Our Solar System

1. Our Solar System In Our Solar System By Jorja

2. The Sun • The Sun is in the centre of our solar system, it is a gigantic ball of gas. • The Sun is an ordinary star like all the others, but scientists haven’t found out if any other star has planets, like our Sun. • The Sun produces heat and light around the Solar System, it takes about 8 minutes for light to reach the Earth. • Did you know the Sun is 5.4 million years old. • Did you know the Romans named the Sun Sol, and the Greeks called it Helios. • Did you know that all of the planets in the Solar System are moons to the Sun.

3. Mercury • Mercury is the planet closest to the Sun. It take 88 days for Mercury to orbit the Sun, and the average distance from the Sun is 57.9 million km.(36 million miles.) • Mercury has 0 moons. • It takes 59 (Earth) days for Mercury to rotate on it’s axis. • Mercury is a rock planet. • Did you know that Mercury is the smallest planet and it’s hot surface is covered with craters.

4. Venus • Venus is the second closest planet to the Sun, it is 108.2 million km (67.2 million miles) away from the sun. • Venus has 0 moons. It also takes 243 (Earth) days for Venus to rotate on its axis. • Venus is a rock planet like Mercury. • Venus orbits the Sun in 224.7 (Earth) days. • Venus is a similar size to Earth, but it is covered in thick sparkling clouds.

5. Earth • Earth is our home planet. We live 149.2 million km(93 million miles) away from the sun. • Earth has 1 moon. • 23.93 hours is how long it takes for Earth to rotate on it’s axis. • Earth is also a rock planet. • Earth’s solid crust is split into plates, drifting plates sometimes collide and pull apart, causing volcanoes and earthquakes. This reshapes Earth’s surface. • Our planet has a nickname The Water Planet.

6. Mars • Mars is the planet most like Earth. • It takes Mars 687 days to orbit the Sun, and it’s average distance from the Sun is, 227.9 million km(141.6 million miles). • Mars has 2 Moons. • It takes 24.63 hours for Mars to rotate on it’s axis. • Also, now Mars is freezing cold, but million of years ago it used to be boiling hot.

7. Jupiter • Jupiter is the largest planet in the Solar System. • Did you know Jupiter spins round so fast that it’s equator bulges outwards. • It takes Jupiter 11.86 (Earth) years to orbit the Sun. The average distance from the Sun is 778.4 million km.(483.7 million miles.) • Jupiter also has a whopping 63 Moons. • Jupiter rotation period is 9.93 hours. This planet is also a gas planet.

8. Saturn • Saturn is a famous planet because of it’s rings, that wrap around the planet. • It takes 29.66 (Earth) years for Saturn to orbit the Sun, and the average distance from the Sun is 1.43 billion km.(888 million miles.) • It takes 10.66 hours to rotate on it’s axis. Also Saturn has 60 moons.

9. Uranus • Uranus is one of the planets furthest away from the Sun. It’s average distance from the Sun is 4.5 billion km.(2.8 billion miles.) • It takes 164.9 years for Uranus to orbit the Sun, and it takes 16.11 hours for Uranus to orbit on it’s own axis. • Uranus has 13 Moons.

10. Neptune • Neptune orbits the Sun in about 164.9 years, and it’s average distance from the Sun is 4.5 billion km.(2.8 billion miles.) • Neptune has 13 moons. • It take 16.11 hours for Neptune to rotate on it’s own axis. • Neptune is also slightly smaller than Uranus.

11. Pluto • Pluto isn’t really considered a planet in our Solar System, people call it a Dwarf planet. • Pluto has 3 Moons, one called Charon, which is almost half the size of Pluto. • Pluto is a small world, just 2304 km (1432 miles) across.

12. The Moon • The Moon reflects the light from the Sun and it aluminates in the night sky. • The first men on the Moon were American’s called Neil Armstrong, and Buzz Aldrin. • There were some signs of water on the Moon and there is a place called The Sea of Tranquillity.