planets

• Planet checklist


  • It must orbit a star
  • It must be big enough to have enough gravity to force it into a spherical shape
  • It must be big enough that its gravity cleared away any other objects of a similar size near its orbit around the Sun
• Mercury


  • Closest to the sun
  • Thin atmosphere
  • Very hot or very cold temperature
  • Many deep craters
  • Smallest planet
• Venus


  • Hottest planet
  • The same size as the earth
  • Many volcanoes and deep craters
• Earth


  • The only known planet to be habitable
  • Atmosphere is made out of water vapor
  • Only planet to have liquid water
• Mars


  • Red planet is due to iron-rich minerals
  • Rocky surface
• Asteroid Belt

  • The asteroid belt is a disc shape, located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter
  • The asteroids are made of rock and metal and are all irregularly shaped
• Jupiter


  • Number of moons: 80
  • Largest planet with a very stormy atmosphere
  • Great red spot
  • Has the largest moon
• Saturn


  • The planet that is hard to miss because of its distinctive large rings
• Uranus


  • Coldest planet
  • Has faint rings
• Neptune


  • Neptune is an 'Ice Giant'
  • Farthest planet