The solar system consists of our local star, the Sun, and everything that is bound to it by gravity. This includes 8 planets; at least 5 dwarf planets such as Pluto; dozens of moons; and millions of asteroids, comets, and meteoroids. Our planetary system is named the solar system because the name of our star, …
The Sun is the name given to the star at the centre of our solar system. It is by far the largest object, comprising 99.8% of the mass of the entire solar system (from all the planets and moons, to the smallest debris.) The Sun’s gravity keeps everything in the solar system, from the biggest …
The Moon plays an important part in life on Earth. It causes tides, the pattern of which has guided humans for thousands of years. It also plays a part in giving our planet a relatively moderate climate, by stabilizing a slight wobble the Earth has when it spins on its axis. The Moon is our …
The Earth, our home planet, is the third planet from the Sun and is the only planet known to harbour life. It is the largest of the four rocky planets closest to the Sun, but only the fifth largest in the solar system. Around 70% of the Earth is covered in water. This is mostly …
