Relative Distances from the Sun (logarithmic scale)
Distances from Sun: Mercury (0.39 AU), Venus (0.72 AU), Earth (1.00 AU), Mars (1.52 AU), Jupiter (5.20 AU), Saturn (9.54 AU), Uranus (19.19 AU), Neptune (30.07 AU), Pluto (39.48 AU)
Relative Planet Sizes (not to scale)
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Sun
109 × Earth
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Jupiter
11 × Earth
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Saturn
9 × Earth
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Neptune
4 × Earth
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Uranus
4 × Earth
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Earth
1 × Earth
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Venus
0.95 × Earth
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Mars
0.53 × Earth
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Mercury
0.38 × Earth
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Moon
0.27 × Earth
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Pluto
0.19 × Earth
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Relative planet sizes shown as ratios compared to Earth's radius (6,371 km)
About Astronomical Units
1 AU is the mean distance from Earth to the Sun, approximately 149.6 million kilometers or 93 million miles.
This unit simplifies measurements within our solar system, making it easier to comprehend the vast distances between planets.
Terrestrial vs. Gas Giants
The inner four planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars) are terrestrial, with solid rocky surfaces and thin atmospheres.
Jupiter and Saturn are gas giants, while Uranus and Neptune are ice giants, all composed primarily of hydrogen, helium, water, methane, and ammonia.
Venus: The Greenhouse Effect
Venus is the hottest planet despite not being closest to the Sun, with surface temperatures reaching 737 K (464°C).
Its dense CO₂ atmosphere creates a runaway greenhouse effect, making it hotter than Mercury despite receiving less solar radiation.
Jupiter's Great Red Spot
Jupiter's Great Red Spot is a massive anticyclonic storm that has been raging for over 300 years.
The planet has over 80 moons, including the four largest discovered by Galileo: Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto.
Saturn's Ring System
Saturn's rings are composed of countless ice and rock particles ranging from tiny grains to house-sized chunks.
The rings extend up to 282,000 km from Saturn but are only about 10 meters thick on average.
The Ice Giants
Uranus rotates on its side due to a collision early in its formation, with an axial tilt of 98 degrees.
Neptune has the strongest winds in the solar system, reaching speeds of up to 2,100 km/h (1,300 mph).
Pluto: The Dwarf Planet
Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet in 2006 due to not clearing its orbital neighborhood.
It has five known moons, with Charon being so large that Pluto-Charon is sometimes considered a double planet system.
Earth: The Habitable Zone
Earth orbits within the "Goldilocks zone" where liquid water can exist on the surface—not too hot, not too cold.
Our atmosphere protects us from harmful radiation and maintains stable temperatures through the greenhouse effect.