 It is the hottest star. All the planets rotate around the sun. Years ago people thought that all of the planets, including the sun, revolved around the Earth.  Astronomers once thought that planetary orbits were circular and that the sun was in the center. Kepler showed that the orbits are elliptical. The sun is not at the center but slightly to one side.

 Mercury is the planet closest to the sun. The surface is rocky with craters. In sunlit areas the surface is hot enough to melt lead. It is one of the inner planets.

 The diameter is about 3,031 miles. There could be no life on this planet because it is to hot. Mercury does not have any moons. Mercury is 58 million km from the sun.

 Venus doesn’t have any moons. Venus’ surface is rocky. An interesting fact about Venus is that it rotates backward compared with other planets.

 Venus’ diameter is about 7,519 miles. The atmosphere of Venus is thick, mostly carbon dioxide and nitrogen, heavy enough to crush humans.

 Earth is the only planet with life. The surface is mostly water, with areas of soil-covered rock. The atmosphere is mostly nitrogen and oxygen.

 Earth’s diameter is about 7,926 miles. Earth’s distance from the sun is 150 million km from the sun. Earth is one of the inner planets.  Earth tilts on its axis.

 Mars’ surface is rocky and covered with dust.  Mars has the solar system’s largest volcano, Olympus Mons, whose base is larger than the state of New Mexico.

Mars diameter is about 4,217 miles. The atmosphere is mostly carbon dioxide. Scientists use a tiny remote-controlled vehicle called a rover. The distance from the sun is 228 million km.

 Jupiter is 778 million km from the sun.  Jupiter has a ring around it.  It is one of the gas planets.  It is mostly hydrogen and helium.

 Jupiter’s diameter is about 4,217 miles.  The Great Red Spot on Jupiter is a huge storm that has lasted at least since the time of Galileo.

Saturn is the 6 th planet. Saturn is the 6 th planet. Saturn’s diameter is about 74,900 miles. Saturn’s diameter is about 74,900 miles. Its distance from the sun is 1,424 km. Its distance from the sun is 1,424 km. Its atmosphere is mostly hydrogen and helium. Its atmosphere is mostly hydrogen and helium.

 An interesting fact about Saturn is that it has a wide, thin system of rings made of small pieces of rock and ice.  Saturn’s surface is gaseous with no known solid surface.

 Uranus’ diameter is about 31,758 miles.  Its’ distance from the sun is 2,867 million.  Uranus has 17 moons.  Uranus’ atmosphere is mainly hydrogen and helium.

 The surface of Uranus is gaseous with no known solid surface. An interesting fact about Uranus is A possible collision with an Earth-sized object may have knocked Uranus on its side.

 Neptune’s diameter is about 30,782 miles.  The distance from the sun is 4,488 million km.  Neptune has 8 moons.

 The surface of Neptune is gaseous with no known solid surface.  The atmosphere is mostly hydrogen, helium, and methane.

 Pluto’s diameter is about 1,460 miles.  The distance from the sun is about 5,909 million km.  An interesting fact about Pluto is that it is the ninth planet, but part of its orbit is inside the orbit of Neptune making Pluto the 8 th planet.

 Pluto’s surface is water and methane ice.  The atmosphere is mostly methane.  Pluto has one moon.  Pluto is the smallest planet.

 There are nine planets in the Solar System.  These are the planets in order, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto.

 That is the end of our show.