The Sun, or Sol, is a yellow dwarf, and it holds all the other objects in the Solar system in orbit around itself. The Sun is 865,121 miles in diameter, and is so heavy that it accounts for nearly 99% of the Solar System's mass. It has a gravitational pull 27.9 times that of Earth.

The average temperature on the surface of the Sun is 9,900 degrees F, and it is made up mostly of hydrogen and helium.

The Sun produces energy at approximately 1,368 watts per square metre of its surface (measured from Earth). If space were able to transmit sound, the noise the Sun makes would easily reach earth, but would be too low-pitched for humans to hear.

The Sun is slowly growing, and will eventually explode into a Red Giant and then shrink rapidly to a white dwarf, taking the Solar system with it. Don't start panicking just yet though - that's at least five billion years away. The Sun, or Sol, is a yellow dwarf, and it holds all the other objects in the Solar system in orbit around itself. The Sun is 865,121 miles in diameter, and is so heavy that it accounts for nearly 99% of the Solar System's mass. It has a gravitational pull 27.9 times that of Earth.The average temperature on the surface of the Sun is 9,900 degrees F, and it is made up mostly of hydrogen and helium.The Sun produces energy at approximately 1,368 watts per square metre of its surface (measured from Earth). If space were able to transmit sound, the noise the Sun makes would easily reach earth, but would be too low-pitched for humans to hear.The Sun is slowly growing, and will eventually explode into a Red Giant and then shrink rapidly to a white dwarf, taking the Solar system with it. Don't start panicking just yet though - that's at least five billion years away.

Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun and the smallest in the Solar system, only 3,032 miles across. It's pretty hot here, around 427°C at the height of the 1,408-hour day. The Sun is 'only' 36,000,000 miles away.

Mercury is difficult to see from the Earth because of it's proximity to the Sun, but it is visible at sunrise and sunset. The ancient Greeks thought Mercury was two seperate planets, which they called Apollo (which was visible at sunrise) and Hermes (which was visible at sunset).

Like the Moon, Mercury is covered in impact craters, the largest being around 2,300km across. However, Mercury doesn't have any moons of its own.

Because of its slow rotation and fast orbit around the Sun, there are only three of Mercury's days in two of its years! Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun and the smallest in the Solar system, only 3,032 miles across. It's pretty hot here, around 427°C at the height of the 1,408-hour day. The Sun is 'only' 36,000,000 miles away.Mercury is difficult to see from the Earth because of it's proximity to the Sun, but it is visible at sunrise and sunset. The ancient Greeks thought Mercury was two seperate planets, which they called Apollo (which was visible at sunrise) and Hermes (which was visible at sunset).Like the Moon, Mercury is covered in impact craters, the largest being around 2,300km across. However, Mercury doesn't have any moons of its own.Because of its slow rotation and fast orbit around the Sun, there are only three of Mercury's days in two of its years!

Venus is the brightest object in the night sky, apart from the Moon. It is 67,000,000 miles from the Sun, and is 7,521 miles in diameter.

It is similar to Earth in size and mass, and has similar gravity too. We won't be moving there anytime soon though - the surface temperature is over 460°C - higher than Mercury's! This is because of a very thick atmosphere creating the strongest greenhouse effect in the Solar system. If you stood on the surface of Venus, the atmospheric pressure is similar to being 1km underwater on Earth.

Venus is the only planet to be named after a female figure, although two of the dwarf planets (Ceres and Eris) also have female names. Venus is the brightest object in the night sky, apart from the Moon. It is 67,000,000 miles from the Sun, and is 7,521 miles in diameter.It is similar to Earth in size and mass, and has similar gravity too. We won't be moving there anytime soon though - the surface temperature is over 460°C - higher than Mercury's! This is because of a very thick atmosphere creating the strongest greenhouse effect in the Solar system. If you stood on the surface of Venus, the atmospheric pressure is similar to being 1km underwater on Earth.Venus is the only planet to be named after a female figure, although two of the dwarf planets (Ceres and Eris) also have female names.



What's that little dot? Well, that's where you live - Earth. As the scale of this page is 1,000 miles per pixel, the Earth is only 8 pixels wide.

Earth is 93,000,000 miles from the Sun, and around 4,500,000,000 (four and a half billion) years old, the same age as the Sun, and all the other planets. There has been life on the planet for around three and a half billion years.

Its moon is known as "the" Moon, and is the largest moon in the Solar system in comparison to its planet (although Charon is larger relative to Pluto, Pluto isn't actually a planet). As you can see if you look at the position of the horizontal scroll bar, the Earth is pretty close to the Sun in the grand scheme of things.

To get some idea of how big the Solar system is, What's that little dot? Well, that's where you live - Earth. As the scale of this page is 1,000 miles per pixel, the Earth is only 8 pixels wide.Earth is 93,000,000 miles from the Sun, and around 4,500,000,000 (four and a half billion) years old, the same age as the Sun, and all the other planets. There has been life on the planet for around three and a half billion years.Its moon is known as "the" Moon, and is the largest moon in the Solar system in comparison to its planet (although Charon is larger relative to Pluto, Pluto isn't actually a planet). As you can see if you look at the position of the horizontal scroll bar, the Earth is pretty close to the Sun in the grand scheme of things.To get some idea of how big the Solar system is, click here to travel to Venus at the speed of light (press 'ESC' to stop).

The scroll bar serves as a nice pointer to your position in the universe. Keep an eye on it to see how far away from the Sun you have travelled.

Mars is known as the Red Planet, a colour given to it by large amounts of iron oxide on its surface. It is 4,217 miles in diameter, and 142,000,000 miles from the Sun.

It is home to Olympus Mons, the highest mountain in the Solar system at 27km - tall enough to pierce the Martian atmosphere. It also houses the biggest impact crater yet discovered, a massive 10,600km x 8,500km area - roughly the size of Europe, Asia and Australia combined.

Three spacecraft orbit Mars, the Mars Odyssey, Mars Express, and the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The surface is also home to Spirit and Opportunity, the Mars Rovers, and several older, and now retired, landers and rovers.

Mars was once covered in water, and is the most likely planet (other than Earth) to support life. Mars is known as the Red Planet, a colour given to it by large amounts of iron oxide on its surface. It is 4,217 miles in diameter, and 142,000,000 miles from the Sun.It is home to Olympus Mons, the highest mountain in the Solar system at 27km - tall enough to pierce the Martian atmosphere. It also houses the biggest impact crater yet discovered, a massive 10,600km x 8,500km area - roughly the size of Europe, Asia and Australia combined.Three spacecraft orbit Mars, the Mars Odyssey, Mars Express, and the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The surface is also home to Spirit and Opportunity, the Mars Rovers, and several older, and now retired, landers and rovers.Mars was once covered in water, and is the most likely planet (other than Earth) to support life.

Look at the size of that! Jupiter is the biggest thing in the Solar sytem after the Sun itself, a hulking great 88,850 miles across - that's over 11 times the size of the Earth. In fact, Jupiter has a mass two and half times bigger that all of the other planets combined. It is 484 million miles from the Sun.

Amazingly, when it was first formed, Jupiter was nearly twice as big as it is now, but it is shrinking 2cm every year. The smallest stars in the universe are only 30% bigger than Jupiter, although because of its relativly low density it would need to be 75 times bigger than it is now to fuse hydrogen and become a star. In spite of this, it still radiates more heat than it receives from the Sun.

Jupiter's biggest moon is called Ganymede, and it is larger than the planet Mercury. Look at the size of that! Jupiter is the biggest thing in the Solar sytem after the Sun itself, a hulking great 88,850 miles across - that's over 11 times the size of the Earth. In fact, Jupiter has a mass two and half times bigger that all of the other planets combined. It is 484 million miles from the Sun.Amazingly, when it was first formed, Jupiter was nearly twice as big as it is now, but it is shrinking 2cm every year. The smallest stars in the universe are only 30% bigger than Jupiter, although because of its relativly low density it would need to be 75 times bigger than it is now to fuse hydrogen and become a star. In spite of this, it still radiates more heat than it receives from the Sun.Jupiter's biggest moon is called Ganymede, and it is larger than the planet Mercury.

Saturn is 887,000,000 miles from the Sun, almost twice that of its nearest neighbour Jupiter, and 74,914 miles in diameter. It is the second largest planet in the Solar system, after Jupiter.

Saturn has thousands of rings made up of ice and rocks, and sixty-one moons. Saturn's largest moon, Titan, is the second largest in the Solar system, and is the only moon to have its own atmosphere.

Wind speeds on Saturn can reach an incredible 1,120mph, so it would be great for flying a kite. It is named after the Roman god Saturnus, as is Saturday.

If you could find a body of water large enough to drop it into, Saturn would float. Saturn is 887,000,000 miles from the Sun, almost twice that of its nearest neighbour Jupiter, and 74,914 miles in diameter. It is the second largest planet in the Solar system, after Jupiter.Saturn has thousands of rings made up of ice and rocks, and sixty-one moons. Saturn's largest moon, Titan, is the second largest in the Solar system, and is the only moon to have its own atmosphere.Wind speeds on Saturn can reach an incredible 1,120mph, so it would be great for flying a kite. It is named after the Roman god Saturnus, as is Saturday.If you could find a body of water large enough to drop it into, Saturn would float.

Uranus is 1,784,000,000 miles from the Sun, and is 31,760 miles in diameter. It takes Uranus 30,685 days to travel around the Sun, roughly half the time of the Neptune.

Uranus spins on a vertical axis (as opposed to a horizontal one, like the Earth) and has 11 rings. It is the coldest planet in the Solar system, with a minimum temperature of 49K.

It was originally called Georgium Sidus, or George's Star, in honour of King George III of England, but this name was not popular outside of Britain, and eventually Uranus became the only planet named after a Greek god.

You can see Uranus without using a telescope, although it was the first planet to be discovered using one, in 1781. Uranus is 1,784,000,000 miles from the Sun, and is 31,760 miles in diameter. It takes Uranus 30,685 days to travel around the Sun, roughly half the time of the Neptune.Uranus spins on a vertical axis (as opposed to a horizontal one, like the Earth) and has 11 rings. It is the coldest planet in the Solar system, with a minimum temperature of 49K.It was originally called Georgium Sidus, or George's Star, in honour of King George III of England, but this name was not popular outside of Britain, and eventually Uranus became the only planet named after a Greek god.You can see Uranus without using a telescope, although it was the first planet to be discovered using one, in 1781.

Neptune is the furthest real planet from the Sun (if you don't count Pluto) at a staggering 2,795,000,000 miles away.

It has a diameter of 20,770 miles, and an average temperature of -355 degrees.

It has six rings, eight moons, and takes a massive 60,190 days to travel around the Sun (that's nearly 165 Earth years!).

Neptune was the first planet to be found by pure mathematics (rather than just gazing at the sky through a telescope), way back in 1846. Methane in its atmosphere makes it look blue.

In 1989 the spacecraft Voyager 2 took photos of Neptune and its largest moon Triton. It took Voyager 2 twelve years to reach Neptune, and 246 minutes for the photos to be beamed back to Earth.

On July 12th 2011, Neptune will have completed a full 'year' since it's discovery. Neptune is the furthest real planet from the Sun (if you don't count Pluto) at a staggering 2,795,000,000 miles away.It has a diameter of 20,770 miles, and an average temperature of -355 degrees.It has six rings, eight moons, and takes a massive 60,190 days to travel around the Sun (that's nearly 165 Earth years!).Neptune was the first planet to be found by pure mathematics (rather than just gazing at the sky through a telescope), way back in 1846. Methane in its atmosphere makes it look blue.In 1989 the spacecraft Voyager 2 took photos of Neptune and its largest moon Triton. It took Voyager 2 twelve years to reach Neptune, and 246 minutes for the photos to be beamed back to Earth.On July 12th 2011, Neptune will have completed a full 'year' since it's discovery.