun and are made mostly of rock and metal.

  • Mercury: A small planet with no air, very hot during the day and freezing at night.
  • Venus: Covered in thick clouds that trap heat like a giant oven!
  • Earth: The only planet we know of that has life and liquid water.
  • Mars: Home to the largest volcano in the solar system, Olympus Mons.

The Outer Planets (Gas & Ice Giants)

These planets are very far away and are much larger than the inner planets.

  • Jupiter: So big that 1,300 Earths could fit inside it!
  • Saturn: Its rings are made of billions of chunks of ice and rock.
  • Uranus: This cold planet is blue-green because of methane gas.
  • Neptune: The windiest planet; winds can reach 1,200 miles per hour!

Visual Exploration

Watch this educational video to see the planets in action: