In Depth | Our Solar System - NASA Solar System Exploration
Introduction. The planetary system we call home is located in an outer spiral arm of the Milky Way galaxy. Our solar system consists of our star, the Sun, and everything bound to it by gravity – the planets Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune; dwarf planets such as Pluto; dozens of moons; and millions of asteroids, comets, and meteoroids.
In Depth | Sun – NASA Solar System Exploration
Our solar system is moving with an average velocity of 450,000 miles per hour (720,000 kilometers per hour). But even at this speed, it takes about 230 million years for the Sun to make one complete trip around the Milky Way. The Sun rotates on its axis as it revolves around the galaxy. Its spin has a tilt of 7.25 degrees with respect to the ...
What is a Planet? | Planets – NASA Solar System Exploration
Here is the text of the IAU’s Resolution B5: Definition of a Planet in the Solar System: Contemporary observations are changing our understanding of planetary systems, and it is important that our nomenclature for objects reflect our current understanding. This applies, in particular, to the designation "planets".
The Sun By the Numbers – NASA Solar System Exploration
2025年1月9日 · The Sun is the star at the heart of our solar system. Its gravity holds the solar system together, keeping everything – from the biggest planets to the smallest bits of debris – in its orbit. NASA. Solar System Exploration Our Galactic Neighborhood. Skip Navigation. menu close modal The Sun By the Numbers
Saturn By the Numbers – NASA Solar System Exploration
2025年1月9日 · This site is maintained by the Planetary Science Communications team at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate.
Mars By the Numbers - NASA Solar System Exploration
2025年1月9日 · Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun, and the seventh largest. It’s the only planet we know of inhabited entirely by robots.
In Depth | Earth's Moon – NASA Solar System Exploration
The resulting debris from both Earth and the impactor accumulated to form our natural satellite 239,000 miles (384,000 kilometers) away. The newly formed Moon was in a molten state, but within about 100 million years, most of the global "magma ocean" had crystallized, with less-dense rocks floating upward and eventually forming the lunar crust.
Jupiter By the Numbers - NASA Solar System Exploration
2024年5月7日 · Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun, and the largest in the solar system – more than twice as massive as the other planets combined. NASA Solar System Exploration Our Galactic Neighborhood
Venus By the Numbers – NASA Solar System Exploration
2025年1月9日 · Venus is the second planet from the Sun, and the sixth largest planet. It’s the hottest planet in our solar system.
Asteroids, Comets & Meteors - NASA Solar System Exploration
Don’t let the name fool you. Our solar system’s small bodies – asteroids, comets, and meteors – pack big surprises. These chunks of rock, ice, and metal are leftovers from the formation of our solar system 4.6 billion years ago. They are a lot like a fossil record of our early solar system. There are currently known asteroids and known ...