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Solar System Study Guide
(Know the planets in order from the Sun.)
The Sun is a yellow star at the center of our solar system.
The Solar System consists of the sun and the planets that orbit around it.
A star is a glowing ball of gas in space.
The moon orbits the Earth, and we often see it in the night sky.
Mercury is the 1st planet closest to the sun and has a short orbit around the sun.
Venus is the 2nd planet from the sun and is the hottest planet. It is known as the Morning and Evening
Star. It is the brightest object in the sky and is known as Earth’s sister planet. Venus has a backward
rotation.
Earth is the 3rd planet from the sun, our home, and the only planet known to support life.
Mars is the 4th planet from the sun and is covered with red dust. It has the largest volcano, Olympus Mon.
Jupiter is the 5th planet from the sun and the largest of them all. It has a red spot which is a storm and 63
moons.
Saturn is the 6th planet from the sun and has 7 rings around it made of ice and rock.
Uranus is the 7th planet from the sun and spins around on its side.
Neptune is the 8th planet from the sun. It is very cold and windy there.
Pluto is the 9th and furthest planet from the sun. It is no longer recognized as a planet, but known as a dwarf
planet.