Understanding the solar system
Our solar neighborhood is an exciting place. The Solar System is full of
planets, moons, asteroids, comets, minor planets, and many other
exciting objects. Learn about Io, the explosive moon that orbits the
planet Jupiter, or explore the gigantic canyons and deserts on Mars.
What Is The Solar System?
The Solar System
is made up of all the planets that orbit our Sun. In addition to
planets, the Solar System also consists of moons, comets, asteroids,
minor planets, and dust and gas.
Everything in the Solar System
orbits or revolves around the Sun. The Sun contains around 98% of all
the material in the Solar System. The larger an object is, the more
gravity it has. Because the Sun is so large, its powerful gravity
attracts all the other objects in the Solar System towards it. At the
same time, these objects, which are moving very rapidly, try to fly away
from the Sun, outward into the emptiness of outer space. The result of
the planets trying to fly away, at the same time that the Sun is trying
to pull them inward is that they become trapped half-way in between.
Balanced between flying towards the Sun, and escaping into space, they
spend eternity orbiting around their parent star.
