The Sun
G-type main-sequence star
The Sun is the star at the centre of the Solar System and holds 99.8% of its mass. Its gravity keeps every planet, moon, comet and speck of dust in orbit.
Mercury
Terrestrial planet
The smallest planet and the closest to the Sun. It has almost no atmosphere and swings between scorching days and freezing nights.
Venus
Terrestrial planet
Earth's near-twin in size, but wrapped in a crushing carbon-dioxide atmosphere that makes it the hottest planet in the Solar System.
Earth
Terrestrial planet
Our home. The only world known to host life, with liquid water oceans covering 71% of its surface and a protective magnetic field.
Mars
Terrestrial planet
The Red Planet: a cold desert world with the tallest volcano and the deepest canyon in the Solar System, and evidence of ancient rivers and lakes.
Asteroid Belt
Region
A ring of rocky debris between Mars and Jupiter, left over from the formation of the planets. Home to the dwarf planet Ceres.
Jupiter
Gas giant
The giant of the Solar System, more massive than all the other planets combined, with a storm larger than Earth that has raged for centuries.
Saturn
Gas giant
Famous for its spectacular rings, Saturn is a gas giant so light it would float in water, orbited by more than 140 moons.
Uranus
Ice giant
An ice giant tipped on its side, so that its poles take turns pointing at the Sun through its 84-year orbit.
Neptune
Ice giant
The outermost planet: a deep-blue ice giant with the fastest winds in the Solar System, discovered by mathematics before it was seen.
Kuiper Belt
Region
A vast, cold ring of icy bodies beyond Neptune. Pluto is its most famous resident, and it is the source of short-period comets.