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Mercury

The closest planet to the sun, mercury has the fastest orbit in the solar system. In the beginning it was formed when large debris clouds eventually combined into the planet we see today. Its surface is battered by impact craters and volcanic activity. It can have days 6 times hotter than the hottest place on earth and nights 2 times colder than the coldest place on earth.

Venus

The second planet in our solar system, venus is quite the odd planet. It was formed as mercury was in the beginning. Its rotation is retrograde as compared to the other planets, so the sun rises in the west and sets in the east. The planet has a large smog of toxins that create a greenhouse effect and heat the planet up to a scorching 900 degrees fahrenheit, making it the hottest planet in our solar system. This planet also has a cratered surface with lots of volcanic activity

Earth

What should be a familiar name to us, Earth is the 3rd planet in the solar system. It was formed in the beginning when two planets smashed into one another and created the earth and the moon. When there was more debris in our system, the earth's surface was extremely violent. About every month we would have an impact equal to the one that wiped out the dinosaurs and many more smaller impacts. Eventually water was delivered to the surface by comets and rain and the moon's orbit gifted us with an atmosphere meaning our planet was able to support life.

Mars

The 4th planet is Mars. Mars is a kind of cold desert with an average temperature of -89 degrees fahrenheit and a rather rocky and dry terrain. A lot of dust storms take place on the surface which is also plagued by volcanic activity, crustal movements, and other atmospheric effects. Mars also has 2 moons, Phobos and Deimos, which contribute to its atmosphere.

Between Mars and Jupiter, the asteroid belt is a huge circular field of asteroids that orbit the sun as we do. They vary in size from half a mile to about 570 miles across. The total mass of all of the asteroids left in the belt is less than that of earth's moon. All of the asteroids are made up of clay, silicate, or nickel-iron materials.

Asteroid Belt

Jupiter

The 5th planet in our solar system, Jupiter is another very interesting planet. It is possible that Jupiter has a solid core about the size of earth but otherwise, we know only that it is made up of gasses (hydrogen and helium). The "Red Spot" on Jupiter is a storm that has likely been raging for hundreds of years. Some other interesting things about the planet is that it actually has 3 faint rings and 67 different moons.

Saturn

The 6th planet in our lineup would be Saturn. Another gaseous planet, Saturn is also made up of helium and hydrogen and has no solid surfaces whatsoever. Perhaps the most peculiar thing about Saturn is its rings. The planet has 7 very cool rings that surround it that consist of various types of rock and ice. It has 62 moons that orbit it.

Uranus

Uranus is the 7th planet in the solar system. When it was forming it may have had a collision with an earth sized object causing it to have a pretty cool tilt. It is completely sideways and its equator is almost 90 degrees to its orbit. It is mosty and ice giant with methane and helium in is atmosphere (the methane giving it its blue tint). It has a total of 27 moons and 13 rings that lay vertical because of Uranus's unique tilt.

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