the Solar System

system can be classified in different ways

1. by size
2. by composition (or what they are made of)
3. by distance from the Sun
4. by history (when they were discovered)

1. There are the small planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars and Pluto. These planets have diameters less than 13000

   kilometers. Mercury and Pluto are sometimes referred to as lesser

   planets (not to be confused with minor planets which is the official

   term for asteroids).

2. There are also the giant planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. The giant planets have diameters greater

   than 48000 kilometers. These planets are sometimes also called the

   gas giants.

• There are terrestrial, or rocky planets, the ones made up mostly of

  rock and metal. These planets are Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars.

  The terrestrial planets are have relatively high densities, slow rotation, solid surfaces, no rings and few satellites.

• Then there are the jovian or gas planets. These planets are Jupiter, Saturn,

  Uranus and Neptune.

  The gas planets are made up mostly of hydrogen and helium. They and

  usually have low densities, rapid rotation, deep atmospheres, rings and

  lots of satellites.

• Pluto

  is an exception as it thought to be made up of a mixture of rocks and

  several kinds of “ices”. Scientists believe that most of these ices are

  that frozen gases and liquids such as methane and ammonia.

from the Sun

• There are the inner planets: Mercury,Venus, Earth and Mars.
• Then there are the outer planets: Jupiter,Saturn, Uranus and Neptune and Pluto
• The asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter forms the boundary between the inner solar system and the outer solar system.

Classification

• There are the classical planets: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. These planets have been known since prehistorical times.

  They can all been seen from Earth without the use of binoculars or telescopes.

• There are also the modern planets: Uranus, Neptune, Pluto.

  These have been discovered since the invention of telescopes since they are only visible with telescopes.

• There is also Earth.

www.dustbunny.com/afk/
Small Worlds David Drew: Nelson, 1989
The Gas Giants David Drew: Nelson, 1989

Pictures & Animations

of the Day