Solar System Planets: Order of the 8 (or

9) Planets
Ever since the discovery of Pluto in 1930, kids grew up learning about the nine planets
of our solar system. That all changed starting in the late 1990s, when astronomers
began to argue about whether Pluto was a planet. In a highly controversial decision, the
International Astronomical Union ultimately decided in 2006 to call Pluto a "dwarf
planet," reducing the list of "real planets" in our solar system to eight.
However, astronomers are now hunting for another planet in our solar system, a true
ninth planet, after evidence of its existence was unveiled on Jan. 20, 2016. The so-called
"Planet Nine," as scientists are calling it, is about 10 times the mass of Earth and 5,000
times the mass of Pluto.

Here's the order of the planets, starting nearest the sun and working outward through the solar
system: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune — and Planet Nine.

Terrestrial planets

The planets of the solar system as depicted by a NASA computer illustration. Orbits and sizes are not
shown to scale.

Credit: NASA

Did You Know? Three of the planets in the solar system are currently visible in the night sky in
June 2017. They are: Venus, Jupiter and Saturn. You can find out how and when to see the
brightest planets in June's night sky here: The Brightest Planets in June's Night Sky: How to
See them (and When)
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Here's the order of the planets, starting nearest the sun and working outward through the solar
system: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune — and Planet Nine.
Solar System Pictures: A Photo Tour
If you insist on including Pluto, then that world would come after Neptune on the list; Pluto is
truly way out there, and on a wildly tilted, elliptical orbit (two of the several reasons it got
demoted). Interestingly, Pluto used to be the eighth planet, actually. More on that below.

Terrestrial planets

The inner four worlds are called “terrestrial planets,” because, like Earth, their surfaces are all
rocky. Pluto, too, has a solid surface (and a very frozen one) but has never been grouped with the
four terrestrials.

Jovian planets
The four large outer worlds — Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune — are known as the
“Jovian planets” (meaning “Jupiter-like”) because they are all huge compared to the terrestrial
planets, and because they are gaseous in nature rather than having rocky surfaces (though
some or all of them may have solid cores, astronomers say). According to NASA, "two of the
outer planets beyond the orbit of Mars — Jupiter and Saturn — are known as gas giants; the
more distant Uranus and Neptune are called ice giants." This is because, while the first two are
dominated by gas, while the last two have more ice. All four contain mostly hydrogen and
helium.

Dwarf planets
The IAU definition of a full-fledged planet goes like this: A body that circles
the sun without being some other object's satellite, is large enough to be rounded by its
own gravity (but not so big that it begins to undergo nuclear fusion, like a star) and has
"cleared its neighborhood" of most other orbiting bodies. Yeah, that’s a mouthful.
The problem for Pluto, besides its small size and offbeat orbit, is that it shares its space
with lots of other objects in the Kuiper Belt, beyond Neptune. Still, the demotion of Pluto
remains controversial.
The IAU planet definition puts other small, round worlds in the dwarf planetcategory,
including the Kuiper Belt objects Eris, Haumea, and Makemake.
Also now a dwarf planet is Ceres, a round object in the Asteroid Belt between Mars and Jupiter.
Ceres was actually considered a planet when discovered in 1801 and then later deemed to be
an asteroid. Some astronomers like to consider Ceres as a 10th planet (not to be confused
with Nibiru or Planet X), but that line of thinking opens up the possibility of there being 13
planets, with more bound to be discovered.

The planets
Below is a brief overview of the eight primary planets in our solar system, in order from
the inner solar system outward:

Mercury

The closest planet to the sun, Mercury is only a bit larger than Earth's moon. Its day
side is scorched by the sun and can reach 840 degrees Fahrenheit(450 Celsius), but on
the night side, temperatures drop to hundreds of degrees below freezing. Mercury has
virtually no atmosphere to absorb meteor impacts, so its surface is pockmarked with
craters, just like the moon. Over its four-year mission, NASA's MESSENGER
spacecraft has revealed views of the planet that have challenged astronomers'
expectations.
 Discovery: Known to the ancients and visible to the naked eye
 Named for: Messenger of the Roman gods
 Diameter: 3,031 miles (4,878 km)
 Orbit: 88 Earth days
 Day: 58.6 Earth days

Related:

 More Mercury Facts

 Mercury Pictures
 NASA Solar System Exploration: Mercury
Venus' southern hemisphere, as seen in the ultraviolet.

Credit: ESA

Venus

The second planet from the sun, Venus is terribly hot, even hotter than Mercury. The
atmosphere is toxic. The pressure at the surface would crush and kill you. Scientists
describe Venus’ situation as a runaway greenhouse effect. Its size and structure are
similar to Earth, Venus' thick, toxic atmosphere traps heat in a runaway "greenhouse
effect." Oddly, Venus spins slowly in the opposite direction of most planets.

The Greeks believed Venus was two different objects — one in the morning sky and
another in the evening. Because it is often brighter than any other object in the sky —
except for the sun and moon — Venus has generated many UFO reports.

 Discovery: Known to the ancients and visible to the naked eye

 Named for: Roman goddess of love and beauty
 Diameter: 7,521 miles (12,104 km)
 Orbit: 225 Earth days
 Day: 241 Earth days

Related:

 More Venus Facts

 Venus Pictures
 NASA Solar System Exploration: Venus
An image of the Earth taken by the Russian weather satellite Elektro-L No.1.

Credit: NTsOMZ

Earth

The third planet from the sun, Earth is a waterworld, with two-thirds of the planet
covered by ocean. It’s the only world known to harbor life. Earth’s atmosphere is rich in
life-sustaining nitrogen and oxygen. Earth's surface rotates about its axis at 1,532 feet
per second (467 meters per second) — slightly more than 1,000 mph (1,600 kph) — at
the equator. The planet zips around the sun at more than 18 miles per second (29 km
per second).

 Diameter: 7,926 miles (12,760 km)

 Orbit: 365.24 days
 Day: 23 hours, 56 minutes

Related:

 More Earth Information

 50 Amazing Facts about Earth
 Earth Pictures
 NASA Solar System Exploration: Earth

Mars researchers are focusing both Earth-based and planet orbiting sensors to better understand sources of
methane on the red planet. Image

Credit: Space Telescope Science Institute

Mars
The fourth planet from the sun, is a cold, dusty place. The dust, an iron oxide, gives the
planet its reddish cast. Mars shares similarities with Earth: It is rocky, has mountains
and valleys, and storm systems ranging from localized tornado-like dust devils to planet-
engulfing dust storms. It snows on Mars. And Mars harbors water ice. Scientists think it
was once wet and warm, though today it’s cold and desert-like.

Mars' atmosphere is too thin for liquid water to exist on the surface for any length of time.
Scientists think ancient Mars would have had the conditions to support life, and there is
hope that signs of past life — possibly even present biology — may exist on the Red
Planet.
 Discovery: Known to the ancients and visible to the naked eye
 Named for: Roman god of war
 Diameter: 4,217 miles (6,787 km)
 Orbit: 687 Earth days
 Day: Just more than one Earth day (24 hours, 37 minutes)

Related:

 More Mars Facts

 Mars Pictures
 NASA Solar System Exploration: Mars

Close-up of Jupiter's Great Red Spot as seen by a Voyager spacecraft.

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Jupiter
The fifth planet from the sun, Jupiter is huge and is the most massive planet in our solar
system. It’s a mostly gaseous world, mostly hydrogen and helium. Its swirling clouds are
colorful due to different types of trace gases. A big feature is the Great Red Spot, a
giant storm which has raged for hundreds of years. Jupiter has a strong magnetic field,
and with dozens of moons, it looks a bit like a miniature solar system.
 Discovery: Known to the ancients and visible to the naked eye
 Named for: Ruler of the Roman gods
 Diameter: 86,881 miles (139,822 km)
 Orbit: 11.9 Earth years
 Day: 9.8 Earth hours

Related:

 More Jupiter Facts

 Jupiter Pictures
 NASA Solar System Exploration: Jupiter

The shadow of Saturn's moon Mimas dips onto the planet's rings and straddles the Cassini Division in this
natural color image taken as Saturn approaches its August 2009 equinox.

Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute

Saturn
The sixth planet from the sun is known most for its rings. When Galileo Galilei first
studied Saturn in the early 1600s, he thought it was an object with three parts. Not
knowing he was seeing a planet with rings, the stumped astronomer entered a small
drawing — a symbol with one large circle and two smaller ones — in his notebook, as a
noun in a sentence describing his discovery. More than 40 years later, Christiaan
Huygens proposed that they were rings. The rings are made of ice and rock. Scientists
are not yet sure how they formed. The gaseous planet is mostly hydrogen and helium. It
has numerous moons.
 Discovery: Known to the ancients and visible to the naked eye
 Named for: Roman god of agriculture
 Diameter: 74,900 miles (120,500 km)
 Orbit: 29.5 Earth years
 Day: About 10.5 Earth hours
Related:

 More Saturn Facts

 Saturn Pictures
 NASA Solar System Exploration: Saturn

Near-infrared views of Uranus reveal its otherwise faint ring system, highlighting the extent to which the
planet is tilted.

Credit: Lawrence Sromovsky, (Univ. Wisconsin-Madison), Keck Observatory

Uranus

The seventh planet from the sun, Uranus is an oddball. It’s the only giant planet whose
equator is nearly at right angles to its orbit — it basically orbits on its side. Astronomers
think the planet collided with some other planet-size object long ago, causing the tilt.
The tilt causes extreme seasons that last 20-plus years, and the sun beats down on one
pole or the other for 84 Earth-years. Uranus is about the same size as Neptune.
Methane in the atmosphere gives Uranus its blue-green tint. It has numerous moons and
faint rings.
 Discovery: 1781 by William Herschel (was thought previously to be a star)
 Named for: Personification of heaven in ancient myth
 Diameter: 31,763 miles (51,120 km)
 Orbit: 84 Earth years
 Day: 18 Earth hours

Related:

 More Uranus Facts

 Uranus Pictures
 NASA Solar System Exploration: Uranus
Neptune’s winds travel at more than 1,500 mph, and are the fastest planetary winds in the solar system.

Credit: NASA/JPL

Neptune

The eighth planet from the sun, Neptune is known for strong winds — sometimes faster
than the speed of sound. Neptune is far out and cold. The planet is more than 30 times
as far from the sun as Earth. It has a rocky core. Neptune was the first planet to be
predicted to exist by using math, before it was detected. Irregularities in the orbit of
Uranus led French astronomer Alexis Bouvard to suggest some other might be exerting
a gravitational tug. German astronomer Johann Galle used calculations to help find
Neptune in a telescope. Neptune is about 17 times as massive as Earth.

 Discovery: 1846
 Named for: Roman god of water
 Diameter: 30,775 miles (49,530 km)
 Orbit: 165 Earth years
 Day: 19 Earth hours

Related:

 More Neptune Facts

 Neptune Pictures
 NASA Solar System Exploration: Neptune

Pluto and its moons orbit the sun near the edge of our solar system. Learn all about Pluto's weirdly eccentric orbit,
four moons and more in this Space.com infographic.

Credit: SPACE.com/Karl Tate

Pluto (Dwarf Planet)
Once the ninth planet from the sun, Pluto is unlike other planets in many respects. It is
smaller than Earth's moon. Its orbit carries it inside the orbit of Neptune and then way
out beyond that orbit. From 1979 until early 1999, Pluto had actually been the eighth
planet from the sun. Then, on Feb. 11, 1999, it crossed Neptune's path and once again
became the solar system's most distant planet — until it was demoted to dwarf planet
status. Pluto will stay beyond Neptune for 228 years. Pluto’s orbit is tilted to the main
plane of the solar system — where the other planets orbit — by 17.1 degrees. It’s a
cold, rocky world with only a very ephemeral atmosphere. NASA's New Horizons
mission performed history's first flyby of the Pluto system on July 14,
2015. [Related: New Horizons' Pluto Flyby: Latest News, Images and Video]
 Discovery: 1930 by Clyde Tombaugh
 Named for: Roman god of the underworld, Hades
 Diameter: 1,430 miles (2,301 km)
 Orbit: 248 Earth years
 Day: 6.4 Earth day

Related:

 More Pluto Facts

 Pluto Pictures
 NASA Solar System Exploration: Dwarf Planets

Planet Nine
Planet Nine orbits the sun at a distance that is 20 times farther out than the orbit of
Neptune. (The orbit of Neptune is 2.7 billion miles from the sun at its closest point.) The
strange world's orbit is about 600 times farther from the sun than the Earth's orbit is
from the star.
Scientists have not actually seen Planet Nine directly. Its existence was inferred by its
gravitational effects on other objects in the Kuiper Belt, a region at the fringe of the solar
system that is home to icy objects left over from the birth of the sun and planets.
'Planet Nine': Facts About the Mysterious Solar System World (Infographic)

Scientists Mike Brown and Konstantin Batygin at the California Institute of Technology
in Pasadena described the evidence for Planet Nine in a study published in the
Astronomical Journal. The research is based on mathematical models and computer
simulations using observations of six other smaller Kuiper Belt Objects with orbits that
aligned in a similar matter.
Earth/Age

4.543 billion years

Since the planet Earth doesn't have a birth certificate to record its formation, scientists have
spent hundreds of years struggling to determine the age of the planet. By dating the rocks in the
ever-changing crust, as well as neighbors such as the moon and visiting meteorites, scientists
have calculated that Earth is 4.54 billion years old, with an error range of 50 million years.

13.8 billion years

This information helps astronomers determine the age of the universe. Age may only be
a number, but when it comes to the age of the universe, it's a pretty important one.
According to research, the universe is approximately 13.8 billion years old.

The Four Earth Sciences. Many different sciences are used to learn about the Earth;
however, the four basic areas of Earth science study are: geology, meteorology,
oceanography, and astronomy. ... Vibrations from the explosions travel into the Earth and
reflect off of structures below.

Introduction
Earth Science is the study of the Earth and its neighbors in space. It is an exciting science with
many interesting and practical applications. Some Earth scientists use their knowledge of the
Earth to locate and develop energy and mineral resources. Others study the impact of human
activity on Earth's environment, and design methods to protect the planet. Some use their
knowledge about Earth processes such as volcanoes, earthquakes, and hurricanes to plan
communities that will not expose people to these dangerous events.

The Four Earth Sciences

Many different sciences are used to learn about the Earth; however, the four basic areas of Earth
science study are: geology, meteorology, oceanography, and astronomy. A brief explanation of
these sciences is provided below.

Earth Scientists Study the Subsurface

Geology: Science of the Earth

Geology is the primary Earth science. The word means "study of the Earth." Geology deals with
the composition of Earth materials, Earth structures, and Earth processes. It is also concerned
with the organisms of the planet and how the planet has changed over time. Geologists search for
fuels and minerals, study natural hazards, and work to protect Earth's environment.

Meteorology: Science of the Atmosphere

Meteorology is the study of the atmosphere and how processes in the atmosphere determine
Earth's weather and climate. Meteorology is a very practical science because everyone is
concerned about the weather. How climate changes over time in response to the actions of people
is a topic of urgent worldwide concern. The study of meteorology is of critical importance in
protecting Earth's environment.

The Hydrologic Cycle - An Earth Science System

Hydrologic Cycle: Earth Science involves the study of systems such as the hydrologic cycle. This type of
system can only be understood by using a knowledge of geology (groundwater), meteorology (weather and
climate), oceanography (ocean systems) and astronomy (energy input from the sun). The hydrologic cycle is
always in balance - inputs and withdrawals must be equal. Earth scientists would determine the impact of any
human input or withdraw from the system. NOAA image created by Peter Corrigan.
Oceanography: Science of the Oceans

Oceanography is the study of Earth's oceans - their composition, movement, organisms and
processes. The oceans cover most of our planet and are important resources for food and other
commodities. They are increasingly being used as an energy source. The oceans also have a
major influence on the weather, and changes in the oceans can drive or moderate climate change.
Oceanographers work to develop the ocean as a resource and protect it from human impact. The
goal is to utilize the oceans while minimizing the effects of our actions.

Astronomy: Science of the Universe

Astronomy is the study of the universe. Here are some examples of why studying space beyond
Earth is important: the moon drives the ocean's tidal system, asteroid impacts have repeatedly
devastated Earth's inhabitants, and energy from the sun drives our weather and climates. A
knowledge of astronomy is essential to understanding the Earth. Astronomers can also use a
knowledge of Earth materials, processes and history to understand other planets - even those
outside of our own solar system.

The Importance of Earth Science

Today we live in a time when the Earth and its inhabitants face many challenges. Our climate is
changing, and that change is being caused by human activity. Earth scientists recognized this
problem and will play a key role in efforts to resolve it. We are also challenged to: develop new
sources of energy that will have minimal impact on climate; locate new sources of metals and
other mineral resources as known sources are depleted; and, determine how Earth's increasing
population can live and avoid serious threats such as volcanic activity, earthquakes, landslides,
floods and more. These are just a few of the problems where solutions depend upon a deep
understanding of Earth science.

Earth Science Careers

If you are a pre-college student, you can start preparing for a career in Earth science by enrolling
in the college preparation program and doing well in all of your courses. Science courses are
especially important, but math, writing, and other disciplines are also used by Earth scientists
during every working day.

Some universities have Earth Science programs but most offer more specific training in
programs such as geology, meteorology, oceanography or astronomy. In these programs you will
be required to take some challenging courses such as chemistry, physics, biology and math.
Earth science is an integrated science, and professionals in that field must solve problems that
require a knowledge of several fields of science.
If you already have a degree in another discipline such as biology, chemistry, geography, or
physics, you might be able to go to graduate school and obtain a Master's degree in one of the
Earth sciences. That will most likely require taking some undergraduate courses to meet program
entry requirements. However, if you have a strong interest in Earth science it is probably worth
doing.

At present, job opportunities in many areas of the Earth sciences are better than average.
Opportunities in geology are especially good.