The Solar System (Part 2)
The Planets
Each planet is unique, with its own character and history.
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Mercury: The smallest planet and closest to the Sun. It races around in just 88 days. With no atmosphere to trap heat, its days scorch at 420°C, while nights plunge to –170°C. Its cratered surface looks much like the Moon.
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Venus: Nearly Earth’s twin in size, but wrapped in a thick atmosphere of carbon dioxide. Venus is hotter than Mercury, reaching 460°C, with clouds of sulfuric acid. Once called the “Morning Star” and “Evening Star,” it shines brilliantly in the sky.
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Earth: Our home, the only known world with liquid water, breathable air, and life. From space, it glows as a blue marble, sustained by a delicate balance of atmosphere, oceans, and ecosystems.
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Mars: The red planet, with rust-coloured soil, giant volcanoes like Olympus Mons, deep canyons such as Valles Marineris, and evidence of ancient rivers. Once wetter, it remains a frontier for exploration.
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Jupiter: The giant of the solar system, more massive than all the other planets combined. Its atmosphere swirls with storms, including the Great Red Spot, a hurricane larger than Earth. At least 90 moons orbit it, including Europa, which may have an ocean beneath its icy crust.
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Saturn: Famous for its spectacular rings, made of countless icy particles. Saturn has dozens of moons, among them Titan, with thick atmosphere and methane lakes.
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Uranus: An ice giant with a pale blue-green color from methane gas. Uniquely, Uranus rotates on its side, likely tipped by a massive collision.
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Neptune: The outermost giant, deep blue and stormy, with the strongest winds in the solar system. One of its moons, Triton, is geologically active, with icy geysers.
Pluto, once the ninth planet, is now classified as a dwarf planet. This is not a demotion but a recognition that it is part of a larger family of icy worlds beyond Neptune, known as the Kuiper Belt.
