The solar system: Facts about our cosmic neighborhood

It is also the smallest planet in the solar system; at about 3,032 miles (4,879 kilometers) in diameter, it is only slightly larger than Earth''s moon and has no moons of its own. Mercury has no

Planet Sizes and Locations in Our Solar System

Mercury is the smallest planet in our solar system. Mercury is a little more than one-third the width of Earth, and has an equatorial diameter of about 3,032 miles (4,880 kilometers). Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun,

The Planets In Order | From The Sun, Information, History

The small planet has a diameter of 4.879 km / 3.032 mi. Venus. The second closest planet to the Sun. Venus is on average at a distance of 108 million km / 67 million mi or 0.72 AU away from the Sun. It is the hottest planet of the Solar system since its atmosphere keeps the temperatures almost consistently the same.

What is the smallest planet in the solar system?

Mercury, the smallest planet in our solar system, is known for its unique characteristics and contradictions. One of the most notable features is its diffuse atmosphere, which is practically nonexistent. Scientists attribute this to Mercury''s close proximity to the Sun, as the intense heat prevents the planet from retaining an atmosphere.

The Planets in Order of Distance, Size, Mass & More

Mercury is the first planet in our solar system. It is the closest planet to the Sun, located at an average distance of 36 million miles (58 million kilometres) from our star cause this small planet is so close to the Sun''s harmful solar winds, it

Pluto

Pluto is a dwarf planet located in a distant region of our solar system beyond Neptune known as the Kuiper Belt. Pluto was long considered our ninth planet, but the International Astronomical Union reclassified Pluto as a dwarf planet in 2006. NASA''s New Horizons was the first spacecraft to explore Pluto up close, flying by in 2015. Pluto was discovered in 1930 by astronomer Clyde

In Depth | Mercury – NASA Solar System Exploration

The smallest planet in our solar system and nearest to the Sun, Mercury is only slightly larger than Earth''s Moon. From the surface of Mercury, the Sun would appear more than three times as large as it does when viewed from Earth, and the sunlight would be as much as seven times brighter.

Pluto By the Numbers – NASA Solar System Exploration

25,031 mph. The numbers displayed here are approximations. For more precise data, please visit JPL Solar System Dynamics. Page Updated: May 16, 2024. Pluto was once our solar system''s ninth planet, but has been reclassified as a

List of Solar System objects by size

Parts-per-million chart of the relative mass distribution of the Solar System, each cubelet denoting 2 × 10 24 kg. This article includes a list of the most massive known objects of the Solar System and partial lists of smaller objects by observed mean radius.These lists can be sorted according to an object''s radius and mass and, for the most massive objects, volume, density, and surface

In Depth | Our Solar System – NASA Solar System Exploration

Our solar system extends much farther than the eight planets that orbit the Sun. The solar system also includes the Kuiper Belt that lies past Neptune''s orbit. This is a sparsely occupied ring of icy bodies, almost all smaller than the most popular Kuiper Belt Object – dwarf planet Pluto.

Pluto | Size, Moons, Temperature, & Facts | Britannica

Pluto, large, distant member of the solar system that formerly was regarded as the outermost and smallest planet also was considered the most recently discovered planet, having been found in 1930. In August 2006 the International Astronomical Union (IAU), the organization charged by the scientific community with classifying astronomical objects, voted to remove

Mercury (planet)

Mercury is the first planet from the Sun and the smallest in the Solar System English, it is named after the ancient Roman god Mercurius (), god of commerce and communication, and the messenger of the gods.Mercury is classified as a terrestrial planet, with roughly the same surface gravity as Mars.The surface of Mercury is heavily cratered, as a result of countless impact

What is a Planet? | Planets – NASA Solar System Exploration

A planet is a celestial body that (a) is in orbit around the Sun, (b) has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a hydrostatic equilibrium (nearly round) shape, and (c) has cleared the neighbourhood around its orbit.

Mercury (planet)

OverviewPhysical characteristicsNomenclatureOrbit, rotation, and longitudeObservationObservation historySee alsoExternal links

Mercury is one of four terrestrial planets in the Solar System, which means it is a rocky body like Earth. It is the smallest planet in the Solar System, with an equatorial radius of 2,439.7 kilometres (1,516.0 mi). Mercury is also smaller—albeit more massive—than the largest natural satellites in the Solar System, Ganymede and Titan. Mercury consists of approximately 70% metallic and 30%

Solar system | Definition, Planets, Diagram, Videos, & Facts

· Any natural solar system object other than the Sun, a planet, a dwarf planet, or a moon is called a small body; these include asteroids, meteoroids, and comets. Most of the more than one million asteroids, or minor planets, orbit between Mars and Jupiter in a nearly flat ring called the asteroid belt.

In Depth | Sun – NASA Solar System Exploration

The Sun is the largest object in our solar system. Its diameter is about 865,000 miles (1.4 million kilometers). Its gravity holds the solar system together, keeping everything from the biggest planets to the smallest bits of debris in orbit around it.

All Moons in Our Solar System [2024 Update]

Other planets in the solar system have one or more moons orbiting them. As of June 2023, with 146 confirmed moons, Saturn is the planet that has the most moons in Solar System. 1672. It is the second-largest moon of Saturn and the 9th-largest moon in the Solar System. It is the smallest body in the Solar System for which precise

All About Pluto | NASA Space Place – NASA Science for Kids

A while back, Pluto was the ninth planet from the Sun. It was also the smallest planet. But not anymore. Poor Pluto. Just how did it get "kicked out" of our family of planets? And who are its "real" family members? Astronomers have already named four other objects in the solar system that are about the same small size as Pluto.

Mercury: A complete guide to the closest planet to the sun

Mercury is the smallest planet in the solar system — it is only slightly larger than Earth''s moon. Since it has no significant atmosphere to stop impacts, the planet is pockmarked with craters

Meet Mercury: Fascinating details about the smallest planet in our

Mercury is the smallest planet in our solar system and is the closest to the Sun. It is only slightly larger than the Earth''s moon and has a diameter of about 3,031 miles (4,879.4 km), slightly

What Are the Solar System Planets in Order? | HowStuffWorks

For example, if you order the planets by size (radius) from biggest to smallest, then the list would be: Advertisement. The Planets in Order by Size. Jupiter (43,441 miles/69,911 kilometers) Saturn (36,184 miles/58,232 km) Uranus (15,759 miles (25,362 km) Pluto is one of five dwarf planets in our solar system – and it''s not even the

Planets in Order From the Sun | Pictures, Facts, and

The 8 primary planets of the solar system. (MARK GARLICK/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY via Getty Images) Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun and is the smallest of the eight planets being only slightly larger than our moon.

Solar System Sizes

This illustration shows the approximate sizes of the planets relative to each other. Outward from the Sun, the planets are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, followed by the dwarf planet Pluto. Jupiter''s diameter is about 11 times that of the Earth''s and the Sun''s diameter is about 10 times Jupiter''s.

What is the smallest planet? (It''s not Pluto.) Taking a closer look

The smallest planet in our solar system is Mercury. The planet is about 1/3 of the width of Earth with a radius of 1,516 miles. Earth''s moon has a radius of just over 1,000 miles.