Solar System: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 22:31, 9 April 2007

Revision as of 22:32, 9 April 2007

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In broad terms, the charted regions of the Solar System consist of the Sun, four [[terrestrial planet|terrestrial]] '''inner planets''', an [[asteroid belt]] composed of small rocky bodies, four [[gas giant]] '''outer planets''', and a second belt, called the [[Kuiper belt]], composed of icy objects. Beyond the Kuiper belt lies the [[scattered disc]], the [[heliopause]], and ultimately the theoretical [[Oort cloud]].

In order of their distances from the Sun, the planets are [[Mercury (planet)|Mercury]], [[Venus]], [[Earth]], [[Mars]], [[Jupiter]], [[Saturn]], [[Uranus]], and [[Neptune]]. Six of the eight planets are in turn orbited by [[natural satellite]]s, usually termed "moons" after Earth's [[Moon]], and each of the outer planets is encircled by [[planetary ring]]s of dust and other particles. All the planets except Earth are named after gods and goddesses from [[Greek mythology|Greco]]-[[Roman mythology|Roman]] [[mythology]]. The three dwarf planets are [[Pluto]], the largest known Kuiper belt object; [[Ceres (dwarf planet)|Ceres]], the largest object in the asteroid belt; and [[Eris (dwarf planet)|Eris]], which lies in the scattered disc.

==Terminology==