Jupiter location in the solar system. What is the solar system? All planets in order

Space has long attracted people's attention. Planets solar system Astronomers began studying them back in the Middle Ages, examining them through primitive telescopes. But a thorough classification and description of the structural features and movements of celestial bodies became possible only in the 20th century. With the advent of powerful equipment equipped with last word observatory technology and spaceships Several previously unknown objects were discovered. Now every schoolchild can list all the planets of the solar system in order. A space probe has landed on almost all of them, and so far man has only visited the Moon.

What is the Solar System

The Universe is huge and includes many galaxies. Our Solar System is part of a galaxy containing more than 100 billion stars. But there are very few that are like the Sun. Basically, they are all red dwarfs, which are smaller in size and do not shine as brightly. Scientists have suggested that the solar system was formed after the emergence of the Sun. Its huge field of attraction captured a gas-dust cloud, from which particles formed as a result of gradual cooling solid. Over time, celestial bodies were formed from them. It is believed that the Sun is now in the middle of its life path, therefore, it, as well as all the celestial bodies dependent on it, will exist for several more billions of years. Near space has been studied by astronomers for a long time, and any person knows what planets of the solar system exist. Photos of them taken from space satellites can be found on the pages of various information resources dedicated to this topic. All celestial bodies are held strong field gravity of the Sun, which makes up more than 99% of the volume of the solar system. Large celestial bodies rotate around the star and around its axis in one direction and in one plane, which is called the ecliptic plane.

Planets of the Solar System in order

In modern astronomy, it is customary to consider celestial bodies starting from the Sun. In the 20th century, a classification was created that includes 9 planets of the solar system. But recent space exploration and newest discoveries prompted scientists to revise many provisions in astronomy. And in 2006, at an international congress, due to its small size (a dwarf with a diameter not exceeding three thousand km), Pluto was excluded from the number of classical planets, and there were eight of them left. Now the structure of our solar system has taken on a symmetrical, slender appearance. It includes four planets terrestrial group: Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars, then comes the asteroid belt, followed by four giant planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. On the outskirts of the solar system there is also a space that scientists call the Kuiper Belt. This is where Pluto is located. These places are still little studied due to their remoteness from the Sun.

Features of the terrestrial planets

What allows us to classify these celestial bodies as one group? Let's list the main characteristics inner planets:

relatively small size;
hard surface, high density and similar composition (oxygen, silicon, aluminum, iron, magnesium and other heavy elements);
presence of atmosphere;
identical structure: a core of iron with nickel impurities, a mantle consisting of silicates, and a crust of silicate rocks (except for Mercury - it has no crust);
a small number of satellites - only 3 for four planets;
rather weak magnetic field.

Features of the giant planets

As for outer planets, or gas giants, then they have the following similar characteristics:

large sizes and weights;
they do not have a solid surface and consist of gases, mainly helium and hydrogen (therefore they are also called gas giants);
liquid core consisting of metallic hydrogen;
high rotation speed;
a strong magnetic field, which explains the unusual nature of many processes occurring on them;
there are 98 satellites in this group, most of which belong to Jupiter;
the most characteristic feature gas giants are the presence of rings. All four planets have them, although they are not always noticeable.

The first planet is Mercury

It is located closest to the Sun. Therefore, from its surface the star appears three times larger than from the Earth. This also explains the strong temperature changes: from -180 to +430 degrees. Mercury moves very quickly in its orbit. Maybe that's why it got such a name, because in Greek mythology Mercury is the messenger of the gods. There is practically no atmosphere here and the sky is always black, but the Sun shines very brightly. However, there are places at the poles where its rays never hit. This phenomenon can be explained by the tilt of the rotation axis. No water was found on the surface. This circumstance, as well as the abnormally high daytime temperature (as well as the low nighttime temperature) fully explain the fact of the absence of life on the planet.

Venus

If you study the planets of the solar system in order, then Venus comes second. People could observe it in the sky back in ancient times, but since it was shown only in the morning and evening, it was believed that these were 2 different objects. By the way, our Slavic ancestors called it Mertsana. It is the third brightest object in our solar system. Previously people They called it the morning and evening star, because it is best visible before sunrise and sunset. Venus and Earth are very similar in structure, composition, size and gravity. This planet moves very slowly around its axis, making full turn for 243.02 Earth days. Of course, conditions on Venus are very different from those on Earth. It is twice as close to the Sun, so it is very hot there. Heat is also explained by the fact that thick clouds of sulfuric acid and an atmosphere of carbon dioxide create on the planet Greenhouse effect. In addition, the pressure at the surface is 95 times greater than on Earth. Therefore, the first ship that visited Venus in the 70s of the 20th century stayed there for no more than an hour. Another peculiarity of the planet is that it rotates in the opposite direction compared to most planets. More for astronomers about this celestial object nothing is known yet.

Third planet from the Sun

The only place in the Solar System, and indeed in the entire Universe known to astronomers, where life exists is Earth. In the terrestrial group it has the largest size. What else are her

The highest gravity among the terrestrial planets.
Very strong magnetic field.
High density.
It is the only one among all the planets that has a hydrosphere, which contributed to the formation of life.
It has the largest satellite compared to its size, which stabilizes its tilt relative to the Sun and influences natural processes.

The planet Mars

This is one of the smallest planets in our Galaxy. If we consider the planets of the solar system in order, then Mars is the fourth from the Sun. Its atmosphere is very rarefied, and the pressure on the surface is almost 200 times less than on Earth. For the same reason, very strong temperature changes are observed. The planet Mars has been little studied, although it has long attracted the attention of people. According to scientists, this is the only celestial body on which life could exist. After all, in the past there was water on the surface of the planet. This conclusion can be drawn from the fact that there are large ice caps at the poles, and the surface is covered with many grooves, which could be dried up river beds. In addition, there are some minerals on Mars that can only be formed in the presence of water. Another feature of the fourth planet is the presence of two satellites. What makes them unusual is that Phobos gradually slows down its rotation and approaches the planet, while Deimos, on the contrary, moves away.

What is Jupiter famous for?

The fifth planet is the largest. The volume of Jupiter would fit 1300 Earths, and its mass is 317 times that of Earth. Like all gas giants, its structure is hydrogen-helium, reminiscent of the composition of stars. Jupiter is the most interesting planet, which has many characteristic features:

it is the third brightest celestial body after the Moon and Venus;
Jupiter has the strongest magnetic field of any planet;
It makes a full revolution around its axis in just 10 earth hours- faster than other planets;
An interesting feature of Jupiter is the large red spot - this is how an atmospheric vortex rotating counterclockwise is visible from Earth;
like all giant planets, it has rings, although not as bright as Saturn’s;
this planet has the largest number of satellites. He has 63 of them. The most famous are Europa, where water was found, Ganymede is the most large satellite the planets Jupiter, as well as Io and Calisto;
Another feature of the planet is that in the shadow the surface temperature is higher than in places illuminated by the Sun.

Planet Saturn

It is the second largest gas giant, also named after the ancient god. It is composed of hydrogen and helium, but traces of methane, ammonia and water have been found on its surface. Scientists have found that Saturn is the rarest planet. Its density is less than that of water. This gas giant rotates very quickly - it makes one revolution in 10 Earth hours, as a result of which the planet is flattened from the sides. Huge speeds on Saturn and near the wind - up to 2000 kilometers per hour. This is faster than the speed of sound. Saturn has another one distinctive feature- it holds 60 satellites in its field of attraction. The largest of them, Titan, is the second largest in the entire solar system. Uniqueness of this object is that, by examining its surface, scientists for the first time discovered a celestial body with conditions similar to those that existed on Earth about 4 billion years ago. But the most main feature Saturn is the presence of bright rings. They circle the planet around the equator and reflect more light than the planet itself. Four is the most amazing phenomenon in the solar system. What's unusual is that the inner rings move faster than the outer rings.

- Uranus

So, we continue to consider the planets of the solar system in order. The seventh planet from the Sun is Uranus. It is the coldest of all - the temperature drops to -224 °C. In addition, scientists did not find metallic hydrogen in its composition, but found modified ice. Therefore, Uranus is classified as a separate category of ice giants. Amazing feature of this celestial body is that it rotates while lying on its side. The change of seasons on the planet is also unusual: winter reigns there for as many as 42 Earth years, and the Sun does not appear at all; summer also lasts 42 years, and the Sun does not set during this time. In spring and autumn, the star appears every 9 hours. Like all giant planets, Uranus has rings and many satellites. As many as 13 rings revolve around it, but they are not as bright as those of Saturn, and the planet contains only 27 satellites. If we compare Uranus with the Earth, then it is 4 times larger than it, 14 times heavier and is located at a distance from the Sun of 19 times the path to the star from our planet.

Neptune: the invisible planet

After Pluto was excluded from the number of planets, Neptune became the last from the Sun in the system. It is located 30 times further from the star than the Earth, and is not visible from our planet even with a telescope. Scientists discovered it, so to speak, by accident: observing the peculiarities of the movement of the planets closest to it and their satellites, they concluded that there must be another large celestial body beyond the orbit of Uranus. After discovery and research it became clear interesting features of this planet:

due to the presence in the atmosphere large quantities methane, the color of the planet from space appears blue-green;
Neptune's orbit is almost perfectly circular;
the planet rotates very slowly - it makes one circle every 165 years;
Neptune 4 times more than Earth and 17 times heavier, but the force of gravity is almost the same as on our planet;
the largest of the 13 satellites of this giant is Triton. It is always turned to the planet with one side and slowly approaches it. Based on these signs, scientists suggested that it was captured by the gravity of Neptune.

There are about one hundred billion planets in the entire Milky Way galaxy. So far, scientists cannot study even some of them. But the number of planets in the solar system is known to almost all people on Earth. True, in the 21st century, interest in astronomy has faded a little, but even children know the names of the planets of 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 the above planets are usually divided into two large groups: terrestrial group and 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. average temperature on Mercury in daytime 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 earthly days, and a year is 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 most hot planet in the solar system, although it is the second planet from the sun. Surface temperature can reach 475 °C.
First spacecraft, sent to explore Venus, was sent from Earth on February 12, 1961 and was named 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;
One revolves around our planet natural satellite- 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 equals approximately 150 million km;
The earth has magnetic field 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;
The earth is the most big planet terrestrial group 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 unhindered solar radiation influence 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;
The biggest things happen on Mars 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. earthly 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 most big 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 earthly years, and the day is 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;
In the atmosphere of Saturn the most powerful winds blow strong winds in the solar system;
Saturn is one of the least dense planets in the solar system;
Around the planet there is the most large system rings 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 study of Saturn and its rings is carried out by automatic interplanetary station Cassini;

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 a natural phenomenon This 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 nothing happens on its icy surface. weather phenomena. 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.
One of the most beautiful and original places The solar system is considered a satellite of Saturn. 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 big volcano Solar system, which is named Olympus.
Pluto is considered to be the outskirts of the solar system.
Jupiter has big ocean 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 most huge reserves There is water in the solar system 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.

solar system– these are 8 planets and more than 63 of their satellites, which are being discovered more and more often, several dozen comets and a large number of asteroids. All cosmic bodies move along their own clearly directed trajectories around the Sun, which is 1000 times heavier than all the bodies in the solar system combined. The center of the solar system is the Sun, a star around which the planets orbit. They do not emit heat and do not glow, but only reflect the light of the Sun. There are now 8 officially recognized planets in the solar system. Let us briefly list them all in order of distance from the sun. And now a few definitions.

Planet is a celestial body that must satisfy four conditions:
1. the body must revolve around a star (for example, around the Sun);
2. the body must have sufficient gravity to have a spherical or close to it shape;
3. the body should not have other large bodies near its orbit;
4. the body should not be a star

Star- This cosmic body, which emits light and is a powerful source of energy. This is explained, firstly, by the thermonuclear reactions occurring in it, and secondly, by the processes of gravitational compression, as a result of which great amount energy.

Satellites of the planets. The solar system also includes the Moon and the natural satellites of other planets, which they all have except Mercury and Venus. Over 60 satellites are known. Most of the satellites of the outer planets were discovered when they received photographs taken by robotic spacecraft. Jupiter's smallest satellite, Leda, is only 10 km across.

is a star without which life on Earth could not exist. It gives us energy and warmth. According to the classification of stars, the Sun is a yellow dwarf. Age about 5 billion years. It has a diameter at the equator of 1,392,000 km, 109 times larger than that of Earth. The rotation period at the equator is 25.4 days and 34 days at the poles. The mass of the Sun is 2x10 to the 27th power of tons, approximately 332,950 times the mass of the Earth. The temperature inside the core is approximately 15 million degrees Celsius. The surface temperature is about 5500 degrees Celsius. By chemical composition The sun is made up of 75% hydrogen, and the other 25% elements are mostly helium. Now let’s figure out in order how many planets revolve around the sun, in the solar system and the characteristics of the planets.

The four inner planets (closest to the Sun) - Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars - have a solid surface. They are smaller than the four giant planets. Mercury moves faster than other planets, getting burned sun rays during the day and freezing at night.

Period of revolution around the Sun: 87.97 days.
Diameter at the equator: 4878 km.
Rotation period (rotation around an axis): 58 days.
Surface temperature: 350 during the day and -170 at night.
Atmosphere: very rarefied, helium.
How many satellites: 0.
The main satellites of the planet: 0.

More similar to Earth in size and brightness. Observing it is difficult due to the clouds enveloping it. The surface is a hot rocky desert. Period of revolution around the Sun: 224.7 days.
Diameter at the equator: 12104 km.
Rotation period (rotation around an axis): 243 days.
Surface temperature: 480 degrees (average).
Atmosphere: dense, mostly carbon dioxide.
How many satellites: 0.
The main satellites of the planet: 0.

Apparently, the Earth was formed from a gas and dust cloud, like other planets. Particles of gas and dust collided and gradually “grew” the planet. The temperature on the surface reached 5000 degrees Celsius. Then the Earth cooled and became covered with a hard rock crust. But the temperature in the depths is still quite high - 4500 degrees. Rocks in the depths are molten and during volcanic eruptions they flow to the surface. Only on earth there is water. That's why life exists here. It is located relatively close to the Sun in order to receive the necessary heat and light, but far enough so as not to burn out.

Period of revolution around the Sun: 365.3 days.
Diameter at the equator: 12756 km.
Period of rotation of the planet (rotation around its axis): 23 hours 56 minutes.
Surface temperature: 22 degrees (average).
Atmosphere: Mainly nitrogen and oxygen.
Number of satellites: 1.
The main satellites of the planet: the Moon.

Because of its resemblance to Earth, it was believed that life existed here. But the spacecraft that descended to the surface of Mars found no signs of life. This is the fourth planet in order. Period of revolution around the Sun: 687 days.
Diameter of the planet at the equator: 6794 km.
Rotation period (rotation around an axis): 24 hours 37 minutes.
Surface temperature: –23 degrees (average).
The planet's atmosphere: thin, mostly carbon dioxide.
How many satellites: 2.
The main satellites in order: Phobos, Deimos.

Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are made of hydrogen and other gases. Jupiter exceeds Earth by more than 10 times in diameter, 300 times in mass and 1300 times in volume. It is more than twice as massive as all the planets in the solar system combined. How long does it take for planet Jupiter to become a star? We need to increase its mass by 75 times!

Period of revolution around the Sun: 11 years 314 days.
Diameter of the planet at the equator: 143884 km.
Rotation period (rotation around an axis): 9 hours 55 minutes.
Planet surface temperature: –150 degrees (average).
Number of satellites: 16 (+ rings).
The main satellites of the planets in order: Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto.

It is number 2, the largest of the planets in the solar system. Saturn attracts attention thanks to its ring system formed of ice, rocks and dust that orbit the planet. There are three main rings with an outer diameter of 270,000 km, but their thickness is about 30 meters. Period of revolution around the Sun: 29 years 168 days.
Diameter of the planet at the equator: 120536 km.
Rotation period (rotation around an axis): 10 hours 14 minutes.
Surface temperature: –180 degrees (average).
Atmosphere: Mainly hydrogen and helium.
Number of satellites: 18 (+ rings).
Main satellites: Titan.

A unique planet in the solar system. Its peculiarity is that it rotates around the Sun not like everyone else, but “lying on its side.” Uranus also has rings, although they are harder to see. In 1986, Voyager 2 flew at a distance of 64,000 km, he had six hours to take photographs, which he successfully implemented.

Orbital period: 84 years 4 days.
Diameter at the equator: 51118 km.
Period of rotation of the planet (rotation around its axis): 17 hours 14 minutes.
Surface temperature: -214 degrees (average).
Atmosphere: Mainly hydrogen and helium.
How many satellites: 15 (+ rings).
Main satellites: Titania, Oberon.

On this moment, Neptune is considered the last planet of the solar system. Its discovery took place through mathematical calculations, and then it was seen through a telescope. In 1989, Voyager 2 flew past. He took stunning photographs of the blue surface of Neptune and its largest moon, Triton. Period of revolution around the Sun: 164 years 292 days.
Diameter at the equator: 50538 km.
Rotation period (rotation around an axis): 16 hours 7 minutes.
Surface temperature: –220 degrees (average).
Atmosphere: Mainly hydrogen and helium.
Number of satellites: 8.
Main satellites: Triton.

On August 24, 2006, Pluto lost its planetary status. The International Astronomical Union has decided which celestial body should be considered a planet. Pluto does not meet the requirements of the new formulation and loses its “planetary status”, at the same time Pluto takes on a new quality and becomes the prototype of a separate class of dwarf planets.

How did the planets appear? Approximately 5–6 billion years ago, one of the disk-shaped gas and dust clouds of our large Galaxy (Milky Way) began to shrink toward the center, gradually forming the present Sun. Further, according to one theory, under the influence of powerful forces of attraction, a large number of dust and gas particles revolving around the Sun began to stick together into balls - forming future planets. As another theory says, the gas and dust cloud immediately broke up into separate clusters of particles, which compressed and became denser, forming the current planets. Now 8 planets revolve around the Sun constantly.

The solar system is our cosmic region, and the planets in it are our homes. Agree, each house should have its own number.

In this article you will learn about the correct location of the planets, as well as why they are called this way and not otherwise.

Let's start with the Sun.

IN literally The star of today's article is the Sun. They named him that, according to some sources, in honor of the Roman god Sol, he was the god of the heavenly body. The root “sol” is present in almost all languages of the world and in one way or another gives an association with modern concept Sun.

From this luminary begins the correct order of objects, each of which is unique in its own way.

Mercury

The very first object of our attention is Mercury, named after the divine messenger Mercury, distinguished by his phenomenal speed. And Mercury itself is by no means slow - due to its location, it rotates around the Sun faster than all the planets in our system, being, moreover, the smallest “house” revolving around our luminary.

Interesting Facts:

Mercury revolves around the Sun in an ellipsoidal orbit, not a round one like other planets, and this orbit is constantly shifting.
Mercury has an iron core, making up 40% of its total mass and 83% of its volume.
Mercury can be seen in the sky with the naked eye.

Venus

“House” number two in our system. Venus was named after the goddess- a wonderful patroness of love. In size, Venus is only slightly inferior to our Earth. Its atmosphere consists almost entirely of carbon dioxide. There is oxygen in its atmosphere, but in very small quantities.

Interesting Facts:

Earth

The only one space object, on which life was discovered, is the third planet in our system. For comfortable stay living organisms on Earth have everything: suitable temperature, oxygen and water. The name of our planet comes from the Proto-Slavic root “-zem”, meaning “low”. Probably, it was called that way in ancient times because it was considered flat, in other words “low”.

Interesting Facts:

Earth's satellite The Moon is the largest satellite among the satellites of the terrestrial planets - the dwarf planets.
It is the densest planet among the terrestrial group.
Earth and Venus are sometimes called sisters because they both have atmospheres.

Mars

The fourth planet from the Sun. Mars is named after the ancient Roman god of war for its blood-red color, which is not bloody at all, but, in fact, iron. It is the high iron content that gives the surface of Mars its red color. Mars smaller than Earth, but has two satellites: Phobos and Deimos.

Interesting Facts:

Asteroid belt

The asteroid belt is located between Mars and Jupiter. It acts as a boundary between the terrestrial planets and the giant planets. Some scientists believe that the asteroid belt is nothing more than a planet that has shattered into fragments. But for now the whole world is more inclined to the theory that the asteroid belt is a consequence Big Bang, which gave birth to the galaxy.

Jupiter

Jupiter is the fifth “house”, counting from the Sun. It is two and a half times heavier than all the planets in the galaxy combined. Jupiter is named after the ancient Roman king of the gods, most likely due to its impressive size.

Interesting Facts:

Saturn

Saturn is named after the Roman god of agriculture. The symbol of Saturn is the sickle. The sixth planet is widely known for its rings. Saturn has the lowest density of all the natural satellites orbiting the Sun. Its density is even lower than that of water.

Interesting Facts:

Saturn has 62 satellites. The most famous of them: Titan, Enceladus, Iapetus, Dione, Tethys, Rhea and Mimas.
Saturn's moon Titan has the most significant atmosphere of all the system's moons, and Rhea has rings, like Saturn itself.
Compound chemical elements The Sun and Saturn are more similar than the Sun and other objects in the solar system.

Uranus

The seventh “house” in the solar system. Sometimes Uranus is called the “lazy planet”, because during rotation it lies on its side - the tilt of its axis is 98 degrees. Also, Uranus, the lightest planet in our system, and its moons are named after the characters of William Shakespeare and Alexander Pope. Uranus itself is named after the Greek god of the sky.

Interesting Facts:

Uranus has 27 moons, the most famous of which are Titania, Ariel, Umbriel and Miranda.
The temperature on Uranus is -224 degrees Celsius.
One year on Uranus is equal to 84 years on Earth.

Neptune

Eighth, last planet The solar system is located quite close to its neighbor Uranus. Neptune got its name in honor of the god of the seas and oceans. Obviously, it was given to this space object after the researchers saw a deep Blue colour Neptune.

Interesting Facts:

About Pluto

Pluto has officially ceased to be considered a planet since August 2006. It was considered too small and declared an asteroid. Name former planet galaxy is not at all the name of some god. The discoverer of this now asteroid named this space object after his daughter’s favorite cartoon character, Pluto the dog.

In this article, we briefly looked at the positions of the planets. We hope you found this article useful and informative.

Planets of the solar system - a little history

Previously, a planet was considered to be any body that orbits a star, glows with light reflected from it, and is larger than an asteroid.

Also in Ancient Greece mentioned seven luminous bodies that move across the sky against the background of fixed stars. These cosmic bodies were: the Sun, Mercury, Venus, Moon, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. The earth was not included in this list, since the ancient Greeks considered the earth to be the center of all things.

And only in the 16th century Nicolaus Copernicus in his scientific work entitled "On Appeal" celestial spheres“came to the conclusion that it is not the Earth, but the Sun that should be at the center of the planetary system. Therefore, the Sun and Moon were removed from the list, and the Earth was added to it. And after the advent of telescopes, Uranus and Neptune were added, in 1781 and 1846, respectively.
Pluto was considered the last discovered planet in the solar system from 1930 until recently.

And now, almost 400 years after Galileo Galilei created the world's first telescope for observing stars, astronomers have come to the following definition of a planet.

Planet is a celestial body that must satisfy four conditions:
the body must revolve around a star (for example, around the Sun);
the body must have sufficient gravity to have a spherical or close to it shape;
the body should not have other large bodies near its orbit;
the body should not be a star.

In its turn polar Star is a cosmic body that emits light and is a powerful source of energy. This is explained, firstly, by the thermonuclear reactions occurring in it, and secondly, by the processes of gravitational compression, as a result of which a huge amount of energy is released.

Planets of the Solar System today

solar system- This planetary system, which consists of the central star - the Sun - and all the natural space objects orbiting around it.

So, today the solar system consists of eight planets: four inner, so-called terrestrial planets, and four outer planets, called gas giants.
The terrestrial planets include Earth, Mercury, Venus and Mars. All of them consist mainly of silicates and metals.

The outer planets are Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Gas giants are composed mainly of hydrogen and helium.

The sizes of the planets of the Solar System vary both within groups and between groups. Thus, gas giants are much larger and more massive than terrestrial planets.
Mercury is closest to the Sun, then as it moves away: Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.

It would be wrong to consider the characteristics of the planets of the Solar System without paying attention to its main component: the Sun itself. Therefore, we will start with it.

The sun planet is the star that gave rise to all life in the solar system. The planets revolve around him, dwarf planets and their satellites, asteroids, comets, meteorites and cosmic dust.

The Sun arose about 5 billion years ago, is a spherical, hot plasma ball and has a mass that is more than 300 thousand times the mass of the Earth. The surface temperature is more than 5000 degrees Kelvin, and the core temperature is more than 13 million K.

The sun is one of the largest and most bright stars in our galaxy, which is called galaxy Milky Way. The Sun is located at a distance of about 26 thousand light years from the center of the Galaxy and makes a full revolution around it in about 230-250 million years! For comparison, the Earth makes a full revolution around the Sun in 1 year.

Mercury planet

Mercury is the smallest planet in the system, which is closest to the Sun. Mercury has no satellites.

The surface of the planet is covered with craters that appeared about 3.5 billion years ago as a result of massive bombardment by meteorites. The diameter of the craters can range from a few meters to more than 1000 km.

The atmosphere of Mercury is very thin, consists mainly of helium and is inflated solar wind. Since the planet is located very close to the Sun and does not have an atmosphere that would retain heat at night, the surface temperature ranges from -180 to +440 degrees Celsius.

By earthly standards, Mercury completes a full revolution around the Sun in 88 days. But a Mercury day is equal to 176 Earth days.

Venus planet

Venus is the second planet closest to the Sun in the solar system. Venus is only slightly smaller in size than Earth, which is why it is sometimes called “Earth’s sister.” Has no satellites.

The atmosphere consists of carbon dioxide with admixtures of nitrogen and oxygen. The air pressure on the planet is more than 90 atmospheres, which is 35 times more than on Earth.

Carbon dioxide and the resulting greenhouse effect, dense atmosphere, and proximity to the Sun allow Venus to bear the title of “hottest planet.” The temperature on its surface can reach 460°C.

Venus is one of the brightest objects in the earth's sky after the Sun and Moon.

Planet Earth

Earth is the only planet known today in the Universe on which there is life. The earth has largest sizes, mass and density among the so-called inner planets of the Solar System.

The age of the Earth is about 4.5 billion years, and life appeared on the planet about 3.5 billion years ago. The Moon is a natural satellite, the largest of the satellites of the terrestrial planets.

The Earth's atmosphere is fundamentally different from the atmospheres of other planets due to the presence of life. Most of The atmosphere consists of nitrogen, and also includes oxygen, argon, carbon dioxide and water vapor. Ozone layer and the Earth's magnetic field, in turn, weaken the life-threatening influence of solar and cosmic radiation.

Due to the carbon dioxide contained in the atmosphere, the greenhouse effect also occurs on Earth. It is not as pronounced as on Venus, but without it the air temperature would be about 40°C lower. Without an atmosphere, temperature fluctuations would be very significant: according to scientists, from -100°C at night to +160°C during the day.

About 71% of the Earth's surface is occupied by the world's oceans, the remaining 29% are continents and islands.

Mars planet

Mars is the seventh largest planet in the solar system. “Red Planet”, as it is also called due to the presence of large amounts of iron oxide in the soil. Mars has two satellites: Deimos and Phobos.
The atmosphere of Mars is very thin, and the distance to the Sun is almost one and a half times greater than that of the Earth. That's why average annual temperature on the planet is -60°C, and temperature changes in some places reach 40 degrees during the day.

Distinctive features of the surface of Mars are impact craters and volcanoes, valleys and deserts, icy polar ice caps like those on earth. Mars has the most high mountain in the solar system: dormant volcano Olympus, whose height is 27 km! And also the largest canyon: Valles Marineris, whose depth reaches 11 km and length – 4500 km

Jupiter planet

Jupiter is the most big planet Solar system. It is 318 times heavier than the Earth, and almost 2.5 times more massive than all the planets in our system combined. In its composition, Jupiter resembles the Sun - it consists mainly of helium and hydrogen - and emits a huge amount of heat equal to 4 * 1017 W. However, in order to become a star like the Sun, Jupiter must be 70-80 times heavier.

Jupiter has as many as 63 satellites, of which it makes sense to list only the largest - Callisto, Ganymede, Io and Europa. Ganymede is the largest moon in the solar system, even larger than Mercury.

Due to certain processes in internal atmosphere Jupiter, in its outer atmosphere there are many vortex structures, for example, bands of clouds in brown-red hues, as well as the Great Red Spot, a giant storm known since the 17th century.

Saturn planet

Saturn is the second largest planet in the solar system. Business card Saturn is, of course, its ring system, which consists mainly of icy particles of various sizes (from tenths of a millimeter to several meters), as well as rocks and dust.

Saturn has 62 moons, the largest of which are Titan and Enceladus.
In its composition, Saturn resembles Jupiter, but in density it is inferior even to ordinary water.
The planet's outer atmosphere appears calm and uniform, which is explained by a very dense layer of fog. However, wind speeds in some places can reach 1800 km/h.

Uranus planet

Uranus is the first planet discovered using a telescope, and also the only planet in the solar system, which revolves around the sun, “lying on its side.”
Uranus has 27 moons, which are named after Shakespearean heroes. The largest of them are Oberon, Titania and Umbriel.

The composition of the planet differs from gas giants in the presence of a large number of high-temperature modifications of ice. Therefore, along with Neptune, scientists have classified Uranus as an “ice giant.” And if Venus has the title of “hottest planet” in the solar system, then Uranus is the most cold planet With minimum temperature about -224°C.

Neptune planet

Neptune is the most distant planet in the solar system from the center. The story of its discovery is interesting: before observing the planet through a telescope, scientists used mathematical calculations to calculate its position in the sky. This happened after the discovery of inexplicable changes in the movement of Uranus in its own orbit.

Today, 13 satellites of Neptune are known to science. The largest of them, Triton, is the only satellite that moves in the direction opposite to the rotation of the planet. The fastest winds in the solar system also blow against the rotation of the planet: their speed reaches 2200 km/h.

Neptune's composition is very similar to Uranus, therefore it is the second " ice giant" However, like Jupiter and Saturn, Neptune has internal source heat and emits 2.5 times more energy than it receives from the Sun.
The blue color of the planet is given by traces of methane in outer layers atmosphere.

Conclusion
Pluto, unfortunately, did not manage to get into our parade of planets in the solar system. But there is absolutely no need to worry about this, because all the planets remain in their places, despite changes in scientific views and concepts.

So, we answered the question how many planets are there in the solar system. There are only 8 .