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The eight planets of the Solar System

Eight planets orbit the Sun: four small rocky worlds on the inside, four giants of gas and ice on the outside. Each planet has its own fact file here, with figures, special features and the most important places on its surface.

The rocky planets

MercuryMercury is the smallest planet in our Solar System and the closest to the Sun.VenusVenus is the hottest planet in the Solar System – even hotter than Mercury, because of an extreme greenhouse …EarthEarth is the only known place in the universe with confirmed life.MarsMars is home to the largest known volcano in the Solar System: Olympus Mons, almost three times as high as …

The gas and ice giants

JupiterJupiter is the largest planet – more than twice as massive as all the other planets put together.SaturnSaturn has the most impressive ring system in the Solar System, visible even through a small telescope.UranusUranus lies almost completely “on its side” – its rotation axis is tilted by 98°, probably because of a huge …NeptuneNeptune was predicted by mathematical calculations in 1846 before it was observed – a triumph of celestial …

The planets compared

PlanetDiameterDistance from the SunOrbital periodMoons
Mercury4,879 km57.9 million km88 days0
Venus12,104 km108.2 million km224.7 days0
Earth12,742 km149.6 million km365.3 days1
Mars6,779 km227.9 million km687 days2
Jupiter139,820 km778.5 million km11.9 years97
Saturn116,460 km1,434 million km29.4 years274
Uranus50,724 km2,871 million km83.7 years28
Neptune49,244 km4,495 million km163.7 years16