Gustav Holst completed this suite of seven tone poems for large orchestra in 1915.
According to Holst,
these pieces were suggested by the astrological significance of the planets…
Therefore, these slides not only allow you to hear the music, they also show you the planets of our solar system, with important facts and pictures, and the
Roman or Greek mythological gods for whom the planets were named.

• Size: About 1/3 as wide as the Earth
• Temperature: -279F to 800F
• Moons: none
• Mercury orbits the sun in 88 Earth days.
• Mercury is the planet closest to the Sun.
• It ’ s grey surface is covered with craters.
• Mercury is a ball of rock with no atmosphere.

The planet was named for
Roman god “ Mercury.
” His
Greek name was “ Hermes ” .
He was the mythological messenger for Jupiter.
Had wings on his hat and his sandals.
He played the lyre.
He was always ready for action.

Mercury, the
Winged Messenger www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXS
QnSF0K8s&feature=related
Shows pictures of Mercury www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rkii
AloL6aE
Shows video of orchestra

• Size: Almost as large as the Earth
• Moons: none
• Temperature: 890F Venus is VERY Hot!
• Venus is the second planet from the Sun.
• Venus and Earth are called twins because they ’ re almost the same size.
• It has thick yellow clouds made of acid.
• The surface has lots of volcanoes, mountains, and big cracks.
• Venus orbits around the Sun in 224 Earth days.

Venus
The planet was named for the Roman goddess
“ Venus.
”
Her Greek name was
Aphrodite.
She was the mythological goddess of love and beauty.

Venus, the
Bringer of
Peace www.youtube.com/watch
?v=K1f8HjIkU3M&featur e=related
Shows pictures of Venus www.youtube.com/watch
?v=PyBkzZoMYN4
Shows video of orchestra

Earth
• Size: 7,926 miles in diameter
• Moons: one
• Temperature: -130F to 136F
• Earth is the third planet from the Sun.
• It is mainly made of rock.
• It has water on the surface and air we can breathe.
• From space, Earth looks like a blue ball with land that is brown and green, and white clouds.

Earth
Gustav Holst did not write a piece of music for our planet Earth.

Mars
• Size: About half as big as Earth
• Moons: two
• Temperature: -200F to -62F
• Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun.
• It is mainly made of rock.
• Mars is covered with red rocks that are full of iron and have turned rusty.
• There are huge volcanoes and lots of craters on the surface.
• Mars ’ orbit is equal to almost 2 Earth years.

Mars
The planet was named for
Roman god “ Mars.
” His
Greek name was “ Ares ” .
He was the mythological god of war.
He loved bloody wars and had a cold heart;
But he was a bad loser and a coward.

Mars
Mars, the Bringer of War www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8E wBTQhl3Y&feature=related
Shows pictures of Mars www.youtube.com/watch?v=AG
GlL1wexQk
Shows video of orchestra

Jupiter
• Size: About eleven Earths across
• Moons: 60
• Temperature: -278F. Jupiter is really cold
• Mars is the fifth planet from the Sun.
• It is the largest planet in our solar system.
• Jupiter is mainly made of liquid and gas, with a small rocky core.
• Jupiter is orange, red, yellow, brown, and white.
It also has a Great Red Spot, which is a constant hurricane.
• Jupiter ’ s orbit takes 12 Earth years.

Jupiter
The planet was named for
Roman god “ Jupiter.
” His
Greek name was “ Zeus ” .
He was the mythological king of the gods and god of heaven and earth.
In anger, Jupiter hurled his thunderbolt to punish those who deserved it.
He was also wise and fair and generous with his praise.

“ Jupiter ” includes a beautiful hymn
“ I Vow To Thee My Country ” which is very popular in England.
Here is the popular British singer
Charlotte Church performing this song.

Jupiter
Jupiter, the
Bringer of Jollity www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUx
3G6YHp7Y&feature=related
Shows pictures of Jupiter www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUx
3G6YHp7Y
Shows video of orchestra

Saturn
• Size: Over nine Earths in diameter.
• Moons: 31
• Temperature: -292F. Saturn is REALLY cold!
• Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun.
• It is a giant planet with beautiful rings made of pieces of rock and dust.
• Saturn is mainly made of gas and liquid, with a small rocky core.
• Saturn is gold, brown, and white. It s rings are gold, brown, white, red, yellow, and green.
• Saturn ’ s orbit takes over 29 Earth years.

Saturn
The planet was named for
Roman god “ Saturn.
” His
Greek name was “ Cronus ” .
He was the mythological god of agriculture and harvest time.
He held a sickle in his left hand and a bundle of wheat in his right hand.
Both the planet and Saturday were named after him.

Saturn, the
Bringer of Old
Age www.youtube.com/watch?v=
Qb79SiZrzvw&feature=related
Shows pictures of Saturn www.youtube.com/watch?v=
R23xW7xpm-Y
Shows video of orchestra

Uranus
• Size: Uranus is about 4 Earths across
• Moons: 27
• Temperature: -346F. Uranus is SUPER cold!
• Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun.
• The clouds that circle the planet are greenishblue.
• Uranus is a ball of gas with a rocky core.
• Uranus also has 11 thin rings that surround the planet.
• Uranus ’ orbit takes 84 Earth years.

Uranus
The planet was named for
Greek god “ Uranus.
” His
Roman name was “ Caelus ” .
He was the mythological god of the sky.
He was married to Gaia, mother earth.
He was connected to the night sky and was also thought of as the rainmaker.

www.youtube.com/watch?v
=m5G6ffAOJUk&feature=re lated
Shows pictures of Uranus www.youtube.com/watch?v
=lGfwxpuY2jY
Shows video of orchestra

Neptune
• Size: Neptune is about 4 Earths in diameter.
• Moons: 11
• Temperature: -353F. Neptune is SUPER cold!
• Neptune is the eighth planet from the Sun.
• The planet is surrounded by blue clouds and dark rings.
• Neptune is a ball of gas with a metal core.
• Neptune ’ s orbit takes 165 Earth years.

Neptune
The planet was named for
Roman god “ Neptune.
”
His Greek name was
“ Poseiden ” .
He was the mythological god of water and the sea.
He was also associated with fresh water, lakes, and springs.

Neptune
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSJ ub1A1aIk&feature=related
Shows pictures of Neptune www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQ
QGi4gN6gI
Shows video of orchestra

Pluto
• Size: Pluto is only 1420 miles across.
• Moons: 3
• Temperature: -390F. Pluto is ALWAYS cold!
• Pluto is usually the farthest planet from the Sun, but sometimes its orbit passes inside Neptune ’ s.
• Pluto is the smallest planet in our solar system.
• Pluto is a ball of frozen gas.
• It ’ s orbit takes 248 Earth years.

Pluto
The planet was named for Roman god
“ Pluto.
” His Greek name was “ Hades ” .
He was the mythological god of the underworld.
When Mercury brought souls of the dead to him, Pluto saw that none escaped.
His three-headed dog, Cerberus, stood guard at the locked gate of the underworld.
He was also rich, for all the treasures in the ground were his.

Pluto
Gustav Holst did not write a piece of music for Pluto because the planet had not been discovered yet in
1919.