Our planetary system of known planets and other objects was formed during the formation of the Sun and the entire solar system. In the same way, during the process of formation of other stars, some of them formed objects that formed their planetary system.
As of the end of April 2013, 692 such planetary systems around stars are known to contain planets from other solar systems, with 132 such systems having more than one planet.
If detecting and studying a distant star becomes not such an insoluble problem for modern science, then it is still quite difficult to detect a planet near this bright star, therefore, most often the planets found in other solar systems are large gas giants like our Jupiter and Saturn. Such planets outside our solar system are called exoplanets. Now it is already known about the existence of 884 planets that have their own stars-Suns, and in the Milky Way galaxy itself, according to some data, there should be over 100 billion planets, from 5 to 20 billion of which, possibly, have characteristics similar to our Earth.
Known planetary systems
PSR 1257 + 12 is the very first planetary system, a pulsar that transmits pulses of radio emission in the form of periodically repeating bursts, which were discovered in 1991 by the Polish astronomer Alexander Wolshchan.
The pulsar PSR 1257+12 is located 1000 light-years from our solar system. Four planets have been discovered in a single system B, C and D that resemble our Mercury, Venus and Earth, as well as an unconfirmed fourth dwarf planet like our Pluto.
The planets, indeed, are similar to the terrestrial planets of our system. Thus, the circulation around the other Sun of planet B is 25.262 days; planet C - 66.5419 days; planet D - 98.2114 days. True, despite the fact that 2 of them are planets close in mass and some parameters to the Earth, the living conditions for humans on the planets are unacceptable due to the strong microwave radiation of the pulsar, the strongest magnetic field, and besides, constant acid rains are likely to occur on the planets .
If at least some organic life can exist on the planets, it is only under the depth of protective ice and water. On the surface, the doses of radiation are too strong for the development of organisms, but it is believed that the so-called bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans, found on Earth, can survive even stronger doses of radiation, which means that it is possible that evolution on other planets can create organisms for life in conditions pulsar.
Upsilon Andromedae is a yellow star similar to our Sun in which a planetary system has been discovered. This star is 43.9 light years away and is visible to the naked eye. Four planets were found in its rays.
Planet B has an orbital period of only 4.617 days and bears a resemblance to our hot giant, Jupiter; planet C - the gas giant revolves around its star for 241.5 days; planet D - equal to 10 masses of Jupiter with a circulation of 1284 days, and the orbit of the fourth planet E, which is much further than the other planets of its system, is also calculated.
A yellow dwarf star, visible to the naked eye in good skies, closely similar in parameters to the Sun in the constellation Pegasus at a distance of 50.1 light years.
The discovered planet b, according to the characteristics of an exoplanet that has an orbit around its Sun, is most likely a gas giant and has a short orbital period of 4.23 days
A Sun-like star in the constellation of Cancer that has a Planet f in its planetary system that could theoretically have water.
In total, the system is known about 5 planets, but there are assumptions about the existence of 2 more planets. Planet e is interesting - a hot super-Earth, the mass of which exceeds the mass of our Earth and contains a large proportion of carbon, and the period of revolution is 17 hours 41 minutes. The fifth planet discovered was planet f, which is 45 times more massive than Earth but has a slightly warmer surface temperature than Earth because its star is dimmer and cooler than our Sun. The presence of water in large quantities on the surface of this fifth planet is assumed.
A very young, still emerging new solar system, UX Taurus, is located 450 light-years from our Sun. It was discovered using a spacecraft with a powerful infrared telescope Spitzer, which operates in orbit of the planet Earth. A gas and dust disk with a huge gap was discovered around the star of this new solar system, and since this is not observed in other protoplanetary disks of young stars, astronomers agreed that an amazing picture of the formation of a new system from the Sun and its surrounding planets has opened before us.
Exoplanets of other solar systems
An exoplanet in the constellation of Ophiuchus, located 40 light-years from Earth, on which an ocean is theoretically possible. The planet is 2.5 times larger and 6.5 times heavier than the Earth, and the year lasts only 36 hours, according to some calculations and assumptions, the planet may consist of 75% water and 25% rocky materials, and hydrogen must be present in the atmosphere and helium. A unique phenomenon of properties on the planet, due to the composition of the planet's atmosphere from thick watery vapor at a high temperature of 200 ° C, researchers believe that the water on the planet is in a state uncharacteristic for our Earth, such as "hot ice" and "super liquid water".
The planet discovered by the Kepler telescope of the same name is the smallest of the exoplanets, judging by its density, it is an iron planet, has a mass 1.4 times that of the earth and revolves around itself almost like our planet in 0.84 Earth days. True, the surface temperature of the planet is most likely very hot 1527 ° C.
Gliese 667 Cc
Gliese 667 C c- the second in a row from the red dwarf star Gliese 581 planet in the constellation Libra, which is 20 light years from us. The temperature of the atmosphere, like the earth's, on the surface of the planet can be +27 ° C, given the presence of 1% CO2 in the composition with a greenhouse effect.
The parent star around which the planet revolves is not bright, because it is a red dwarf, but due to its proximity to it, it receives up to 90% of the energy from it (about the same amount the Earth receives from the Sun), which means that the conditions for the existence of life on this planet are quite acceptable. Due to its close proximity to its sun and the huge size of the star, the sky above the planet's surface will scatter a reddish color.
Gliese 581d
The third planet from its red dwarf star Gliese 581, which may be habitable. This is a very large planet, twice the size of our Earth. Interestingly, modeling of the planet for habitability has shown that it may have an atmosphere with very high clouds of dry ice, where precipitation is possible at lower altitudes.
The planet is located very close to the star, but since its sun is a red dwarf, it receives heat from its star not so hot and the temperature on the planet's surface is not much more than 0 ° C. During the daytime, a huge orb of a dimly glowing star looms over the planet, painting the landscape a gloomy orange-red color.
Gliese 581g
But on this planet, located in the system of the red dwarf star Gliese 581 at a distance of 20 light years from us, the conditions are the most suitable for the existence and development of life from all currently known exoplanets. The planet, which is fourth from its red dwarf sun, may have an atmosphere and liquid water, and a surface of rocky mountains and rock formations. There is an interesting assumption that the planet always faces only one side of its star, which means that on one hot half of the planet it is always daytime, where the temperature rises to +71 ° C, and on the other eternal night, where theoretically there can be snow at a temperature -34 °С. While a planet might have a thick atmosphere, the distribution of heat could warm the entire planet, making some areas quite habitable.
By the way, the Australian scientist Ragbir Bhatal, who is a member of the SETI project to search for extraterrestrial civilizations, claimed that in December 2008 he discovered sharp flashes from the surface of the planet, reminiscent of a laser action. Unfortunately, some scientists have refuted this version.
The closest exoplanet in size to our Earth, but due to its very close location to its sun, the temperature on the surface can be 760 ° C, and the year can run very quickly - in just 6 days.
A planet that enters the habitable zone, where conditions could theoretically become suitable for life. The planet, located in the constellation Sail at a distance of 36 light-years from us, is warmed by the moderate rays of its warm orange dwarf star HD 85512. the value will already be +78 °C. The planet is more likely to have water in liquid form. The parent sun of this planet shines 8 times weaker than our Sun, coloring the surface with a moderate orange color, but due to its proximity to the star, the planet receives the heat and light necessary for the emergence of organic life.
An ocean planet located at a distance of about 620 light years from our Earth. The period of revolution of the planet around its star Kepler is 290 days, and the temperature, if it turns out that the planet has an atmosphere, will be about + 22 ° C, which is beneficial for life on it. The only thing is that this planet most likely belongs to the class of mini-Neptunes, its entire surface most likely consists of the ocean, so if there is life on the planet, then it is most likely water.
GD 66b
GD 66b- probably a helium exoplanet orbiting the white dwarf GD 66. The planet most likely has very low temperatures and twilight reigns on it, which is associated with the low luminosity of its native sun - the white dwarf.
Planet with 3 suns in the constellation Cygnus. An exoplanet located in an amazing system consisting of three stars. From the surface of this planet, one can see the main bright star HD 188753 A, which is a powerful source of light and heat, as well as the much less bright orange dwarf HD 188753 B and the dim red dwarf HD 188753 C. The planet belongs to the class of gas giants and has an orbit around its main star 3.35 days.
The closest planet to Earth in another solar system, Alpha Centauri, is about 4.37 light-years from our Sun. It has its own star of the solar type Alpha Centauri B and is a planet of the super-Earth type classification and rotates very close to its star at a distance of about 6 million km, so the surface temperature is very high 1200 ° C, and if you could imagine a view of the starry sky from this planet , then (image by the artist in the picture) from the planet you can see a huge hot native star and a small luminous dot (in the upper right corner of the picture) - our Sun.
The solar system consists of eight planets and more than 63 of their satellites, which are being discovered more and more often, as well as several dozen comets and a large number of asteroids. All cosmic bodies move along their clear directed trajectories around the Sun, which is 1000 times heavier than all the bodies in the solar system combined.
How many planets revolve around the sun
How the planets of the solar system originated: approximately 5-6 billion years ago, one of the gas and dust clouds of our large Galaxy (the Milky Way), which has the shape of a disk, began to shrink towards the center, gradually forming the current Sun. Further, according to one of the theories, under the influence of powerful forces of attraction, a large number of dust and gas particles rotating around the Sun began to stick together into balls - forming future planets. According to another theory, the gas and dust cloud immediately broke up into separate clusters of particles, which, compressed and compacted, formed the current planets. Now 8 planets revolve around the sun constantly.
The center of the solar system is the Sun, the star around which the planets revolve in orbits. They do not emit heat and do not glow, but only reflect the light of the sun. There are currently 8 officially recognized planets in the solar system. Briefly, in order of distance from the sun, we list them all. And now some definitions.
Planet satellites. The solar system also includes the Moon and the natural satellites of other planets, which all of them have, except for Mercury and Venus. More than 60 satellites are known. Most satellites of the outer planets were discovered when they received photographs taken by robotic spacecraft. Jupiter's smallest moon, Leda, is only 10 km across.
The Sun 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. The age is about 5 billion years. It has a diameter at the equator equal to 1,392,000 km, 109 times larger than the 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 332950 times the mass of the Earth. The temperature inside the core is about 15 million degrees Celsius. The surface temperature is about 5500 degrees Celsius.
According to the chemical composition, the Sun consists of 75% hydrogen, and of the other 25% of the elements, most of all helium. Now, in order, let's figure out how many planets revolve around the sun, in the solar system and the characteristics of the planets.
Solar system planets in order from the sun in pictures
Mercury is the 1st planet in the solar system
Mercury. The four inner planets (nearest to the Sun) - Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars - have a solid surface. They are smaller than four giant planets. Mercury moves faster than other planets, being burned by the sun's rays during the day and freezing at night.
Characteristics of the planet Mercury:
Period of revolution around the Sun: 87.97 days.
Diameter at the equator: 4878 km.
Rotation period (turn around the 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.
Venus is the 2nd planet in the solar system
Venus is more similar to Earth in size and brightness. Observation of it is difficult because of the clouds enveloping it. The surface is a hot, rocky desert.
Characteristics of the planet Venus:
Period of revolution around the Sun: 224.7 days.
Diameter at the equator: 12104 km.
Rotation period (turn around the axis): 243 days.
Surface temperature: 480 degrees (average).
Atmosphere: dense, mostly carbon dioxide.
How many satellites: 0.
The main satellites of the planet: 0.
Earth is the 3rd planet in the solar system
Apparently, the Earth was formed from a gas and dust cloud, like other planets in the solar system. Particles of gas and dust, colliding, gradually "raised" the planet. The temperature on the surface reached 5000 degrees Celsius. Then the Earth cooled down and became covered with a hard stone crust. But the temperature in the bowels is still quite high - 4500 degrees. Rocks in the bowels are molten and pour out to the surface during volcanic eruptions. Only on earth there is water. That's why life exists here. It is located relatively close to the Sun to receive the necessary heat and light, but far enough away so as not to burn out.
Characteristics of the planet Earth:
Period of revolution around the Sun: 365.3 days.
Diameter at the equator: 12756 km.
The period of rotation of the planet (rotation around the axis): 23 hours 56 minutes.
Surface temperature: 22 degrees (average).
Atmosphere: mostly nitrogen and oxygen.
Number of satellites: 1.
The main satellites of the planet: the Moon.
Mars is the 4th planet in the solar system
Due to the similarity with the Earth, it was believed that life exists here. But the spacecraft that landed on the surface of Mars found no signs of life. This is the fourth planet in order.
Characteristics of the planet Mars:
Period of revolution around the Sun: 687 days.
Diameter of the planet at the equator: 6794 km.
Rotation period (rotation around the axis): 24 hours 37 minutes.
Surface temperature: -23 degrees (average).
Atmosphere of the planet: rarefied, mostly carbon dioxide.
How many satellites: 2.
Main moons in order: Phobos, Deimos.
Jupiter is the 5th planet in the solar system
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are made up of hydrogen and other gases. Jupiter is more than 10 times larger than Earth 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 much planet Jupiter does it take to become a star? It is necessary to increase its mass by 75 times!
Characteristics of the planet Jupiter:
The period of revolution around the Sun: 11 years 314 days.
Diameter of the planet at the equator: 143884 km.
Rotation period (turn around the 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.
Saturn is the 6th planet in the solar system
This is the number 2 largest of the planets in the solar system. Saturn draws attention to itself due to the ring system formed from 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.
Characteristics of the planet Saturn:
The period of revolution around the Sun: 29 years 168 days.
Diameter of the planet at the equator: 120536 km.
Rotation period (turn around the axis): 10 hours 14 minutes.
Surface temperature: -180 degrees (average).
Atmosphere: mostly hydrogen and helium.
Number of satellites: 18 (+ rings).
Main satellites: Titan.
Uranus is the 7th planet in the solar system
Unique planet in the solar system. Its peculiarity is that it revolves 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 64,000 km and had six hours to take photos, which it successfully completed.
Characteristics of the planet Uranus:
Orbital period: 84 years 4 days.
Diameter at the equator: 51118 km.
The period of rotation of the planet (rotation around the axis): 17 hours 14 minutes.
Surface temperature: -214 degrees (average).
Atmosphere: mostly hydrogen and helium.
How many satellites: 15 (+ rings).
Main satellites: Titania, Oberon.
Neptune is the 8th planet in the solar system
At the moment, Neptune is considered the last planet in the solar system. Its discovery took place by the method of mathematical calculations, and then they saw it through a telescope. In 1989, Voyager 2 flew by. He took amazing photographs of the blue surface of Neptune and its largest moon, Triton.
Characteristics of the planet Neptune:
The period of revolution around the Sun: 164 years 292 days.
Diameter at the equator: 50538 km.
Rotation period (turn around the axis): 16 hours 7 minutes.
Surface temperature: -220 degrees (average).
Atmosphere: mostly hydrogen and helium.
Number of satellites: 8.
Main moons: Triton.
How many planets in the solar system: 8 or 9?
Previously, for many years, astronomers recognized the presence of 9 planets, that is, Pluto was also considered a planet, like the rest of everyone already known. But in the 21st century, scientists were able to prove that it is not a planet at all, which means that there are 8 planets in the solar system.
Now, if you are asked how many planets are in the solar system, answer boldly - 8 planets in our system. It has been officially recognized since 2006. When lining up the planets of the solar system in order from the sun, use the finished picture. What do you think, maybe Pluto should not have been removed from the list of planets and these are scientific prejudices?
How many planets in the solar system: video, watch for free
This is a system of planets, in the center of which is a bright star, the source of energy, heat and light - the Sun.
According to one theory, the Sun was formed along with the solar system about 4.5 billion years ago as a result of the explosion of one or more supernovae. Initially, the solar system was a cloud of gas and dust particles, which, in motion and under the influence of their mass, formed a disk in which a new star, the Sun, and our entire solar system arose.
At the center of the solar system is the Sun, around which nine large planets revolve in orbits. Since the Sun is displaced from the center of the planetary orbits, then during the cycle of revolution around the Sun, the planets either approach or move away in their orbits.
There are two groups of planets:
Terrestrial planets: and . These planets are small in size with a rocky surface, they are closer than others to the Sun.
Giant planets: and . These are large planets, consisting mainly of gas, and they are characterized by the presence of rings consisting of ice dust and many rocky pieces.
And here does not fall into any group, because, despite its location in the solar system, it is located too far from the Sun and has a very small diameter, only 2320 km, which is half the diameter of Mercury.
Planets of the solar system
Let's start a fascinating acquaintance with the planets of the solar system in order of their location from the Sun, and also consider their main satellites and some other space objects (comets, asteroids, meteorites) in the gigantic expanses of our planetary system.
Rings and moons of Jupiter: Europa, Io, Ganymede, Callisto and others...
The planet Jupiter is surrounded by a whole family of 16 satellites, and each of them has its own, unlike other features ...
Rings and moons of Saturn: Titan, Enceladus and more...
Not only the planet Saturn has characteristic rings, but also on other giant planets. Around Saturn, the rings are especially clearly visible, because they consist of billions of small particles that revolve around the planet, in addition to several rings, Saturn has 18 satellites, one of which is Titan, its diameter is 5000 km, which makes it the largest satellite in the solar system ...
Rings and moons of Uranus: Titania, Oberon and others...
The planet Uranus has 17 satellites and, like other giant planets, thin rings encircling the planet, which practically do not have the ability to reflect light, therefore they were discovered not so long ago in 1977 quite by accident ...
Rings and moons of Neptune: 
Triton, Nereid and others...
Initially, before the exploration of Neptune by the Voyager 2 spacecraft, it was known about two satellites of the planet - Triton and Nerida. An interesting fact is that the Triton satellite has a reverse direction of orbital motion, and strange volcanoes were also discovered on the satellite that spewed nitrogen gas like geysers, spreading a dark mass (from liquid to vapor) for many kilometers into the atmosphere. During its mission, Voyager 2 discovered six more satellites of the planet Neptune...
Pluto by decision of the MAC (International Astronomical Union) no longer refers to the planets of the solar system, but is a dwarf planet and even inferior in diameter to the other dwarf planet Eris. Pluto's designation is 134340.
solar system
Scientists put forward many versions of the origin of our solar system. In the 40s of the last century, Otto Schmidt hypothesized that the solar system arose because cold dust clouds were attracted to the Sun. Over time, clouds formed the foundations of future planets. In modern science, it is Schmidt's theory that is the main one. The solar system is only a small part of a large galaxy called the Milky Way. The Milky Way contains over a hundred billion different stars. It took humanity thousands of years to realize such a simple truth. The discovery of the solar system did not happen immediately, step by step, on the basis of victories and mistakes, a system of knowledge was formed. The main basis for studying the solar system was knowledge about the Earth.
Fundamentals and Theories
The main milestones in the study of the solar system are the modern atomic system, the heliocentric system of Copernicus and Ptolemy. The most likely version of the origin of the system is the Big Bang theory. In accordance with it, the formation of the galaxy began with the "scattering" of the elements of the megasystem. At the turn of the impenetrable house, our solar system was born. The basis of everything is the Sun - 99.8% of the total volume, the planets account for 0.13%, the remaining 0.0003% are various bodies of our system. Scientists divide the planets into two conditional groups . The first includes planets of the Earth type: the Earth itself, Venus, Mercury. The main distinguishing characteristics of the planets of the first group are a relatively small area, hardness, and a small number of satellites. The second group includes Uranus, Neptune and Saturn - they are distinguished by their large size (giant planets), they are formed by helium and hydrogen gases.
In addition to the Sun and planets, our system also includes planetary satellites, comets, meteorites and asteroids.
Particular attention should be paid to the asteroid belts that are located between Jupiter and Mars, and between the orbits of Pluto and Neptune. At the moment, there is no unequivocal version of the emergence of such formations in science.
Which planet is not considered a planet now:
Pluto was considered a planet from the time of its discovery until 2006, but later in the outer part of the solar system many celestial bodies comparable in size to Pluto and even exceeding it were discovered. To avoid confusion, a new definition of the planet was given. Pluto did not fall under this definition, so it was assigned a new "status" - a dwarf planet. So, Pluto can serve as an answer to the question: before it was considered a planet, but now it is not. However, some scientists continue to believe that Pluto should be reclassified back into a planet.
Scientists' forecasts
Based on research, scientists say that the sun is approaching the middle of its life path. It is unimaginable to imagine what will happen if the Sun goes out. But scientists say it's not only possible, it's inevitable. The age of the Sun was determined using the latest computer developments and found out that it has about five billion years. According to astronomical law, the life of a star like the Sun lasts about ten billion years. Thus, our solar system is in the middle of the life cycle. What do scientists mean by the word "goes out"? The huge solar energy is the energy of hydrogen, which in the core becomes helium. Every second, about six hundred tons of hydrogen in the core of the Sun is converted into helium. According to scientists, the Sun has already used up most of its hydrogen reserves.
If instead of the Moon there were planets of the solar system:
> Planets
Explore everything planets of the solar system in order and learn the names, new scientific facts and interesting features of the surrounding worlds with photos and videos.
There are 8 planets in the solar system: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Earth, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. The first 4 belong to the inner solar system and are considered terrestrial planets. Jupiter and Saturn are large planets of the solar system and representatives of gas giants (huge and filled with hydrogen and helium), while Uranus and Neptune are ice giants (large and represented by heavier elements).
Previously, Pluto was considered the ninth planet, but since 2006 it has moved into the category of dwarf planets. This dwarf planet was first discovered by Clyde Tomb. Now it is one of the largest objects in the Kuiper belt - a cluster of icy bodies on the outer edge of our system. Pluto lost its planetary status after the IAU (International Astronomical Union) revised the concept itself.
According to the decision of the IAU, a planet of the solar system is a body that performs an orbital passage around the Sun, endowed with sufficient mass to form in the form of a sphere and clear the area around it from foreign objects. Pluto could not meet the last requirement, and therefore became a dwarf planet. Other similar objects include Ceres, Makemake, Haumea, and Eridu.
With a small atmosphere, harsh surface features and 5 moons, Pluto is considered the most complex dwarf planet and one of the most amazing planets in our solar system.
But scientists do not lose hope of finding the mysterious Ninth Planet - after they announced a hypothetical object in 2016 that affects bodies from the Kuiper belt by gravity. In terms of parameters, it is 10 times the mass of the Earth and 5,000 times more massive than Pluto. Below is a list of the planets of the solar system with photos, names, descriptions, detailed characteristics and interesting facts for children and adults.
Variety of planets
Astrophysicist Sergei Popov on gas and ice giants, binary star systems and single planets:
Hot planetary coronas
Astronomer Valery Shematovich on the study of gas shells of planets, hot particles in the atmosphere and discoveries on Titan:
| Planet | Diameter relative to Earth | Mass, relative to the Earth | Orbital radius, a. e. | Orbital period, Earth years | Day, relative to the earth |
Density, kg/m³ | satellites |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0,382 | 0,06 | 0,38 | 0,241 | 58,6 | 5427 | No | |
| 0,949 | 0,82 | 0,72 | 0,615 | 243 | 5243 | No | |
| 1,0 | 1,0 | 1,0 | 1,0 | 1,0 | 5515 | 1 | |
| 0,53 | 0,11 | 1,52 | 1,88 | 1,03 | 3933 | 2 | |
| 0,074 | 0,000013 | 2,76 | 4,6 | 0,46 | ~2000 | No | |
| 11,2 | 318 | 5,20 | 11,86 | 0,414 | 1326 | 67 | |
| 9,41 | 95 | 9,54 | 29,46 | 0,426 | 687 | 62 | |
| 3,98 | 14,6 | 19,22 | 84,01 | 0,718 | 1270 | 27 | |
| 3,81 | 17,2 | 30,06 | 164,79 | 0,671 | 1638 | 14 | |
| 0,098 | 0,0017 | 39,2 | 248,09 | 6,3 | 2203 | 5 | |
| 0,032 | 0,00066 | 42,1 | 281,1 | 0,03 | ~1900 | 2 | |
| 0,033 | 0,00065 | 45,2 | 306,28 | 1,9 | ~1700 | No | |
| 0,1 | 0,0019 | 68,03 | 561,34 | 1,1 | ~2400 | 1 |
Terrestrial planets of the solar system
The first 4 planets from the Sun are called terrestrial planets because their surface is rocky. Pluto also has a solid surface layer (frozen), but it belongs to the dwarf type planets.
Gas giant planets of the solar system
4 gas giants live in the outer solar system, as they are quite huge and gaseous. But Uranus and Neptune are different because they have more ice. Therefore, they are also called ice giants. However, all gas giants have one thing in common: they are all made up of hydrogen and helium.
The IAU put forward the definition of a planet:
- The object must revolve around the sun;
- Have enough mass to take the shape of a ball;
- Clear your orbital path from foreign objects;
Pluto could not meet the latter requirement, as it shares an orbital path with a huge number of bodies from the Kuiper belt. But not everyone agreed with the definition. However, dwarf planets such as Eris, Haumea and Makemake appeared on the scene.
Ceres also lives between Mars and Jupiter. She was noticed in 1801 and considered a planet. Some still consider it the 10th planet of the solar system.
Dwarf planets of the solar system
Formation of planetary systems
Astronomer Dmitry Wiebe about stone planets and giant planets, the diversity of planetary systems and hot Jupiters:
Solar system planets in order
Below are the characteristics of the 8 major planets of the solar system in order from the sun:
The first planet from the Sun is Mercury
Mercury is the first planet from the Sun. It rotates in an elliptical orbit with a distance of 46-70 million km from the Sun. It spends 88 days on one orbital span, and 59 days on an axial span. Due to the slow rotation, a day spans 176 days. The axial tilt is extremely small.
With a diameter of 4887 km, the first planet from the Sun reaches 5% of the earth's mass. Surface gravity - 1/3 of the earth. The planet is practically devoid of an atmospheric layer, so it is hot during the day and freezes at night. The temperature mark fluctuates between +430°C and -180°C.
There is a crater surface and an iron core. But the magnetic field is inferior to the earth. Initially, radars indicated the presence of water ice at the poles. The Messenger confirmed the assumptions and found deposits at the bottom of the craters, which are all the time immersed in shadow.
The first planet from the Sun is located close to the star, so it can be seen before dawn and just after sunset.
- Name: the messenger of the gods in the Roman pantheon.
- Diameter: 4878 km.
- Orbit: 88 days.
- Day length: 58.6 days.
Second planet from the Sun - Venus
Venus is the second planet from the Sun. Travels in an almost circular orbit at a distance of 108 million km. It comes closest to the Earth and can reduce the distance to 40 million km.
It spends 225 days on an orbital path, and an axial rotation (clockwise) lasts 243 days. A day covers 117 Earth days. The axial tilt is 3 degrees.
In diameter (12100 km), the second planet from the Sun almost converges with the earth and reaches 80% of the earth's mass. The gravity indicator is 90% of the earth. The planet has a dense atmospheric layer, where the pressure is 90 times higher than the earth's. The atmosphere is filled with carbon dioxide with thick sulfur clouds, which creates a powerful greenhouse effect. It is because of this that the surface warms up by 460 ° C (the hottest planet in the system).
The surface of the second planet from the Sun is hidden from direct observation, but scientists managed to create a map using radar. Sheltered by large volcanic plains with two huge continents, mountains and valleys. There are also impact craters. A weak magnetic field is observed.
- Detection: The ancients saw without the use of tools.
- Name: Roman goddess responsible for love and beauty.
- Diameter: 12104 km.
- Orbit: 225 days.
- Day length: 241 days.
Third planet from the Sun - Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun. It is the largest and densest of the inner planets. The orbital path is 150 million km away from the Sun. It has a single companion and developed life.
The orbital flyby takes 365.25 days, and the axial rotation takes 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4 seconds. The length of the day is 24 hours. The axial tilt is 23.4 degrees, and the diameter index is 12742 km.
The third planet from the Sun was formed 4.54 billion years ago and the Moon has been nearby for most of its existence. It is believed that the satellite appeared after a huge object crashed into the Earth and pulled material into orbit. It was the Moon that stabilized the earth's axial tilt and acts as a source of tide formation.
The satellite in diameter covers 3747 km (27% of the Earth's) and is located at a distance of 362000-405000 km. Experiencing a planetary gravitational effect, due to which it slowed down the axial rotation and fell into the gravitational block (therefore, one side is turned towards the Earth).
The planet is protected from stellar radiation by a powerful magnetic field formed by an active core (molten iron).
- Diameter: 12760 km.
- Orbit: 365.24 days.
- Day length: 23 hours and 56 minutes.
The fourth planet from the Sun is Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun. The red planet moves along an eccentric orbital path - 230 million km. It spends 686 days on one flight around the Sun, and an axial rotation - 24 hours and 37 minutes. It is tilted at 25.1 degrees and a day lasts 24 hours and 39 minutes. The slope resembles the Earth, so it has seasons.
The diameter of the fourth planet from the Sun (6792 km) is half that of the earth, and the mass reaches 1/10 of the earth. The gravity indicator is 37%.
Mars is unprotected as a magnetic field, so the original atmosphere was destroyed by the solar wind. The devices recorded the outflow of atoms into space. As a result, the pressure reaches 1% of the earth's, and a thin atmospheric layer is represented by 95% carbon dioxide.
The fourth planet from the Sun is extremely frosty, where temperatures drop to -87°C in winter and rise to -5°C in summer. It is a dusty place with gigantic storms capable of covering the entire surface.
- Detection: The ancients saw without the use of tools.
- Title: Roman god of war.
- Diameter: 6787 km.
- Orbit: 687 days.
- Day length: 24 hours and 37 minutes.
Fifth planet from the Sun - Jupiter
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun. In addition, in front of you is the largest planet in the system, which is 2.5 times more massive than all the planets and covers 1/1000 of the solar mass.
It is 780 million km away from the Sun and spends 12 years on an orbital path. It is filled with hydrogen (75%) and helium (24%) and may have a rocky core immersed in liquid metallic hydrogen with a diameter of 110,000 km. The total planetary diameter is 142,984 km.
In the upper layer of the atmosphere there are 50-kilometer clouds, represented by ammonia crystals. They are in lanes moving at different speeds and latitudes. The Great Red Spot, a large-scale storm, seems noteworthy.
The fifth planet from the Sun spends 10 hours on an axial rotation. This is a rapid speed, which means that the equatorial diameter is 9000 km more than the polar one.
- Detection: The ancients saw without the use of tools.
- Name: the main god in the Roman pantheon.
- Diameter: 139822 km.
- Orbit: 11.9 years.
- Day length: 9.8 hours.
The sixth planet from the Sun is Saturn
Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun. Saturn is in the 2nd position in terms of scale in the system, exceeding the earth's radius by 9 times (57,000 km) and 95 times more massive.
It is 1400 million km away from the Sun and spends 29 years on an orbital flight. Filled with hydrogen (96%) and helium (3%). May have a rocky core in liquid metallic hydrogen with a diameter of 56,000 km. The upper layers are represented by liquid water, hydrogen, ammonium hydrosulfide and helium.
The core is heated up to 11700°C and produces more heat than the planet receives from the Sun. The higher we climb, the lower the degree drops. At the top, the temperature is kept at -180°C and 0°C at a depth of 350 km.
The cloud layers of the sixth planet from the Sun resemble the picture of Jupiter, but they are fainter and wider. There is also the Great White Spot, a brief periodic storm. It spends 10 hours and 39 minutes on an axial turn, but it is difficult to give an exact figure, since there are no fixed surface features.
- Detection: The ancients saw without the use of tools.
- Name: god of economy in the Roman pantheon.
- Diameter: 120500 km.
- Orbit: 29.5 days.
- Day length: 10.5 hours.
The seventh planet from the Sun is Uranus
Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun. Uranus is a representative of the ice giants and is the 3rd largest in the system. In diameter (50,000 km) it is 4 times larger than the earth and 14 times more massive.
It is distant by 2900 million km and spends 84 years on the orbital path. Surprisingly, according to the axial tilt (97 degrees), the planet literally rotates on its side.
It is believed that there is a small rocky core around which a mantle of water, ammonia and methane is concentrated. This is followed by a hydrogen, helium and methane atmosphere. The seventh planet from the Sun is also distinguished by the fact that it does not radiate more internal heat, so the temperature mark drops to -224 ° C (the frostiest planet).
- Discovery: Noticed by William Herschel in 1781.
- Name: personification of the sky.
- Diameter: 51120 km.
- Orbit: 84 years old.
- Day length: 18 hours.
Neptune is the eighth planet from the Sun. Neptune has been the official last planet in the solar system since 2006. The diameter is 49,000 km, and in terms of massiveness it is 17 times larger than the earth.
It is distant by 4500 million km and spends 165 years on an orbital flight. Due to its remoteness, only 1% of solar radiation (compared to Earth) enters the planet. The axial tilt is 28 degrees, and the rotation is completed in 16 hours.
The meteorology of the eighth planet from the Sun is more pronounced than that of Uranus, so powerful storm actions can be seen at the poles in the form of dark spots. The wind accelerates to 600 m/s, and the temperature mark drops to -220°C. The core is heated up to 5200°C.
- Discovery: 1846.
- Title: Roman god of water.
- Diameter: 49530 km.
- Orbit: 165 years.
- Day length: 19 hours.
This is a small world, inferior in size to the terrestrial satellite. The orbit intersects with Neptune and in 1979-1999. it could be considered the 8th planet in terms of distance from the Sun. Pluto will remain beyond the orbit of Neptune for more than two hundred years. The orbital path is tilted to the system plane by 17.1 degrees. Frosty World visited New Horizons in 2015.
- Discovery: 1930 - Clyde Tombaugh.
- Title: Roman god of the underworld.
- Diameter: 2301 km.
- Orbit: 248 years.
- Day length: 6.4 days.
The ninth planet is a hypothetical object residing in the outer system. Its gravity should explain the behavior of trans-Neptunian objects.
