O Solar system corresponds to a set formed by the sun, asteroids, satellites, meteors, comets and eight planets with spherical shapes which describe elliptical orbits.
The names of the planets in the solar system in their order are:
- Mercury
- Venus
- Earth
- Mars
- Jupiter
- Saturn
- Uranus
- Neptune
Note that prior to 2006, Pluto was considered a planet in the solar system, however, research by the International Astronomical Union (UAI) defined three fundamental concepts for the classification of planets:
- orbit around a star;
- have its own gravity;
- have a free orbit.
Thus, Pluto was considered a dwarf planet because it does not have a free orbit.
To know more: Solar system.
Planets Movements
You planets they are in constant motion so that they revolve around their own orbit or around the sun.
O "rotation movement” designates the movement that the planets make around their own axis (equivalent to the time of 1 day).
Already the "translation movement" defines the movement that the planets make around the sun (equivalent to a time of 1 year).
Read more about theEarth Movements.
Characteristics of Planets in the Solar System
Each planet in the solar system has peculiarities so that they are classified according to its constitution.
In this aspect we can highlight two types of planets:
Mercury is the closest planet to the sun. It is a rocky planet, devoid of satellites and a thin atmosphere, and is also the smallest planet in the solar system. For this reason, it has very high temperatures of approximately 400°C.
On the other hand, the face of the planet not illuminated by the sun can reach temperatures of approximately -170 °C. The rotational movement of the planet is 59 days, while the translation is 87 days.
Known as “Estrela D'Alva”, because of its strong glow, Venus like Mercury is a planet that does not have a satellite. Visible from our planet, Venus is the second planet from the sun and the closest to planet Earth.
Its rotational movement is one of the slowest, with 243 days to complete the turn around itself; and, the translation movement of approximately 225 days.
Interestingly, even being the second planet from the sun (after Mercury), Venus is the hottest planet in the solar system, with temperatures that can reach 480°C. It resembles planet Earth in terms of size, composition, structure, mass, density, and gravitational force.
Third planet in the solar system from the Sun, planet Earth is rocky, with a gaseous atmosphere and an average temperature of 15°C.
It has a natural satellite, the moon, and the amount of water on the planet, also called the "blue planet", combined with the amount of oxygen, allow the development of life on the planet, being the only one in the solar system with life human.
The earth's rotation movement lasts approximately 24 hours (1 day time); while the planet's translation movement lasts 365 days (time of 1 year), except in leap years, which have 366 days.
Fourth planet from the sun and the most visible from planet Earth, Mars has two natural satellites “Phobos and Deimos”, being the second smallest planet in the solar system, behind Mercury.
Also called the “Red Planet”, due to the iron oxide particles present in its atmosphere, the planet Mars is a rocky, cold and dry planet.
The rotation movement of Mars is similar to that of Earth, lasting 24 hours and 37 minutes, while the planet's translation movement is 687 days.
Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system. It is a Gaseous Planet (composed mainly of hydrogen), 1,300 times larger than Planet Earth.
Fifth planet from the sun, Jupiter has the largest number of satellites, 67 satellites, and has temperatures as low as -150°C.
Its rotational movement lasts 9 hours and 55 minutes, considered the fastest rotational movement of all the planets in the solar system; while the planet's translation movement corresponds to about 12 terrestrial years.
The second largest planet in the solar system, after Jupiter, Saturn is known for its rings, formed by rock, ice and dust.
Sixth planet from the sun, after Jupiter, Saturn is the planet in the solar system that has many satellites: 62 moons.
Composed basically of hydrogen, it has an average temperature of -140°C, and its rotational movement lasts 10 hours and 14 minutes and its translation lasts about 30 terrestrial years.
Third largest planet in the solar system and seventh planet from the sun, Uranus is a gaseous planet that averages -185°C in temperature and has 27 satellites.
It has an interesting feature concerning its axis of rotation with almost ninety degrees in relation to the plane of its orbit, which in turn is very extensive.
Thus, the rotation movement of the planet lasts approximately 17 hours, while the translation movement lasts about 165 Earth years.
The planet in the solar system farthest from the sun and the fourth largest in size, Neptune has 14 natural satellites and has average temperatures of approximately -200°C.
It is a gaseous planet, made up mainly of hydrogen, helium, ammonia, methane and water. The planet's rotational movement lasts about 16 hours, while its translation is equivalent to 164 Earth years.
How about meeting others Celestial bodies beyond the planets?
See too Moon Features.
- terrestrial or telluric planets (mainly formed by rocks), located closer to the sun such as Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars;
- gaseous or jovian planets (made up mostly of gases), which are larger and less dense than terrestrial ones: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.