Planets of our Solar System

I have a notebook where I record notes about aviation, outer space, and technology, and I wanted to share some info.

1. Sun

• Is a star. Also is a ball of gas.
• The solar atmosphere part of the sun is where we see sunspots and solar flares.
• Makes up 99.8% of the solar system.

2. Mercury

• Smallest planet in our solar system- barely larger than our moon.
• Because it is closest to the sun, it has the fastest orbit rate- 88 days.
• Has no moons

3. Venus

• One day there (time for it to spin once) takes as long a 243 Earth days.
• Has no moons
• More than 40 spacecrafts have explored Venus.
• Is in retrograde rotation (spins backwards). Means that sun rises is west and sets in east.

4. Earth

• Unlike other terrestrial planets (planets that have solid surface), it is an ocean planet. 70% of its surface is covered in oceans
• The atmosphere protects us from meteorites
• Many planets have atmospheres, but ours is the only breathable one

5. Mars

• Makes complete orbit around sun (called a year) in 687 Earth days.
• Has two moons: Phobos and Deimos

6. Jupiter

• If a sun was a door, then the Earth's size would be a nickel, and Jupiter's size would be a basketball.
• One days is 10 hours in Earth time
• One year is 12 Earth days
• Not a terrestrial planet
• Has 67 moons
• Has a faint ring

7. Saturn

• One days is 10.7 Earth hours
• One year is 29 Earth days
• Not a terrestrial planet
• Has 62 moons- some COULD support life
• Has 7 rings with gaps and divisions between

8. Uranus

• One day is 17 Earth hours
• One year is 84 Earth days
• Not a terrestrial planet
• Has 27 moons and also has faint rings
• Also is retrograde rotation

9. Neptune

• One day is 16 Earth hours
• One year is 165 Earth YEARS
• Not a terrestrial planet
• Has 13 moons and 6 rings

Hope this helped!