“The solar system is like one big family of planets, moons, and other objects that all live together in space. The biggest and most important member of the family is the Sun, which is like a giant ball of fire that gives light and warmth to everyone else.”
– Times of India
When we think about the solar system, an incredible, stunning image pops up in front of us which is full of planets, stars, and various other celestial bodies. It is filled with fascinating mysteries which are being unravelled by people all over the world and the quest is still on.
It consists of eight planets that revolve around the Sun and have their unique features and characteristics. Read on to know some fun facts about the solar system and get ready to be amazed!
Did you know that facts about planets can help your children choose a career path in astronomy in the future?
Table of Contents
1. What is the Solar System
2. 6 Fun Facts About the Solar System
3. 8 Solar System Fun Facts for Kids
4. The Planets in our Solar System
5. Conclusion
What is the Solar System?
A solar system is a grouping of celestial bodies revolving around a star along with the structures that orbit around it as a result of gravitational forces. Cosmic bodies within the solar system include planets, moons, asteroids, comets, meteoroids, and other space debris. A highly familiar example is the Solar System comprising of the central star which is the Sun and the eight recognised planets including Mercury, Venus, our home planet, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune and their moons and quite a number of other objects such a dwarf planets like Pluto and other bodies in space like asteroids and comets.
6 Fun Facts About the Solar System
1. The solar system is huge, and the Earth is a very small part of it
The fact that we live on this planet makes us feel like it is a big place, but to be honest, it is just a small part of this massive system. Jupiter is the biggest planet in our solar system while Earth is one of the smaller planets.
2. The solar system has eight planets
There are a total of 8 planets in our solar system that revolve around the Sun. The names of the planets are – Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Earlier, Pluto was considered as a planet too but now it is only termed as a ‘dwarf planet’ as it is much smaller than its counterparts and has a completely different orbit.
Our solar system facts help us understand that there might be life outside our planet in the universe.
3. Each planet has a different temperature
While there are 8 planets, each one has unique features and has different temperatures. Venus is the hottest while Uranus is the coldest among the eight. Knowing about the planet’s temperature is an important fact about planets for kids to further understand the solar system.
4. The solar system also has many moons
Now, we all know that our planet has one moon, but did you know that Jupiter has more than 60? Other planets too have several moons are Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. The biggest moon in the system is Ganymede and it is a satellite of Jupiter. Further, understanding the moons is one of the important facts of planets for kids.
5. There are many comets
Comets are small celestial bodies, usually made up of ice, water, dust, and other chemicals. These also revolve around the Sun and sometimes have a tail of gas or dust blown out of them. One of the famous comets is probably Halley’s Comet which can be viewed from the Earth every 76 years.
6. You can see some planets from Earth
The brightest of the planets are Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars. This makes them visible from the Earth without a telescope. There are many other planets and celestial bodies which can be seen from time to time all around the year. These are the six interesting facts about the planet for kids.
Our solar system facts help children learn about the influence of planetary movements on the climate changes on Earth.
8 Solar System Fun Facts for Kids
Here are some of the important facts about the solar system that one must know.
1. The Sun is at the centre of the system and every celestial body revolves around it.
2. There are many galaxies, one of them is the Milky Way galaxy – of which our solar system is a part.
3. There are at least 500 billion stars in the Milky Way galaxy.
4. The last planet to be discovered in the solar system was Neptune.
5. All the planets in our solar system are shaped like spheres or balls. Even the Sun is shaped like a huge ball that is made of hot gas producing heat and light.
6. Ganymede, the moon of Jupiter, is bigger than the planet Mercury!
7. When Pluto was considered a planet, it had a moon named Charon.
8. There are rocky bodies in our solar system called asteroids. There is an Asteroid Belt located between Mars and Jupiter where most of these celestial bodies are found. Which of these solar system fun facts intrigued you?
Did you know that facts about the planets have the capacity to spark curiosity about learning in your kids?
The Planets in our Solar System
As mentioned earlier, each planet is unique and has different features. Here are some interesting facts about planets that make them stand out.
1. Mercury
Mercury is the smallest and closest planet to the Sun in our solar system, with a diameter of just 4,879 kilometers (3,032 miles) and an average distance of 57.91 million kilometers (36 million miles) from the Sun. Due to its proximity to the Sun and lack of a substantial atmosphere, Mercury experiences extreme temperature variations, ranging from -180°C (-290°F) at night to 430°C (800°F) during the day.
It takes 88 Earth days to make one revolution around the sun.
Mercury’s rotation around its own axis is 58.65 Earth days.
It has no moons.
Fact: Mercury is the smallest planet in our solar system, and it is said to be shrinking by the day.
2. Venus
Venus has elevated surface temperatures that can increase up to 460 °C (860°F), which makes it one of the hottest planets in the solar system. It is one of the crucial planets that revolves around the sun. The atmosphere of venus comprises toxic, carbon dioxide atmosphere with elevate greenhouse conditions in the surface temperature.
It takes 224.7 Earth days to make one revolution around the sun.
Venus’s rotation around its own axis is 243 Earth days.
It has no moons.
All planets rotate anti-clockwise direction (east to west) except Venus which rotates in a clockwise direction (west to east)
Fact: Venus is the brightest natural celestial object, after the moon, that can be seen from the Earth without a telescope.
3. Earth
Earth is the third planet that revolves around the sun and is the only known planet that supports life. It comprises distinct ecosystems ranging from oceans, deserts, forests and polar regions. Earth is home to a million plant and animal species. Further, this planet has a combination of various factors such as liquid water, moderate climate and breathable atmosphere that makes it conducive for human beings.
It takes 365 ¼ days to make one revolution around the sun.
Earth’s rotation around its own axis is 24 hours.
It has one moon.
Fact: Earth is the only planet known planet to have plate tectonics, which is the movement of the planet’s lithosphere (crust and upper mantle) over geological timescales
4. Mars
Mars is the fourth planet of the solar system and is also known as the ‘Red Planet’ due to its reddish hue, which is a result of iron oxide (rust) on its surface. The atmosphere of mars comprises carbon dioxide and has vast deserts, polar ice caps, and various geological features including the largest known volcano and canyon in the entire solar system.
It takes 687 Earth days to make one revolution around the sun.
Mars’ rotation around its own axis is 24 hours 37 minutes.
It has two moons.
Fact: Mars has a very thin atmosphere and is a cold desert.
5. Jupiter
Jupiter is the fifth planet in the solar system. It is the largest planet in our solar system. Due to its thick atmosphere formed due to hydrogen and helium it is known as a gas giant. It has a huge red spot which is basically a giant storm that has been going on for several years. It has 79 moons including the four large Galilean moons: Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto.
It takes 12 Earth years to make one revolution around the sun.
Jupiter’s rotation around its own axis is 9 hours 55 minutes.
It has 62 moons.
Fact: The stripes on Jupiter are, in fact, clouds made of ammonia and water that are actually cold.
6. Saturn
Saturn is well-known for its stunning rings and is the sixth planet of our solar system. It is also a gas giant, comprising ice and rock particles. The atmosphere of Saturn is predominantly hydrogen and helium. It has 83 moons, with Titan being the biggest and most interesting due to its thick temperature. The surface lakes of Saturn are composed of liquid methane and ethane.
It takes 29 ½ Earth years to make one revolution around the sun.
Saturn’s rotation around its own axis is 10 hours 13 minutes.
It has 60 moons.
Fact: Saturn has some spectacular icy rings around it.
7. Uranus
Uranus is the seventh planet of the solar system and is an ice giant. This is due to the composition of water, ammonia and methane ices. The planet has a pale blue colour due to methane. Further, Uranus has a faint ring and around 27 known moons.
It takes 84 Earth years to make one revolution around the sun.
Neptune’s rotation around its own axis is 17 Earth years.
It has 27 moons.
Fact: Uranus rotates at an almost 90-degree angle from its orbit.
8. Neptune
Neptune is the eighth and farthest known planet from the sun. This is also an ice giant and has a deep blue colour due to the high presence of methane in the atmosphere. It is known for its strong winds and storms, including a great dark spot, a storm that resembles Jupiter’s red spot.
It takes 165 Earth years to make one revolution around the sun.
Neptune’s rotation around its own axis is 19 Earth years.
It has 13 moons.
Fact: Neptune has the strongest winds in the solar system with speeds reaching up to 2,100 kilometers per hour.
Our solar system facts help children learn and be aware of solar and lunar eclipses.
Conclusion
So, these were some of the fun, important, and interesting facts about our solar system. There are so many more that certainly cannot be fitted into one single write-up, but we are sure that this article has surely piqued your and your little one’s interest a little. Our solar system is indeed an awe-inspiring place! There are so many aspects that are still hidden and many that are being explored further to have deeper knowledge. No wonder it still is a mystery and surprises us from time to time.
We hope you enjoyed reading about our solar system and its fascinating facts about our planets for your kids. Do let us know which fact caught your fancy and which ones you want to know more about. You can turn this little fact file into a fun-filled project by making a model of the Solar System with your kids. Find out more at EuroKids to have more interesting craft ideas to get the creative juices flowing! We are sure that this would turn out to be a great activity for kids and parents, both!
References
https://www.lovelytinythings.com/post/importance-of-teaching-about-solar-system-to-a-child
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